Sell your Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold) business.

Insurance-driven restoration businesses command strong multiples from national franchisors and PE-backed platforms. SERVPRO's franchise model still dominates unit count, but non-franchise operators with direct-billing carrier relationships trade at premium multiples in independent processes.

Beyond market conditions, three business-specific signals mean you're ready to go to market: (a) three years of clean accrual-basis financials, (b) reduced owner-dependence — either a GM in place or the operator working under 30 hours/week, and (c) meaningful recurring or contract revenue. When those three are true, buyers underwrite you confidently and multi-bidder processes clear at the top of the range.

The single biggest driver of sale price isn't the buyer you find — it's how prepped the business is when you go to market. Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold) businesses that show up well-prepped consistently trade at multiples 20–40% higher than unprepped competitors. The prep priorities for Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold) specifically:

Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold) businesses are priced on one of two earnings figures depending on size: SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) below roughly $1M, transitioning to EBITDA above. Applied to Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold) specifically, the base multiple ranges are 3x–4.25x SDE and 5x–7.5x EBITDA. Where inside that range your business lands is decided by these metrics buyers actually diligence:

The single most useful thing to know before you engage a broker is who the buyers are. For Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold), four archetypes dominate: National restoration franchisors, PE-backed restoration platforms, Multi-region strategic acquirers, Self-funded searchers with insurance-industry background. Different buyers want different things and pay differently.

On the strategic / rollup side, the platforms most active in Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold) Main Street acquisitions right now include SERVPRO (franchise-based), BluSky Restoration, First Onsite, Belfor. On the individual side, self-funded searchers backed by SBA financing are increasingly competitive for sub-$1M-EBITDA businesses. The right buyer type for you depends on your target check size, your post-close plans (walk away vs. roll equity), and your business's specific profile.

The single biggest mistake restoration (water / fire / mold) owners make is accepting the first proactive offer that lands in their inbox. Strategic acquirers and PE-backed platforms actively source deals off-market at 15–30% below what a multi-bidder process would clear. If a platform is calling you unprompted, they're calling every Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold) operator your size in your region — they've done the math.

A real process means: (a) engage a vetted broker who specializes in Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold), (b) run a targeted outreach to 20–40 curated buyers rather than a public listing, (c) collect multiple LOIs before choosing, (d) negotiate terms as hard as price — earnouts, rollover equity, transition period, and non-compete scope all move the effective deal value materially.

Insurance-carrier relationships are the primary asset in most restoration deals — buyers will require confirmation that these relationships transfer post-close (they usually do, but sometimes require carrier re-approval). Sub-$3M-revenue deals are commonly SBA-financed asset purchases; larger deals attract national buyers with clean equity transactions.

Closing timeline: signed LOI to signed purchase agreement is typically 90–120 days. Working capital target — how much cash/receivables/inventory transfers with the business — is negotiated during LOI and is a frequent source of last-minute deal friction. Have your CPA model the working capital baseline (average of last 12 months) BEFORE you sign the LOI so it doesn't become a negotiation lever mid-diligence.

Post-close transitions in restoration (water / fire / mold) range from 30-day handoffs (walk-away sales to searchers) to 24-month consulting arrangements (rollup deals with rollover equity). Match the structure to your post-close life plan — a transition that fits your goals is more valuable than a headline number.

Tax planning: work with a CPA who has done Restoration (Water / Fire / Mold) sales before. Asset sale vs stock sale, seller financing, installment sales, and rollover-equity structures all carry different tax implications. Model them 6+ months before close.