Security and Widefield are two neighborhoods that most of Colorado treats as one. They sit south of Colorado Springs and north of Fountain. Neither one is a city. El Paso County governs both, and the Census Bureau counts them together as one place. The 2020 census counted 38,639 people, up 17.5 percent from 2010.
That census also counted about 13,400 homes here. Many hold families with first homes, kids in school and a steady need for repair, remodel and yard work.
Kent & Tamarack works with owners of small trade and service companies who want to sell. If you run a plumbing, HVAC, electrical, fencing, cleaning or lawn care company in Security-Widefield, we can help you sell it privately and on terms you agree to.
An area without its own name on the map
The Census Bureau has counted Security and Widefield as one place for decades. Yet there is no town hall, no mayor and no town limits sign.
That shows up in odd ways for a business. Mail in much of the area carries a Colorado Springs address, with ZIP codes such as 80911 and 80925, while the south end shares Fountain's 80817. So your company's address may say Colorado Springs, while your customers think of you as the outfit from down the street on Fontaine.
When we describe your company to buyers, we fix that. We show where your jobs actually are, by neighborhood and street, and how far your trucks drive on a normal day. A buyer from outside the region does not know where Security ends and Fountain begins. You do, and that local map is part of what they are buying.
Two water districts, one set of streets
Two districts provide water and sewer service here: the Security Water and Sanitation District and the Widefield Water and Sanitation District. For plumbers and irrigation companies, knowing which district a customer is in, and how each one handles taps, meters and backflow testing, is daily knowledge.
A buyer who comes from another part of the county may not have it. If your crew already works well with both districts, write that down. It is the kind of local know-how that keeps a company running smoothly after the owner leaves.
Families, schools and the work they bring
Widefield School District 3 serves much of the area, including Mesa Ridge and Widefield high schools. Fort Carson is only a few miles to the west, and the Army says 82 percent of its soldiers and their families live off post, so military families are a real part of the customer base nearby. A young population means many homes with children, pets, busy schedules and tight budgets. Those customers want someone who shows up when promised and charges a fair price.
Service companies that win here do it on trust and word of mouth. Neighbors recommend the plumber who fixed their water heater on a Sunday. Parents on the sideline at a football game trade names of good roofers. A buyer cannot buy that reputation separately from the company, so we show it: repeat customers, referral sources, reviews and how long your best clients have used you.
The owner who does everything
In a small Security-Widefield company, the owner answers the phone, writes the estimates, orders the parts and does the hardest jobs. That is how a lot of good companies get built. It also makes a buyer nervous, because the company may slow down when you leave.
You can lower that worry with a few steps before a sale:
- Let a lead tech handle more of the estimates and scheduling.
- Move the customer list and job history out of your phone and into a simple system.
- Put supplier accounts and vehicle titles in the company's name.
- Plan to stay on for a short time after the sale to make introductions.
We help you decide which of these matter most for your company, so you do not spend money on changes that a buyer will not value.
Who looks at south-side companies
The buyer pool here is close to home. A Colorado Springs company may want more customers on the south side without opening another shop. A Fountain company may want to reach north. A key employee may want to take over, with part of the price paid over time. A veteran from one of the nearby bases may want to own a working business after service.
We reach out to each kind quietly. A buyer learns your name only after signing a confidentiality agreement, and buyer meetings stay away from your shop until you are ready.
If a bigger company buys you
When a larger Colorado Springs company buys a small south-side shop, a few things change. They may fold your trucks into their fleet, move dispatch to their office, and, after a while, replace your name with theirs. Some owners are fine with that. Others care a lot about keeping the name on the trucks and the crew together.
Say which matters to you early. A buyer who plans to keep your name and your people for a set time can put that in the deal. A buyer who wants only your customer list may pay differently. Neither is wrong, but you should know which offer is which before you sign anything. We ask each buyer these questions and put the answers next to the price, so the comparison is fair.
What the company is worth
A fair valuation looks at your normal yearly earnings for an owner, how much work repeats, the crew, the trucks and how your books line up with your tax returns. We give you an honest range, explain how we got there, and point out anything that would lift it.
The process and the phone number
Four steps: a private first call, a fair value range, a quiet buyer search and a close handled with your accountant and attorney. See how a sale works. For fencing, decks and other building trades, read selling a construction company.
Call (983) 900-6537, and the founder will answer. Companies a little further south can see our Fountain page.