Why this work follows agriculture
Agriculture is a significant sector in California's economy, producing nearly $59.4 billion in revenue in 2023, and the state grows more than 400 commodity crops, including a significant portion of all the fruits, vegetables and nuts in the United States. Every one of those crops needs water, which means pumps, wells, pipes, valves, filters and drip or sprinkler systems. Contractors who drill, repair and install these systems work in the Central Valley, the Imperial Valley and similar farm regions, and their calendar follows the growers' calendar.
Rigs are costly and run hard
A drilling rig, its support trucks, tooling, casing, and pumps are among the largest equipment costs in any contracting trade. Drill bits and parts wear quickly, and a rig that goes down in the middle of a job is a major expense and a delay for the customer. Pump and irrigation installers carry smaller but still significant inventories of motors, pipe and controls, along with trucks and cranes.
- Rigs and support equipment need frequent maintenance.
- Pipe, casing and pumps are bought before the job.
- Fuel and crew costs run continuously.
The grower's calendar
| Period | What contractors see |
|---|---|
| Before planting | Calls for new systems, repairs and well work |
| Peak growing season | Emergency pump and line repairs; fewer scheduled installs |
| After harvest | Growers evaluate and plan upgrades |
| Dry or restrictive periods | Demand for deeper wells or new equipment can rise, while customer budgets can tighten |
Revenue follows farm income, and farm income follows crop prices and water availability. Customers may pay after harvest.
Payment timing in farm country
Many agricultural customers pay when their own crop is sold. A contractor who drills a well in spring may not be paid in full until fall. Meanwhile, the contractor has paid crews, bought casing and fuel, and kept the rig running. A contractor with several jobs open at once can have a large sum committed across the region. Owners in this trade often need to think in terms of the grower's season, not the calendar month.
Permits and drilling logistics
Drilling a well involves permits, site access and coordination with the property owner. Delays in any of these create idle time for the crew and the rig. We do not describe any permit rules; contractors should confirm requirements with the local agency and the state.
A worked example, for illustration only
For illustration, a contractor wins three irrigation installs ahead of planting and needs $65,000 of pipe, pumps and controls plus $25,000 of crew wages over six weeks. The growers pay at completion or after harvest. Working capital lets the contractor buy everything at once and complete all three jobs on time. These figures are not our terms or a typical result.
How to apply
If your next jobs depend on equipment and materials that cannot wait for harvest payments, a funding decision based on your bank deposits can help. The application takes about five minutes. We ask for roughly three months of business bank statements and use a soft credit pull; no tax returns are required. FICO 500 and above is considered, funding runs from $25,000 to $5,000,000, and money can arrive in as little as 24 hours. Sole proprietors can apply. Start your application.