For Service Business Owners Doing $5M - $50M

Planning Your Service Business Exit? Start With the Right Number.

Free industry-specific valuation calculators for plumbing, HVAC, electrical, pest control, landscaping, and roofing business owners.

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7 industries. Same buyer math. Your number in 2 minutes.


6M
Owners Retiring
by 2035
20%
Of Listed Businesses
Actually Sell
73%
Get Less Than
Expected
3-9x
EBITDA Multiple
Range

The Reality

You Built Something Valuable.
The Exit Should Reflect That.

6 million service business owners will retire by 2035. Most of them - Generation Jones, born between 1954 and 1965 - built their companies from nothing. Decades of early mornings, late nights, and hard decisions.

Here is the problem: only 20% of businesses listed for sale actually close. And of those that do, 73% of owners receive less than they expected.

The difference between owners who get what they have earned and those who do not comes down to one thing: preparation. Knowing your number - the real number, not a guess - is where it starts.


Find Your Industry

7 Free Valuation Calculators.
Pick Yours.

Each calculator uses industry-specific EBITDA multiples and risk adjustments. Same math PE firms use - built for your trade.


Why Exits Fail

80% of Service Businesses Sell for Less Than They Should

It is not because the businesses are not valuable. It is because the owners did not prepare for how buyers actually evaluate companies.

1
Owner Dependency
If the business cannot run for four weeks without you, buyers see a liability, not an asset. This single factor can cut your multiple by 20-40%.
2
No Recurring Revenue
Project-based revenue is worth less than contract revenue. Period. 30% recurring revenue can add 1-2x to your EBITDA multiple. That is real money.
3
Customer Concentration
If your top 3 clients represent more than 30% of revenue, buyers will discount your price or walk away. One lost contract should not tank the business.

Every one of these is fixable. But it takes 12-24 months of intentional preparation. The owners who start early get what they have earned. The ones who wait get whatever the market gives them.


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Get Your Number. Then Plan Your Exit.

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What happens next

1 Enter your email
2 Access your calculator
3 Plan your exit

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions About Service Business Exits

How do I plan my service business exit?

Start by knowing your number. Use an industry-specific valuation calculator to understand what your business is worth today. Then assess the three factors that drive your multiple: recurring revenue, owner dependency, and customer concentration. Most owners need 12-24 months of preparation to maximize their exit price.

What are service businesses selling for in 2026?

Service businesses sell for 3-9x EBITDA depending on industry and risk factors. Pest control and HVAC with strong recurring revenue command the highest multiples (6-9x). Plumbing, electrical, landscaping, and roofing typically sell for 3-7x EBITDA.

When should I start planning my exit?

Ideally 2-3 years before your target exit date. This gives you time to build recurring revenue, reduce owner dependency, diversify your customer base, and document your processes. These changes can add 1-3x to your EBITDA multiple.

How much of the sale price is paid at closing?

Typically 60-80% for service businesses in the $5M-$50M range. The remainder is structured as seller financing, earnouts, or holdbacks. Well-prepared businesses with strong recurring revenue and low owner dependency command higher upfront payments.

You built something valuable. Make sure the exit reflects that.