Jupiter, FL General Contractor Just Listed at $1.85M — And the Timing Is Perfect

A Jupiter General Contractor Just Dropped — And the Timing Is Ridiculous

Let's set the scene. Palm Beach County is in the middle of one of the most aggressive construction booms it's seen in decades. Luxury high-rises are going vertical in West Palm Beach. A $772 million construction loan just closed for the CityPlace towers. The NORA District — a $1 billion, 40-acre redevelopment — is transforming former warehouse space into a mixed-use powerhouse.

And right in the middle of all this? A well-established Jupiter general contracting firm just came to market at $1.85 million.

The timing is not a coincidence. It's an opportunity.

What's Actually on the Table Here

Coastal Meridian Construction — a Jupiter-based general contracting firm — has been operating for over 12 years across residential renovations, commercial tenant improvements, and light commercial new construction throughout Palm Beach and Martin counties.

The business carries a signed contract backlog of approximately $2.1 million, a licensed crew of 14 (including a qualifying agent holding a Florida CGC license), and a fleet of owned equipment valued at roughly $380,000. Annual revenue has averaged $4.2 million over the past three years, with seller's discretionary earnings (SDE) running at approximately $520,000.

At $1.85M asking, you're looking at roughly a 3.6x SDE multiple — right in the sweet spot for a business of this size and stability.

Why Jupiter? Why Now?

Jupiter isn't just a pretty beach town anymore. It's a legitimate business hub. Voloridge — a quantitative investment firm — just expanded its Jupiter footprint with a new health and wellness building at Harbourside Place, projecting 100–200 new high-tech jobs. Multi Parts Solutions, also Jupiter-headquartered, just made a major acquisition in the construction equipment space.

The ripple effect on local construction demand is real. More corporate tenants mean more tenant improvement projects. More high-income residents mean more luxury renovations. More development means more subcontractor work for established firms with the bonding capacity and crew to execute.

An established Jupiter contractor is positioned to capture all of it.

The Florida Contractor License Question (Read This Before You Make an Offer)

Here's what trips up a lot of buyers in the construction space: Florida contractor licenses are issued to individuals, not businesses. That means the license doesn't automatically transfer when you buy the company.

You've got two paths. Either you hold your own Florida CGC, CRC, or specialty license — or you bring on a qualifying agent who does. This is non-negotiable with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

The good news? In this deal, the current qualifying agent has expressed willingness to stay on for a 12–18 month transition period. That's a significant de-risking factor — and it's exactly the kind of seller cooperation that makes a deal bankable.

What the Numbers Actually Tell You About Florida Construction M&A Right Now

Florida's construction sector is projected to grow 8.2% through 2026. The Florida Department of Transportation alone has a $13.7 billion program for fiscal year 2025–26. Data center construction is exploding across the state. Industrial and logistics development is running hot.

So what does that mean for valuations? Established construction firms with documented backlogs, bonding capacity, and stable workforces are commanding 3x–6x EBITDA — and the upper end of that range is increasingly common for businesses with strong regional reputations.

Mid-market construction businesses in the $300K–$1.5M range are moving quickly. Premium regional contractors are listing at $3.5M–$13.5M. The $1.85M ask for Coastal Meridian sits in a compelling middle ground — substantial enough to have real infrastructure, accessible enough for SBA financing.

The Labor Moat Nobody Talks About

Here's the real talk on construction acquisitions in South Florida right now: the crew is the asset.

Palm Beach County is facing a genuine skilled labor shortage. Licensed electricians, commercial plumbers, experienced project managers — they're hard to find and expensive to hire. Labor costs now account for 35–50% of typical commercial TI budgets in the region.

When you acquire an established contractor with a trained, licensed crew that shows up every day? You're not just buying a business. You're buying a workforce that would take years and significant capital to replicate from scratch.

That's your moat. Protect it.

SBA Financing and Deal Structure — What Buyers Need to Know

Good news on the financing front: this deal is structured for SBA 7(a) eligibility. With a 10% down payment, a qualified buyer could be in the door for approximately $185,000 out of pocket — with the remaining balance financed over 10 years at current SBA rates.

The seller is also open to a partial seller note for the right buyer, which can help bridge any appraisal gaps and signal confidence in the business's forward performance. Deals structured this way — SBA primary, seller note secondary — are increasingly common in the $1M–$3M construction space and tend to close faster than all-cash or conventional financing structures.

Material costs are worth flagging: structural steel and metal framing remain 15–25% above pre-2022 levels due to tariffs and supply chain constraints. Any buyer doing due diligence should review how the business has managed material cost escalation in its contracts — fixed-price vs. cost-plus structures matter a lot in this environment.

Who's the Right Buyer for This Deal?

Let's be direct. This isn't a passive investment. Construction businesses require operational involvement, especially during a transition period.

The ideal buyer here is either a licensed contractor looking to scale — maybe you've been running a smaller operation and want to step into an established brand with a real backlog — or a strategic acquirer in an adjacent trade (HVAC, electrical, plumbing) looking to expand into general contracting and capture more of the project value chain.

Private equity and search fund buyers are also active in this space, particularly when a strong qualifying agent is willing to stay on. The 12–18 month transition commitment here makes this deal viable for a broader buyer pool than most construction listings.

The Bottom Line

A 12-year-old Jupiter general contractor with a $2.1M backlog, a licensed crew, and $520K in annual SDE just hit the market at $1.85M — in the middle of a Palm Beach County construction boom that shows no signs of slowing. That's not a coincidence. That's a window.

If you're serious about acquiring a construction business in South Florida, this is the kind of listing that deserves a call today — not next week. At Sun Biz Broker, we specialize in connecting qualified buyers with established Florida businesses exactly like this one. Visit sunbizbroker.com or reach out directly to get the full deal package, financials, and a confidential introduction to the seller.