Guides to selling or retiring from a trade business
Plain answers for roofing, plumbing and HVAC owners: what your company is worth, who buys, what you get at closing, and every other way out.
Start here
What happens from the first call to closing?
Every step from the first call to closing day, in order, with how long each one takes.
Every trade
What are all my options besides selling to PE?
Seven ways to exit a small business compared: PE add-on, local competitor, SBA buyer, key employee, family, ESOP or wind-down. Price, people and time.
PE keeps calling. Should I answer, and is it real?
Private equity buying HVAC companies, plumbers and roofers: what a PE letter means, what an IOI and LOI are, and what to ask before you reply.
What happens from the first call to closing?
The steps to selling a business, in order, with typical time for each: valuation, prep, finding buyers, IOI, LOI, due diligence, closing and handover.
How much is cash at closing and how much do I wait for?
Earnout vs seller financing, rollover, escrow and working capital in plain words, with one worked deal showing day-one cash versus money you wait for.
Should I sell assets or stock?
Asset sale vs stock sale for a small business: why buyers prefer asset deals, what happens to your license and contracts, and the tax basics.
What will a buyer check, and how do I get ready?
A due diligence checklist for selling a business, grouped the way buyers work: books, customers, people, licenses, trucks and legal, plus trade items.
How much tax will I pay when I sell?
Taxes on selling a business explained: how the price split, capital gains, depreciation recapture, installment payments and state tax change your bill.
What happens in the first two years after I sell?
The first 6 to 24 months after selling your business: transition and consulting deals, non-competes, telling staff, earnouts and health insurance.
Roofing
How do I sell my roofing company, step by step?
How to sell a roofing company in nine steps, from deciding what you want to the handover. Buyers, the LOI, due diligence, closing and what to ask.
What makes a roofing company worth more?
What moves roofing company valuation multiples. The 5 drivers buyers weigh most, the claim practices that kill deals, and 15 red flags with fixes.
Who buys roofing companies?
Private equity roofing companies get the headlines, but most roofers your size sell to individuals and local competitors. Every buyer type, side by side.
How do I get my roofing company ready to sell?
A checklist to prepare your roofing company for sale: books, revenue mix, crews, licenses, customers, fleet and warranties, with what to fix first.
Will buyers discount my storm work?
Selling a storm restoration roofing company? How buyers average storm years, what storm work is worth next to retail, and claim practices that end deals.
Which add-backs count when I sell my roofing company?
The roofing company add-backs owners miss, the proof buyers ask for, and the ones they throw out. Free add-back finder, no email needed.
SDE or EBITDA, which number will buyers use on my roofing company?
Roofing company SDE vs EBITDA in plain words, with a made-up worked example, what counts as owner pay, and where the line between the two falls.
How long does it take to sell a roofing company?
How long it takes to sell a roofing company, from cleaning up your books years ahead to going to market, due diligence, closing and the handover.
Plumbing
What makes a plumbing company worth more?
What is a plumbing business worth? The 23 things buyers check, from the master license to service mix, how each buyer reads them, and the red flags to fix.
Who would buy my plumbing business?
Selling a plumbing business to private equity, a local rival or an SBA buyer: who buys companies your size, what each pays for, and who is active now.
Does my plumbing license transfer when I sell?
Can I sell my plumbing license? No, it belongs to you, not the company. What buyers need instead, the TX, FL, MA, NYC and CA rules, and a plan.
What are the steps to sell my plumbing company?
How to sell a plumbing business from three years out to closing: the license plan, service mix, membership plans, buyers, the LOI, diligence and handover.
What can I add back on a plumbing company's books?
Plumbing business add-backs, item by item: what you can add back, the proof a buyer wants, which ones buyers reject, and how replacing you is priced.
HVAC
What makes an HVAC company worth more?
What increases HVAC business value, ranked: owner dependence, maintenance members, residential mix, new construction share and the license.
Who buys HVAC companies my size?
Who buys HVAC companies with $1M to $15M in revenue: individuals, local rivals, PE platforms and add-ons, staff and family, compared with sources.
How much are my maintenance agreements worth to a buyer?
HVAC maintenance agreements and business value in dollars: what member count, renewal rate and billing method do to your price, and how to build them.
