[deleted]

[Math N Money]

[deleted]

[NorCal]

Start with the assumption that you're hiring someone, and build that into your pro-forma.

How interested is the current owner in being this employee for maybe a 6-12 month training/handover period?  That would probably be ideal, as I imagine there's tons of institutional knowledge in his head related to this topic as well as other topics that haven't even crossed your mind yet.

[Leseratte]

I would not buy into a labour intensive business, where I am not able to do the work yourself.

What happens ro the Business and your investment, if you do not find a good carpenter?

[Metalcat]

I would not buy into a labour intensive business, where I am not able to do the work yourself.

What happens ro the Business and your investment, if you do not find a good carpenter?

Same, I would absolutely not buy a small business that entirely depends on a hiring a primary skilled worker, they're very, very likely to want to go out on their own if it's a solid business model.

I would only do this as a partnership with a skilled worker, and I don't like partnerships, so I wouldn't likely do it, personally.