Sell a Roofing Business

How to Sell a Roofing Business

As the owner of a successful roofing business, you certainly have a lot on your plate. And when it comes to the longevity of your company, you need to decide if you will keep working hard and protecting American families and businesses with stellar coverage, if you will pass down the business to someone in your own family, or if you will sell your company to a stranger to pursue other passions or retirement.

Now may be the right time to sell your roofing business.

To sell your roofing business, you need to decide if it is a good time for you personally and professionally. According to Clear Seas Research, 72% of commercial roofing companies reported growth from the previous year, and 79% anticipate growth through 2025. And on the residential side, 74% said they anticipate growth through 2026. If you have been thinking “I want to sell my roofing business,” now is a good time to consider doing so.

Why Work With Brentwood Growth

Access to Buyers

Over 400 private equity firms and consolidators that are actively looking to purchase.

Confidentiality

Ensure the sale of your business remains confidential to avoid disruptions for you.

Industry Expertise

More than 20 acquisitions with transactions from $80 million with an average of $4 million.

Valuation

Learn the value of your business and receive support with pricing to the market.

Negotiation

As your mediator, we work with you and the buyers to make sure both parties are satisfied.

Experience

Lead by a team with 75+ years of experience. Our experience ensures a smooth experience.

Do You Know What Your Business is Worth?

Timing is Everything

If you are thinking to yourself about “How to sell my roofing business,” thinking about the current climate is a good idea. With the owners of roofing companies expecting a positive trajectory in the next few years, now might be a good time to sell. But on the flip side, every business owner certainly understands the change in labor costs and the availability of quality workers that still lingers after the pandemic. Study the industry to decide if you want to sell your roofing business in the near future.

Look to Yourself

Another consideration to sell roofing business is your personal situation. Are you ready to retire? Are you tired of the stress of the daily grind? Are you interested in another type of business or passion? Take a good hard look at your personal goals to see if the time is right for you to consider selling your company and retiring.

Roofing Company Valuation

If you are asking “Should I be selling my roofing business?” take a look at the valuation of your roofing company. Obviously it will be easier to sell your company when you are on an upswing and potential buyers see a lot of value. When buyers are looking for strong investments, selling your company in a time of high valuation is a good idea.

Choose your timeline

For roofing business owners who are considering selling their company, the sale will basically take one of three forms. First are the owners who are ready to sell right now. This means that they will be completely separated from their business in the next 9-12 months. Secondly are the partial sale people, who probably want to be completely out in five years, but want to hang on to a piece of the pie before then. Lastly, the third group are those who are looking ahead and are interested in selling their roofing business about five years down the road.

Study the Trends

Look at the current economics of your business if you think it is time to sell your roofing business. Are you able to diversify? What is your recruiting and training process like? Can you consider geographic growth? Look outside of your company as well, to note if a possible recession is looking, or inflation might be on the horizon. A roofing company also needs to pay close attention to the supply chain which can have a negative impact on your business.

Play Out Your Options

You might realize it is time to sell your roofing business after you look at all the options. Whether your company was handed on to you or you have built it from the ground up, at some point you will need to hand it on to someone or sell it outright. Maybe you have a child that is interested in the family business, or maybe you think a beloved employee could do the job. As the saying goes, blood is thicker than water, and it is often difficult to pass on a business to a non-relative. In this case, selling to an investor might be to your advantage.

Take it All the Way

As the name implies, this type of sale will have you selling 100% of your business, after which you will stick around for a short transition time before moving away entirely. Don’t be fooled, however. A full sale can still take 6-9 months to execute, and you might stay on in transition for up to two years. In order to sell roofing business, you will set clear expectations with the buyer about the timeline and the compensation.

A Piece at a Time

If you are not quite ready to give up your business entirely, a partial sale is for you. In this type of transaction, you will sell 70-80 percent of your business, and then work in partnership with the buyer to make money and build the business. Obviously you will work out the terms, but a partial sale generally will have you turning over the business completely in 2-5 years. This is a popular way to sell roofing business because you can stash some money away from the original sale, but still take a “second bite out of the apple” when you finalize the sale a few years down the road.

Look Ahead

If you are a planner, you might be thinking about”how to sell my roofing business,” even though the actual sale you are thinking about is many years away. If you are in this category, and think you want to sell your business five or more years down the road, take the time now to maximize its value. Building cash flow and making sure that your business is profitable is the best way to ensure a high valuation and a better sale in the future.