Sell Your Construction Business — M&A Advisory for General Contractors and Construction Companies
By Dave Carlson, Co-Founder of The Alignment Firm | Updated April 2026
Construction businesses are selling in 2026. Infrastructure spending, commercial development, and the consolidation of specialty contractors have created a strong buyer market for well-run construction companies. The key is positioning your business to attract the buyers who understand construction economics — backlog, bonding capacity, crew depth, and recurring vs. project revenue.
The 2026 M&A Market for Construction Businesses
Construction M&A has accelerated significantly as PE-backed platforms and strategic acquirers build regional and national construction companies through acquisition. Infrastructure spending from the IIJA has increased demand for bonded general contractors and specialty trade contractors with proven government and commercial project experience.
What Drives Construction Business Valuation
Backlog Depth and Quality
Construction businesses are valued in part on their contracted backlog — work that is signed but not yet executed. A strong backlog with creditworthy clients reduces buyer risk and supports higher multiples. We help sellers present backlog clearly and accurately.
Bonding Capacity
Bonding capacity is a hard constraint for construction buyers. A business with established bonding lines from a surety company is significantly more valuable than an unbonded contractor, because bonding capacity is difficult to obtain and takes years to build.
Recurring vs. Project Revenue
Construction businesses with recurring service and maintenance revenue — facility maintenance contracts, annual inspection agreements, retainer-based maintenance — command higher multiples than pure project-based businesses. Recurring revenue reduces the revenue volatility that makes construction a lower-multiple sector by default.
2026 Janitorial Business Valuation Multiples
Commercial janitorial with multi-year contracts: 3x–5x EBITDA
Mixed commercial cleaning (office + specialty): 2.5x–4x EBITDA
Specialty cleaning (medical, industrial): 3.5x–5.5x EBITDA
Frequently Asked Questions
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A: Selling a janitorial business involves preparing your financials, documenting your commercial contract base, and marketing to facility services platforms. The Alignment Firm specializes in janitorial and commercial cleaning M&A.
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A: Janitorial businesses sell for 2.5x to 5.5x EBITDA depending on contract length, account concentration, and management depth.
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A: PE-backed facility services platforms, regional janitorial companies, and multi-service facility management companies are the most active buyers.