What are the steps to sell my HVAC company?
How to sell an HVAC business, step by step from three years out to closing: books, license and qualifier, maintenance members, buyers and the deal.
What can I add back on an HVAC company's books?
HVAC business add-backs: what you can add back, the proof a buyer wants for each, which ones buyers reject, and a worked example with made-up numbers.
Retirement
Is what I would get enough to retire on?
Is selling my business enough to retire on? Start with what you net, turn it into a yearly income range, then add Social Security and savings.
Should I stay on after selling, or walk away?
Staying on after selling your business can raise the price and smooth the handover. Roles, consulting deals, earnouts and a 1 to 3 year plan.
Can I hand it to my kids and still get paid?
Selling a business to a family member works best as a real deal with a fair price, a seller note, a licensed successor and a written plan.
Could my foreman or GM buy me out?
Selling my business to an employee: how a foreman or GM can buy you out with a seller note, an SBA loan or in stages, plus license and ESOP basics.
Just curious what it's worth
What are all my options besides selling to PE?
Seven ways to exit a small business compared: PE add-on, local competitor, SBA buyer, key employee, family, ESOP or wind-down. Price, people and time.
PE keeps calling. Should I answer, and is it real?
Private equity buying HVAC companies, plumbers and roofers: what a PE letter means, what an IOI and LOI are, and what to ask before you reply.
What happens from the first call to closing?
The steps to selling a business, in order, with typical time for each: valuation, prep, finding buyers, IOI, LOI, due diligence, closing and handover.
Is what I would get enough to retire on?
Is selling my business enough to retire on? Start with what you net, turn it into a yearly income range, then add Social Security and savings.
Selling in the next 1 to 2 years
What are all my options besides selling to PE?
Seven ways to exit a small business compared: PE add-on, local competitor, SBA buyer, key employee, family, ESOP or wind-down. Price, people and time.
PE keeps calling. Should I answer, and is it real?
Private equity buying HVAC companies, plumbers and roofers: what a PE letter means, what an IOI and LOI are, and what to ask before you reply.
What happens from the first call to closing?
The steps to selling a business, in order, with typical time for each: valuation, prep, finding buyers, IOI, LOI, due diligence, closing and handover.
How much is cash at closing and how much do I wait for?
Earnout vs seller financing, rollover, escrow and working capital in plain words, with one worked deal showing day-one cash versus money you wait for.
Should I sell assets or stock?
Asset sale vs stock sale for a small business: why buyers prefer asset deals, what happens to your license and contracts, and the tax basics.
What will a buyer check, and how do I get ready?
A due diligence checklist for selling a business, grouped the way buyers work: books, customers, people, licenses, trucks and legal, plus trade items.
How much tax will I pay when I sell?
Taxes on selling a business explained: how the price split, capital gains, depreciation recapture, installment payments and state tax change your bill.
What happens in the first two years after I sell?
The first 6 to 24 months after selling your business: transition and consulting deals, non-competes, telling staff, earnouts and health insurance.
Is what I would get enough to retire on?
Is selling my business enough to retire on? Start with what you net, turn it into a yearly income range, then add Social Security and savings.
Should I stay on after selling, or walk away?
Staying on after selling your business can raise the price and smooth the handover. Roles, consulting deals, earnouts and a 1 to 3 year plan.
Handing it to family or staff
What are all my options besides selling to PE?
Seven ways to exit a small business compared: PE add-on, local competitor, SBA buyer, key employee, family, ESOP or wind-down. Price, people and time.
What happens in the first two years after I sell?
The first 6 to 24 months after selling your business: transition and consulting deals, non-competes, telling staff, earnouts and health insurance.
Should I stay on after selling, or walk away?
Staying on after selling your business can raise the price and smooth the handover. Roles, consulting deals, earnouts and a 1 to 3 year plan.
Can I hand it to my kids and still get paid?
Selling a business to a family member works best as a real deal with a fair price, a seller note, a licensed successor and a written plan.
Could my foreman or GM buy me out?
Selling my business to an employee: how a foreman or GM can buy you out with a seller note, an SBA loan or in stages, plus license and ESOP basics.