Trades and home-services businesses — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, landscaping — are some of the most sought-after acquisitions in the market right now. Private equity, strategic consolidators, and individual buyers all want recurring-revenue service businesses. Here’s what that means for your sale.
What buyers pay a premium for
- Recurring service revenue — maintenance contracts and repeat customers are worth more than one-off installs.
- A team that stays — licensed technicians and a manager who runs the day-to-day without you.
- Clean books and dispatch data — documented jobs, margins, and customer records reduce buyer risk.
- Licenses, fleet, and reputation — transferable licenses, maintained vehicles, and strong reviews.
What drives a trades valuation
Most trades businesses sell on a multiple of SDE or EBITDA, expanded by recurring revenue and owner-independence. Sector multiples move with buyer demand — see our business valuation guide for how the number is built, then get a real figure from our team.
Selling without your crew finding out
The fastest way to lose good technicians is for them to hear you’re selling. We market your business confidentially — an anonymized profile shown only to vetted, NDA-bound buyers — so your crew, customers, and competitors never know until the deal is done and you’re ready to tell them.