Similar businesses sell at 1.2x to 4.2x SDE. Compare live listings and connect with sellers.
National transaction benchmarks for building and construction business businesses.
Under $500K
$500K to $2M
Over $2M
A variety of factors can cause businesses to trade outside this range, including earnings quality, operational transferability, key-person risk, growth trajectory, and geography, so a listing priced above or below the typical multiple usually reflects real differences in the underlying business.
Cofounder & CEO
Key diligence, valuation, financing, and transition considerations for buyers evaluating building and construction business acquisitions.
Signed contracts, change-order patterns, and bonding capacity tell you what you're really buying; a big trailing year with an empty pipeline is a trap, and bonding is often tied to the owner personally.
Many trades require a licensed qualifier that may leave with the seller. Verify what you must hold before you can legally operate.
A plumbing or HVAC company with a service-and-maintenance base is worth far more than one living on new-construction bids — service agreements generate steady recurring revenue and replacement leads.
Receivables, retainage, and work-in-process tie up real cash between billing and collection; establish the need and whether it's in the deal.
The estimator, project managers, and lead crews carry the business. Identify the key people, their pay, and retention after close.
Trucks, heavy equipment, and related-party rent distort earnings. Tour the fleet, check deferred maintenance, and stress the discretionary earnings.
Answers to common buyer questions for this market.
