What is a fire protection business worth?

Most owner-operated fire protection companies sell for 3 to 5 times yearly profit when the work is mostly installation and projects. Companies where inspection and service contracts make up most of the revenue sell for more, with published advisor ranges running from 4 to 5 times seller's discretionary earnings up to 8 to 12 times EBITDA for larger companies with a national footprint. The mix of work is the single biggest factor.

Why do inspection contracts make a fire protection company worth more?

A buyer is paying for revenue that comes back next year without anyone selling it. Inspection and testing work is required by code, happens on a schedule, and renews with the same customer in the same building. Installation work has to be won again every time. Buyers pay a higher multiple for revenue they can count on.

Who buys fire protection companies?

Private-equity-backed consolidators. Pye-Barker Fire and Safety completed 57 acquisitions in 2025 alone. Other active buyers include APi Group, Summit Fire and Security, Marmic Fire and Safety, Sciens Building Solutions, and Impact Fire Services. Most are buying regional companies with recurring inspection revenue.

How do I calculate EBITDA for a fire protection company?

Start with net profit, then add back interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Most buyers then adjust it: they add back the owner's above-market pay, one-time costs, and personal expenses run through the business. That adjusted number is what the multiple gets applied to. Seller's discretionary earnings is a related figure that keeps the owner's full compensation in, so it is always the larger of the two.

How much recurring revenue do I need before buyers pay more?

Published advisor thresholds start at about 40 percent of revenue, and the meaningful jump lands around 50 to 60 percent. Below that you are priced as a project company. The practical read is that the first inspection contracts you add change very little, and the ones that push you past half your revenue change a great deal.

Is this valuation calculator an appraisal?

No. It is an estimate built from published multiple ranges and shown as a range. A real buyer reads your contracts, your customer concentration, your crew, your license coverage, and your books. Use this to know roughly where you stand and how much the mix of work is costing you.

Company value estimate

For fire protection companies

What is your fire protection company worth?

Answer two questions. You get the number a buyer would pay you today, and the number you could be worth instead. No signup, no email, nothing to download.

How much does your company do in a year?

How much of that is inspection and service work that renews every year?

Testing, inspection, monitoring, service agreements. The work that comes back next year without anyone selling it. Guess if you have to.

I know what my company clears in a year

Why fire protection companies sell for such different multiples

A buyer does not pay you for how good your work is.

They pay you for how much of your revenue comes back next year without anyone selling it. Install and project work sells for 3 to 5 times your yearly profit. Inspection and service contracts — same customer, same building, every year, on a schedule — sell for more, with published ranges running from 4 to 5 times up to 8 to 12 times for the biggest companies. Pye-Barker bought 57 companies last year. You probably know one of them.

How Firemain closes it

We book the work that raises the number.

We run the ads.

We put your company in front of the building owners and property managers in your market who need inspections done.

We call the lead in 60 seconds.

Every lead gets a phone call within 60 seconds, while they are still sitting in front of their screen looking for somebody.

The quote goes out in 5 minutes.

The faster quote wins the job. Yours goes out in five minutes, not next Tuesday.

The offer

10 new jobs every 30 days.

Or you don't pay. Fire protection companies, nobody else.

See if your market is open

Questions owners ask about what their company is worth

What is a fire protection business worth?: Most owner-operated fire protection companies sell for 3 to 5 times yearly profit when the work is mostly installation and projects. Companies where inspection and service contracts make up most of the revenue sell for more, with published advisor ranges running from 4 to 5 times seller's discretionary earnings up to 8 to 12 times EBITDA for larger companies with a national footprint. The mix of work is the single biggest factor.
Why do inspection contracts make a fire protection company worth more?: A buyer is paying for revenue that comes back next year without anyone selling it. Inspection and testing work is required by code, happens on a schedule, and renews with the same customer in the same building. Installation work has to be won again every time. Buyers pay a higher multiple for revenue they can count on.
Who buys fire protection companies?: Private-equity-backed consolidators. Pye-Barker Fire and Safety completed 57 acquisitions in 2025 alone. Other active buyers include APi Group, Summit Fire and Security, Marmic Fire and Safety, Sciens Building Solutions, and Impact Fire Services. Most are buying regional companies with recurring inspection revenue.
How do I calculate EBITDA for a fire protection company?: Start with net profit, then add back interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Most buyers then adjust it: they add back the owner's above-market pay, one-time costs, and personal expenses run through the business. That adjusted number is what the multiple gets applied to. Seller's discretionary earnings is a related figure that keeps the owner's full compensation in, so it is always the larger of the two.
How much recurring revenue do I need before buyers pay more?: Published advisor thresholds start at about 40 percent of revenue, and the meaningful jump lands around 50 to 60 percent. Below that you are priced as a project company. The practical read is that the first inspection contracts you add change very little, and the ones that push you past half your revenue change a great deal.
Is this valuation calculator an appraisal?: No. It is an estimate built from published multiple ranges and shown as a range. A real buyer reads your contracts, your customer concentration, your crew, your license coverage, and your books. Use this to know roughly where you stand and how much the mix of work is costing you.