What is my handyman business worth?
Handyman companies sell on owner earnings, and they are easy to overstate because the owner is often the product. BizBuySell does not publish a handyman row, so this page uses the Building and Construction sector average and labels it as a sector figure.
Avg SDE multiple
2.65×
Typical range
1.91–3.21×
Avg revenue multiple
0.59×
Median sale price
$751K
BizBuySell publishes no handyman row, so this uses the BizBuySell Building and Construction SECTOR average, not a handyman-specific multiple. Range applies the typical quartile spread (0.72×–1.21× of the average, from BizBuySell's HVAC quartiles) because no trade quartiles are published. Source: BizBuySell — Business Valuation Multiples by Industry (businesses sold Q3 2021–Q2 2026); BizBuySell — Construction Business Valuation Benchmarks (sold 2021–2025).
Value your handyman business
Trade: Handyman ·
Worked example
Hypothetical. A handyman company with two techs and a part-time scheduler. About a quarter of the work is recurring punch-list and turnover jobs for property managers. The owner still does the estimates.
- Revenue $480,000, owner earnings (SDE) $120,000, 8 years, about 25% recurring, “I work in it part of the time”.
- Start at the published 2.65× average (sector average).
- Owner earnings $75K–$150K: -0.10×. Below the typical sold main-street business.
- Adjusted multiple 2.55× × $120,000 = $306,000, range $221,000 – $371,000.
- Revenue cross-check: $480,000 × 0.59× = $283,000.
What raises the price
- A dispatcher and techs who finish punch lists without the owner
- Property-manager or facility contracts
- A license, insurance, and job photos that match the invoices
- Repeat clients on a maintenance schedule
What lowers it
- The owner does most of the skilled work
- Jobs that required a trade license the buyer will not hold
- Cash calls with no invoices
- No backlog and no one answering the phone except the owner
Calculating SDE for a handyman business
Start from net profit on your tax return or P&L, then add back:
- Owner salary
- Personal truck and tools
- Depreciation
- Interest
- One-time legal or insurance costs
Only add back what a buyer can verify. See SDE explained: how to calculate owner earnings and add-backs for a full walkthrough.
If there are two working owners, the second owner's salary usually stays as a cost, because a buyer will need to replace that person.
Questions
Why is a handyman business valued like construction?
There is no handyman row in BizBuySell's table. Rather than invent one, this page uses the Building and Construction sector average and says so.
How this estimate works
We start from the published average multiple for businesses in this category that actually sold, adjust it for owner involvement, recurring revenue, track record and size, and apply it to your owner earnings. Read the full valuation methodology, including what we don't do.
Related trades
Compare other trades
| Trade | Avg SDE multiple | Avg revenue multiple | Median sale price | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | 2.61× | 0.69× | $699,000 | Trade row |
| HVAC | 2.83×quartiles 1.99–3.33× | 0.60× | $750,000 | Trade row |
| Electrical | 2.77× | 0.63× | $1,009,000 | Trade row |
| Landscaping | 2.49× | 0.72× | $449,950 | Trade row |
| Pool service / routes | 2.61× | 0.83× | — | Sector average (no trade row) |
| Pest control | 2.46×quartiles 1.69–3× | 1.01× | $250,000 | Trade row |
| Cleaning | 2.25× | 0.72× | $281,500 | Trade row |
| Roofing | 2.65× | 0.59× | $750,500 | Sector average (no trade row) |
| Auto repair | 2.85× | 0.65× | $430,000 | Trade row |
| Salon / barbershop | 2.10× | 0.52× | $117,375 | Trade row |
| Restaurant | 2.18×quartiles 1.34–2.53× | 0.39× | $220,000 | Trade row |
| Daycare / child care | 3.28×quartiles 1.94–4.03× | 0.88× | $380,000 | Trade row |
| Dental practice | 2.75×quartiles 1.6–3.37× | 0.76× | $350,000 | Trade row |
| Gym / fitness center | 2.54×quartiles 1.72–3× | 0.70× | $204,000 | Trade row |
| Insurance agency | 2.87×quartiles 1.88–3.44× | 1.52× | $500,000 | Trade row |
| Accounting / tax / bookkeeping | 2.27×quartiles 1.61–2.66× | 1.08× | $450,000 | Trade row |
| Moving company | 2.52×quartiles 1.8–3.11× | 0.63× | $350,000 | Trade row |
| IT services / MSP | 3.22×quartiles 2.2–3.87× | 1.08× | $726,800 | Trade row |
| Locksmith | 2.35× | 0.75× | $300,000 | Trade row |
| Pet grooming | 2.30×quartiles 1.38–2.51× | 0.63× | $152,500 | Trade row |
| Laundromat | 3.70× | 1.33× | $250,000 | Trade row |
| Car wash | 4.87× | 1.96× | $800,000 | Trade row |
| Towing | 3.28× | 0.95× | $1,250,000 | Trade row |
| Dry cleaning | 2.11×quartiles 1.42–2.55× | 0.77× | $253,500 | Trade row |
| Coffee shop / cafe | 2.27× | 0.47× | $150,000 | Trade row |
| Dog daycare / boarding | 3.27× | 1.08× | $412,500 | Trade row |
| Concrete | 2.54× | 0.61× | $780,000 | Trade row |
| Painting | 2.65× | 0.59× | $750,500 | Sector average (no trade row) |
| Garage door | 2.65× | 0.59× | $750,500 | Sector average (no trade row) |
| Handyman | 2.65× | 0.59× | $750,500 | Sector average (no trade row) |
| Tree service | 2.61×quartiles 1.75–3.13× | 0.83× | $350,000 | Sector average (no trade row) |
| Appliance repair | 2.61×quartiles 1.75–3.13× | 0.83× | $350,000 | Sector average (no trade row) |
| Junk removal | 2.61×quartiles 1.75–3.13× | 0.83× | $350,000 | Sector average (no trade row) |
| Other main-street business | 2.61× | 0.83× | $350,000 | General main-street range |
Source: BizBuySell, Business Valuation Multiples by Industry, businesses sold Q3 2021–Q2 2026; quartiles from BizBuySell's valuation benchmark pages (sold 2021–2025). Pool, tree service, appliance repair, and junk removal use the Service Businesses sector average. Roofing, painting, garage door, and handyman use the Building and Construction sector average. “Other” uses the Service Businesses sector. Junk removal is not the Junk and Salvage Yards row. Retrieved Oct 30–Nov 2, 2026.
Estimates for information only; not an appraisal or an offer. MainStreetKeys is not a business broker. Data retrieved Oct 30–Nov 2, 2026.