Slatemont Capital Group, a small-business funding broker in Bismarck, North Dakota, connects contractors with lending partners for equipment financing, working capital and credit lines. Burleigh County had 390 construction employer establishments in 2023, 262 of them specialty trade contractors, and 64.9% with fewer than five employees. Partners make each call and price each offer.
| Contractor payrolls in Burleigh County, ND | 390 firms with 3,443 on payroll (CBP 2023) |
|---|---|
| Specialty trade contractors | 262 trade firms; 167 of them under five people |
| Construction payroll | $256.3 million (CBP 2023) |
| Owner-only construction firms | 705 (NES 2024) |
| New housing units permitted | 303 in 2025 (BPS) |
| Decision | The lending partner's alone |
Burleigh County, ND contractors in Census tables
| Group (NAICS) | Employers | Paid employees | Annual payroll | Under 5 employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All construction (23) | 390 | 3,443 | $256.3 million | 64.9% |
| Specialty trade contractors (238) | 262 | 2,233 | $164.0 million | 63.7% |
| Construction of buildings (236) | 99 | 641 | $44.7 million | 73.7% |
The remaining 29 employers are heavy and civil engineering firms. Construction had more employer establishments than any other sector in the county, about 12% of the total.
Another 705 construction businesses had no paid employees in 2024, with $72.5 million in receipts; 476 of them were specialty trades (Nonemployer Statistics 2024). That count comes from a different program and year, so it sits beside the employer figures rather than being added to them.
Residential permits as context
New privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in Burleigh County rose from 200 in 2023 to 258 in 2024 and 303 in 2025, and 261 of the 2025 units were single-family homes in 278 buildings (Census Building Permits Survey). The survey covers new homes only, not commercial jobs, remodels or roads, so it describes one slice of the work local crews do.
What contractors usually finance
- Compact excavators, skid steers, loaders, trailers and lifts
- Pickups and service vehicles fitted for the trade
- Payroll and materials while waiting on progress payments or retainage
- Tools and software for estimating and scheduling
- A larger shop, yard or second crew
Each need maps to a different structure. Machines fit equipment financing; payroll gaps fit working capital or a credit line; a shop expansion may fit a term loan.
Paying for loaders, excavators and skid steers
Most contractors choose between an equipment loan or finance agreement, which ends in ownership, and a lease, which can end with a return, renewal or buyout. A well-maintained excavator or skid steer often works long after a five-year term, which is why many owners prefer a structure that ends with the machine in their name. Equipment financing compares the options in detail.
Used machines can be financed too, though partners may want hours, photos and the serial number, and may shorten the term. To see a payment before you call, try the excavator financing calculator: it shows the monthly payment and total cost including the down payment for figures you enter.
Covering the gap between progress payments
Contractors pay crews weekly and suppliers on terms, then wait for draws or progress payments, and sometimes for retainage held back until the job closes. Working capital financing covers a known gap with a lump sum; a line of credit covers gaps that repeat. Because most contractors take few card payments, a merchant cash advance against card sales rarely fits, and one collected by daily bank debit should be priced with great care.
Small crews and the owner's credit
With nearly two in three construction employers under five employees, partners often look at the owner as closely as the company. Expect a personal credit check and a request for a personal guarantee, especially for a younger business. Clean, separate business bank statements help more than anything else a small crew can provide.
A contractor's file, as a partner reads it
- Bank statements where job payments land
- A list of current contracts or backlog, with expected payment dates
- Receivables aging, if you invoice general contractors or owners
- An equipment list and any existing equipment loans or leases
- Tax returns and, for larger firms, a work-in-progress schedule
- Any UCC filings already recorded against the business
Next steps for a Burleigh County, ND contractor
Our post on buying equipment without starving cash flow works through the trade-off between a down payment and cash on hand. The Bismarck, ND page has the county's full sector table, and the industries hub covers the other sectors partners finance.
By Slatemont Capital Group · Updated
