Contractor funding requests from Durango, Colorado reach funding partners through Aspenspring Business Loans. With 357 employer establishments in 2023, construction led every other sector in La Plata County, CO. This page covers financing for contractors, builder lines of credit, equipment, payroll for small crews, buying a contracting firm, and the records partners read.
At a glance
- Construction employers, La Plata County, CO
357, 66.4% with fewer than five employees (County Business Patterns 2023)
- Residential builders
120 employers (County Business Patterns 2023)
- Construction businesses without paid employees
1,013 (Nonemployer Statistics 2024)
Financing for Contractors Around Durango, CO by the County Numbers
Contractor business loans start from the size of the trade. County Business Patterns counted 357 construction employers in La Plata County, CO in 2023, more than any other sector, with 1,895 employees and $122.3 million in annual payroll, about $64,529 per employee (our arithmetic); 66.4% had fewer than five employees (County Business Patterns 2023). Inside that total were 120 residential builders, 51 other specialty trade contractors, 47 building finishing contractors, 45 plumbing and HVAC contractors, 28 electrical contractors and 8 nonresidential builders.
Nonemployer Statistics, a separate program, counted 1,013 construction businesses with no paid employees for 2024, with $89.3 million in receipts (Nonemployer Statistics 2024). Those owner-operators borrow on their own returns and deposits. Housing permits give the work pipeline: 357 new units authorized in 2023, 208 in 2024 and 376 in 2025 (Building Permits Survey).
Builder Line of Credit for Payroll Between Draws
A builder pays the crew every week and is paid when a draw is approved or a job closes. Illustration only, invented figures: a four-person crew at $31 an hour for 160 hours a month costs $19,840 a month in wages (our arithmetic). If a draw lands 5 weeks after the work it pays for, the gap repeats on every job, which is the pattern a business line of credit is built around.
Retainage widens the gap. On an invented $185,000 contract with 10% held back until completion, $18,500 of earned money waits until the end (our arithmetic). A partner reviewing a contractor's line reads the receivables aging with retainage listed separately, the backlog of signed work, and how quickly draws have cleared in the past.
Excavators, Skid Steers and Work Trucks for Small Crews
Machines are an equipment financing purchase, not a line purchase. Illustration only, invented figures: a $72,000 skid steer with $7,200 down, financed over 60 months at an invented 9.5%, runs about $1,361 a month (our arithmetic). The machine secures the loan, which keeps the line open for wages.
- The dealer quote, with attachments and delivery listed.
- Year, hours and serial number for a used machine.
- Where the machine will be kept between jobs.
- The jobs it will work on and what they pay.
The equipment financing page covers construction equipment alongside other trades.
Small Business Loans for Contractors Working Alone or With One Helper
With 1,013 construction businesses running without payroll in the county (Nonemployer Statistics 2024), many contractor requests come from owner-operators. A partner reads the owner's Schedule C or business return, personal credit, the business bank account and a list of current jobs. Mixing personal and business spending in one account makes deposits hard to read, so a separate account is the first step.
Independent contractors working under a general contractor are paid by invoice like any business; a partner reads the invoices and how quickly the general contractor pays.
Contractor business loans in Colorado also turn on the business's registration. A partner can check that the entity is in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State, that the name on the bank account matches the name on the contract, and that any lien already filed against the business's equipment is disclosed. A trade name used without registration, or a lapsed entity, is a question a partner raises before it reads anything else, so check the record before applying.
Business Loan for Construction Contractors Buying an Established Firm
Buying a contracting firm brings a crew, equipment, a client list and a reputation. Illustration only, invented figures: a $260,000 purchase with $39,000 down leaves $221,000 to finance; over 84 months at an invented 10%, the payment is about $3,669 a month (our arithmetic). A partner reads three years of the seller's returns, the equipment list with values, the backlog and whether licenses transfer to the buyer.
The Colorado acquisition guide lays out the steps.
Working Capital for Landscaping Contractors and Other Specialty Trades
Specialty trades share the builders' timing: materials bought before the job, wages paid weekly, invoices paid later. The landscaping page covers grounds crews, and a working capital loan fits a one-off gap such as a large materials order for a single job. City licensing for contractors working inside Durango, CO is a question for the City of Durango; the license guide points to where to ask.
The Durango, CO page has ZIP 81301 counts, where construction had 176 employer establishments in 2023 (ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023), and the industries page lists the other trades.
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