Industries we serve
Trades & Home Services
HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, landscaping, and residential service companies — the most sought-after category in the current buyer market.
Overview
Selling in Trades & home services
Trades businesses attract more buyers than almost anything else we take to market: individual buyers leaving corporate roles, regional operators adding a market, and private investment groups building service platforms. That demand is real, but it comes with sophisticated diligence.
The businesses that command the strongest terms are the ones that look like a company rather than a very busy owner. Dispatch systems, service agreements, licensed technicians, and a foreman who runs the field make the difference.
Valuation
How these businesses are valued
Home services companies are valued on recast earnings, with the multiple rising as the business proves it is not the owner. A meaningful base of maintenance-plan members or annual contracts tends to be the single biggest lift, because it converts unpredictable demand into a forecastable revenue line a lender will underwrite.
What raises the number
- A large, renewing maintenance-plan or contract base
- Field leadership in place; owner off the trucks
- Diverse residential customer base with no concentration
- Clean licensing, insurance, and safety record
What holds it back
- Revenue tied to one builder or general contractor
- Owner is the license holder with no path to transfer
- Aging fleet with deferred replacement
- Heavy dependence on new construction cycles
Ranges and drivers described here are general guidance, not an appraisal. A valuation consultation prices your specific business on its own recast financials.
Deal considerations
What comes up in these transactions
License transfer
Wisconsin credentialing often sits with an individual, not the company. A buyer needs a qualifying license holder from day one — that is planned before closing, not after.
Work in progress
Open jobs, deposits taken, and warranty obligations are allocated between seller and buyer in the purchase agreement so neither side inherits a surprise.
Seasonality
Snow, heating, and cooling seasons distort any single quarter. Buyers and lenders want trailing twelve-month figures, and we present the business that way.
Fleet and equipment
Titles, loans, and lease obligations on trucks and equipment are reconciled early so the asset list in the agreement matches reality.
Start with a confidential conversation
No cost, no obligation, and nothing leaves the room. Tell us where you are and we will tell you honestly what the next step looks like.