Sell a Service Business in South Florida
Cleaning, landscaping, pest control, pool service, HVAC and plumbing, childcare, transport and professional services. A service business is sold on its customers, its contracts and its people rather than on a location, and those are exactly what a buyer is afraid of losing.
Request a Confidential Business Valuation · (786) 914-1017
Recurring Revenue Is the Price
Buyers pay most for revenue that repeats without the owner selling it again: route-based service, maintenance agreements, commercial contracts, monthly retainers. Show how many customers you have, how long they stay and how much of the revenue is under contract, and your multiple rises accordingly.
Contracts and Customer Concentration
If one customer is a large share of the revenue, the buyer will price the risk of losing it. Written contracts that can be assigned, or customers who have been with you for years, reduce that risk. We review the contracts for assignment and change-of-control clauses before we list, so they do not surface in due diligence.
Staff, Licences and Vehicles
Technicians who stay are the business. So are the licences a service business operates under, some of which belong to a person rather than the company: a qualifier on a contractor's licence, for example, has to be replaced if they leave. Vehicles and equipment are listed with their titles, loans and condition. Confirm with the licensing agency which of your licences transfer and which must be reissued.
How Much Depends on You
An owner who answers every call, prices every job and holds every relationship is selling a job, not a business. A manager or lead technician who already runs the day, systems for scheduling and invoicing, and customers who know the team rather than just you all raise the price. Even a year of moving work off your desk before a sale can change the result.
Request a Confidential Business Valuation
Tell us the type of business, the city, how long it has operated, annual revenue, owner benefit or seller's discretionary earnings, EBITDA if you track it, monthly rent and lease expiry, number of employees, how involved you are, why you are selling, your timeline and whether you would consider seller financing. A licensed BreakThru business broker prepares a confidential valuation from comparable sales and replies within one business day. Everything you tell us is confidential, the valuation is free, and nothing is listed or announced unless you decide to sell. Prefer to talk now? Call (786) 914-1017.
Questions Owners Ask
- What is a service business worth?
- A multiple of seller's discretionary earnings, higher when the revenue is recurring and contracted, the customers are spread out and a manager runs the day. A confidential valuation gives you the range for yours.
- Will my customers stay after the sale?
- Most do when the transition is planned: the same technicians, the same schedule and an introduction from you. Buyers often ask for a training and introduction period for that reason, and sometimes tie part of the price to retention.
- Can I sell a home-based service business?
- Yes. Many service businesses run from a home office and a vehicle. The buyer is paying for the customers, the contracts, the staff and the systems, and there is no lease to assign.
- What does a business broker charge?
- Brokers selling small businesses usually charge a success fee paid from the proceeds at closing, commonly quoted in the market at around ten percent of the price, often with a minimum fee; larger sales are usually priced on a sliding scale. BreakThru's fee is set out in writing in the listing agreement before you sign anything, and the valuation costs nothing.
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Guides for Business Owners
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- How are service businesses valued?
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- What happens in due diligence?