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Free valuation

What is your trade business worth, and is it enough to retire on?

Free estimate for roofing, plumbing and HVAC companies, plus the things holding your number back.

Get my free estimate for:

About 5 minutes. No phone number. We are not a broker.

  • Free

    Your estimate and the things holding it back cost nothing.

  • About 5 minutes

    Plain questions. Ranges where you don't know exact figures.

  • No phone number

    The estimate never asks for one, and we never ask for tax returns or bank logins.

  • Not a broker

    We don't list or sell companies. We only introduce a broker if you ask.

How it works

  1. Pick your trade

    Roofing, plumbing or HVAC. Each has its own questions, because buyers price each trade differently.

  2. Answer about 20 questions

    Revenue, profit, what you pay yourself, and how the business runs day to day.

  3. See your range and what drags it

    An illustrative range, the earnings it is built on, and the things pulling your number down, each with a fix.

What you get

Your range, how we got your SDE, and the 3 factors dragging the number down, each with a fix you can start on Monday.

Illustrative estimateSample with made-up numbers for an example roofing company

Estimated value

$796K to $1.06M

Example only, based on placeholder multiples. Your range depends on your own numbers.

What's dragging the number down

  1. Owner dependenceFix: Document processes and promote a lead who can run jobs without you.
  2. Customer concentrationFix: Diversify so no single customer is more than 15-20% of revenue.
  3. Financial recordsFix: Get 3 years of clean P&Ls and tax returns that match.

This is an educational estimate, not an appraisal. RetireFromTrades gives an illustrative range based on what you told us and on general market information. It is not a formal business valuation or appraisal, and it is not an offer to buy your business. We are not a business broker, M&A adviser, CPA, lawyer or financial adviser, and nothing here is legal, tax, accounting or investment advice. Real offers depend on your actual financial records, buyer diligence, deal terms and market conditions, and can be higher or lower than this range. Before you make any decision, talk to a licensed professional. If you ask, we can introduce you to an independent licensed business broker; we do not broker, negotiate or take part in any sale.

The questions owners ask us first

  • Is it enough to retire on?

    Turn a sale price into the money you keep, then into yearly income, as a range.

    Income from your sale

  • Private equity keeps calling. Should I answer?

    What those letters mean, what to ask before you reply, and how to say not now.

    Read the PE outreach guide

  • What do I actually get at closing?

    Cash on day one versus seller notes, earnouts and holdbacks you wait for.

    Cash at closing, explained

  • Can my kids or my staff take over?

    An inside sale is still a real sale, with a fair price and a plan to get paid.

    Selling to family

  • Would it run for a month without me?

    Ten questions buyers ask about how much the company leans on you, scored.

    Take the owner dependence test

  • Does my license transfer when I sell?

    Usually not. Buyers pay for the plan to replace the license holder.

    License and qualifier rules

Free tools, no email needed

  • If I sell for $X, what do I actually walk away with?

    Net proceeds calculator

    Headline price in, cash at closing, later payments and an after-tax range out.

  • Is what I would get enough to retire on?

    Retirement gap calculator

    Compare sale money and savings with what you spend each year, as a range.

  • Would my business run for a month without me?

    Owner dependence test

    Ten trade-specific questions buyers ask, scored, with what to fix first.

  • What costs can I add back to my profit?

    Add-back finder

    A checklist of common add-backs and how much of each a buyer is likely to accept.

How we make money

  • The estimate and the tools are free. The optional Full Report is $99, paid once.
  • We are not a business broker. We take no fee based on whether you sell, who buys or the price.
  • We never sell or rent your data for money, ad cookies only run if you accept them, and we only introduce you to anyone if you ask for that introduction.
Every way we make money, in plain words

What is different in your state

License rules, storms, buyers and firm counts, state by state. Pick your trade.

Roofing by state
Plumbing by state
HVAC by state

About once a month

What trade businesses are selling for

A plain letter, usually once a month: what buyers are paying attention to, new guides and what changed in our numbers. No sales calls, and we never pass your address to a buyer or broker.

By signing up you agree to get this marketing email. If you opt in, we send at most one marketing email a week (usually about once a month). Unsubscribe any time.

Frequently asked questions

Is this an appraisal?

No. It is an illustrative estimate based on the numbers you enter and general assumptions. It is not an appraisal, a certified valuation, or financial, tax, or legal advice.

Which trades does it cover?

Roofing, plumbing and HVAC companies in the US. Each trade has its own questions, because buyers look at different things: storm work for roofers, who holds the master license for plumbers, maintenance agreements for HVAC.

Do I need to give my email?

The free estimate asks for your email on the last step so we can send you the result. The estimate never asks for a phone number. The free tools, like the net proceeds calculator, need no email at all.

Who sees my data?

We use your answers to build your estimate and email it to you. We never sell or rent your data for money. If you accept advertising cookies, ad networks like Google, Meta and TikTok receive information about your visit, which some state laws call 'selling' or 'sharing'; you can say no, and we honour Global Privacy Control. We only share your details with an independent licensed broker if you ask us to introduce you.

How is it calculated?

We work out your earnings the way buyers do, add back owner and one-time costs, then apply an illustrative multiple for your trade and size and adjust it for the factors buyers care about, like owner dependence and recurring work. The full method is on our methodology page.

See what your company could be worth

Answer about 20 quick questions and get a free, illustrative range, a readiness score and the things holding your number back. About 5 minutes. No phone number, no sales calls.

Pick your trade to start:

This is an educational estimate, not an appraisal. RetireFromTrades gives an illustrative range based on what you told us and on general market information. It is not a formal business valuation or appraisal, and it is not an offer to buy your business. We are not a business broker, M&A adviser, CPA, lawyer or financial adviser, and nothing here is legal, tax, accounting or investment advice. Real offers depend on your actual financial records, buyer diligence, deal terms and market conditions, and can be higher or lower than this range. Before you make any decision, talk to a licensed professional. If you ask, we can introduce you to an independent licensed business broker; we do not broker, negotiate or take part in any sale.