Fieldhill Loans helps plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors in Columbus, IN and Bartholomew County, IN request equipment financing for service vans and tools, inventory financing for parts and equipment stock, and lines of credit for the gap between jobs and payments. Partners review deposits, receivables and quotes, then decide.
| Bartholomew County, IN plumbing, heating and AC employers | 28 employer locations (County Business Patterns 2023) |
|---|---|
| Under five employees | 67.9% of them, CBP 2023 |
| Plumbing and HVAC firms run without employees | 31, Nonemployer Statistics 2024 (NAICS 23822) |
How plumbing and HVAC contractors use funding
These trades sit inside construction but run on a different rhythm. Service and replacement calls may be paid at completion or on short invoice terms, while new-construction rough-ins follow a builder's draw schedule. The general contractor side is covered on contractor funding; this page covers what is specific to the trade.
The quick answer: equipment financing for vans, jetters, cameras and diagnostic tools; inventory financing for water heaters, furnaces and condensers held in stock; a line of credit for the gap between buying parts and getting paid.
Pipe and duct trades across Bartholomew County, IN
County Business Patterns counted 28 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor employer establishments (NAICS 238220) in Bartholomew County, IN in 2023, with 162 paid employees and about $9.3 million in annual payroll. Nineteen of them, 67.9%, had fewer than five employees, and 18 had a ZIP 47201 address (ZIP Business Patterns 2023).
Nonemployer Statistics counted 31 plumbing and HVAC businesses without payroll in 2024 (NAICS 2022 code 23822), a separate program and year. Our arithmetic from the CBP counts: roughly 5.8 employees per employer shop and about $57,500 in payroll per employee, approximate because CBP figures are noise-adjusted.
Electrical contractors (NAICS 238210), a neighboring trade, counted 17 employer establishments in the county in 2023.
Parts, vans and the wait to get paid
Equipment stock
A replacement water heater, furnace or condenser can be installed the day it is needed. A shop that keeps common units in stock carries the cost until the invoice is paid.
Vans and tools
Each technician needs a stocked van, plus specialty tools: drain cameras, jetters, recovery machines, gauges and combustion analyzers.
Technicians
Payroll for technicians and apprentices is due weekly or biweekly.
Builder work
Rough-in and trim work for builders is billed on the builder's schedule, sometimes with retainage.
Matching trade needs to funding types
| Need | Where Fieldhill would start |
|---|---|
| Service van and upfit | Equipment financing |
| Drain cameras, jetters, recovery machines | Equipment financing |
| Water heaters, furnaces and condensers in stock | Inventory financing |
| Gap between job costs and payment | Line of credit |
| Buying an existing plumbing or HVAC business | Term loan |
Commercial HVAC jobs and larger contracts
A commercial HVAC loan request can follow a specific contract: rooftop units, ductwork and controls for a commercial building, billed on a schedule. Partners read the contract and its payment terms. Equipment ordered for the job can sometimes be covered by inventory financing until it is installed and billed.
Service calls versus builder work
A shop may do both, and the two halves behave differently. Service and replacement calls may be paid at completion or within days, so a service-heavy shop's deposits can follow its call volume. Builder rough-in and trim work is larger per job but follows the builder's draw schedule, sometimes with retainage held back.
When you request funding, show the split between the two, even roughly. A partner reading a shop that is two-thirds service work sees a different risk from one that depends on two or three builders, and the right product can differ: a line of credit suits builder gaps, while service growth may need a van and a technician.
How to buy a plumbing business with its service agreements
Buying an existing plumbing or HVAC business is reviewed on its service history: call volume, average ticket, maintenance agreements, and the vans and tools included. Maintenance agreement customers can be a valuable part, so ask how many renew each year. A term loan funds the purchase; the vans and equipment may be financed separately.
What partners commonly review for a trade contractor
- Twelve months of bank statements.
- Receivables aging, including builder accounts.
- Vehicle and equipment quotes.
- Maintenance agreement counts, if any.
- Existing vehicle and equipment payments.
A labeled example, not an offer
Hypothetical figures only: a five-technician HVAC shop adds a sixth van. The van and upfit are quoted at $64,000, and stocking it with parts and two spare condensers costs about $11,000. Equipment financing for the van and upfit, plus a line of credit for the stock, keeps the long-lived asset and the fast-moving parts on separate schedules. The real figures come only from a partner.
Related pages
The parent page for all trades is construction and contractor funding. Landscaping companies share some equipment patterns; see landscaping funding. The Bartholomew County, IN counts live on the Columbus, IN page, and every sector on the industries page.
By Fieldhill Loans · Updated
