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The ContractorExit blog

Plain, practical advice on buying and selling trade businesses in the United States - valuation, the sale process, the legal steps and everything in between.

AllSellingBuyingValuationLegal & process
A trade business owner carefully reviewing financial documents line by line at a tidy desk with a calculator, pen and laptop showing a spreadsheet
Valuation

What Is SDE? Seller's Discretionary Earnings Explained

Seller's discretionary earnings is the number every trade business valuation is built on. Here is the formula, every add-back, and a worked example.

ContractorExit Editorial Team 路 10 Aug 2026 路 10 min read

A pest control business owner reviewing a valuation report and financial documents at a tidy desk, with a branded pest control van and a uniformed technician with a spray backpack visible through the office window
Valuation

How Much Is a Pest Control Business Worth in 2026?

How much is a pest control business worth? Quarterly route businesses reach 3x-5x SDE, the highest multiple in home services, on recurring route revenue.

3 Aug 2026 路 12 min read

A commercial cleaning business owner reviewing a valuation report and financial documents at a tidy desk, with a professional cleaning crew in branded uniforms servicing a modern open-plan office visible through the glass walls behind him
Valuation

How Much Is a Cleaning Business Worth in 2026?

How much is a cleaning business worth? Most sell at 2x-3.5x SDE - but the contract is the asset, and commercial agreements push good ones past 4x.

27 Jul 2026 路 12 min read

A roofing company owner reviewing a valuation report and financial documents at a tidy desk, with branded roofing trucks and a uniformed crew working on a residential roof visible through the office window
Valuation

How Much Is a Roofing Company Worth in 2026?

How much is a roofing company worth? BizBuySell data shows a 2.99x SDE median - storm-chaser shops land near 2x, service-oriented roofers reach 3.5x or above.

20 Jul 2026 路 11 min read

A landscaping business owner reviewing a valuation report and financial documents at a tidy desk, with branded landscaping trucks and a uniformed crew visible through the office window
Valuation

How Much Is a Landscaping Business Worth in 2026?

How much is a landscaping business worth? Most sell for 2x to 3.5x SDE - and the maintenance vs design-build split is the biggest factor moving that number.

13 Jul 2026 路 10 min read

An electrical contracting business owner reviewing a valuation report and financial documents at a tidy desk, with branded electrical service vans and a uniformed electrician visible through the office window
Valuation

How Much Is an Electrical Business Worth in 2026?

How much is an electrical business worth? Most sell for 2x to 3.5x SDE - and the master electrician license structure is the biggest factor moving that number.

6 Jul 2026 路 11 min read

A plumbing business owner reviewing a valuation report and financial documents at a tidy desk, with branded plumbing vans visible through the office window
Valuation

How Much Is a Plumbing Business Worth in 2026?

How much is a plumbing business worth? Service plumbing with maintenance contracts sells at 2.5x-3.5x SDE, new-construction at 1.5x-2.5x SDE.

29 Jun 2026 路 11 min read

An HVAC business owner reviewing a valuation report and financial documents at a tidy desk, with branded work vans visible through the office window
Valuation

How Much Is an HVAC Business Worth in 2026?

How much is an HVAC business worth? Small shops sell at 2x-3.5x SDE, established firms at 5x-7x EBITDA - the maintenance agreement base drives the gap.

22 Jun 2026 路 11 min read

A trades business owner reviewing a valuation report and financial documents at a tidy desk, with branded work vans visible through the office window
Valuation

Blue Collar Business Valuation: How Trades Are Priced

Blue collar business valuation explained: SDE vs EBITDA, typical multiple ranges by trade, and the seven factors that move your final price.

15 Jun 2026 路 17 min read

A trade business owner reviewing business performance on a laptop at a tidy office desk
Valuation

How to value a trade business (without overthinking it)

Profit multiples, what moves the number up or down, and why recurring revenue is worth more than you think.

2 Jun 2026 路 6 min read

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