What is my junk removal business worth?

Junk removal companies sell on owner earnings. BizBuySell does not publish a junk-removal row. This page uses the Service Businesses sector average. It does not use the Junk and Salvage Yards row, which is a different business.

Avg SDE multiple

2.61×

Typical range

1.75–3.13×

Avg revenue multiple

0.83×

Median sale price

$350K

BizBuySell publishes no junk-removal row, so this uses the BizBuySell Service Businesses SECTOR average. It is not the Junk and Salvage Yards row. Quartiles are from the service-sector benchmarks (2021–2025). Range is the sector benchmark's lower to upper quartile (median 2.38×), not a junk removal row. Source: BizBuySell — Business Valuation Multiples by Industry (businesses sold Q3 2021–Q2 2026); BizBuySell — Service Business Valuation Benchmarks (sold 2021–2025, 5,839 sold listings analyzed).

Value your junk removal business

Let's estimate what your business is worth. Seven quick questions, no email needed.

Trade: Junk removal ·

Which state is it in?

Worked example

Hypothetical. A two-truck junk removal company. A crew lead runs one truck. The owner still books jobs and drives when a truck is short. About a fifth of the work is repeat realtor and property-manager cleanouts.

Revenue $700,000, owner earnings (SDE) $150,000, 6 years, about 20% recurring, “I work in it part of the time”.
Start at the published 2.61× average (sector average).
No adjustments apply: this business is close to the typical sold junk removal business.
Adjusted multiple 2.61× × $150,000 = $392,000, range $266,000 – $476,000.
Revenue cross-check: $700,000 × 0.83× = $581,000.

What raises the price

Recurring property-manager, realtor, and commercial cleanout accounts
Crew leads who run trucks without the owner
Dump fees and job photos that match the invoices
Online reviews and a booking process that is not the owner's cell phone

What lowers it

The owner drives a truck most days
One-time residential jobs with no repeat accounts
Trucks that are leased or near the end of their life
Dump and labor costs that are not in the books

Calculating SDE for a junk removal business

Start from net profit on your tax return or P&L, then add back:

Owner salary
Personal use of a truck
Depreciation on trucks
Interest
One-time repairs or a move to a yard

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 not the junkyard multiple?

BizBuySell's Junk and Salvage Yards row is not junk removal. There is no junk-removal row, so this page uses the Service Businesses sector average and says so.

Are the quartiles for junk removal companies?

No. They are the service-sector sold-business quartiles for 2021–2025. They describe service businesses as a group, not junk removal alone.

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.