What could your fire safety business be worth?
Complete our confidential valuation calculator in under 15 minutes. You will receive a personalised indicative range instantly on screen, with a downloadable PDF report. No cost.
Tell us about your business.
Use the figures you already know off the top of your head. The calculator weighs them against benchmarks for UK fire safety business sales, and gives you a realistic price range for what your business could be worth.
This is a guide, not a valuation.
Next, have a free first conversation with Simon or Emily, in confidence. Ask for Simon and talk through your hopes and timing. The paid Snapshot is a written, indicative view of value, with what to fix first.
- After the Business Value & Exit Snapshot, value at or above your hopes and ready to exit: the Full Value & Sale Readiness Review, then the sale with Simon.
- Below where you want it, or not selling yet: the Exit Strategy Workshop and/or Finance & Information Readiness Review, then the programme led by Nick.
The calculator does not choose your route. See the services, prices and online presence help.
The eight factors that determine your business value.
Every fire safety business is different. These are the key areas buyers and valuers focus on when assessing what your company is worth.
Why these multiples of profit? The research behind the range.
A sector review, Fire & Security Sector M&A Insights (April 2024), reported the median EV/EBITDA multiple (a business's value as a multiple of its profit before interest, tax, and the write-down of equipment, vehicles and other assets) on fire and security deals trending upwards to circa 9x. That reflects steady buying by private equity, the investment firms that buy companies to grow and sell on, and strong buyer demand. Smaller owner-managed businesses, typically those below £1m EBITDA, are valued at a discount to the sector median: one UK SME reference table (Consult EFC, April 2026) gives 2.5x to 4.5x for £300k to £750k of EBITDA, and 1.5x to 3x below £300k. Businesses with substantial recurring service contract income achieve higher multiples, rising further where BAFE accreditation, FIA membership, or public sector framework agreements are in place.
Our indicative range for fire safety businesses with recurring contracts and accreditations is expressed as a multiple of EBITDA. Businesses at the lower end are typically project-heavy with limited accreditation; those at the upper end carry strong BAFE and FIA credentials with a majority of income from planned maintenance contracts.
Sources: Fire & Security Sector M&A Insights, April 2024 (the circa 9x median); Grant Thornton, UK Fire and Security Sector M&A Review 2025; Consult EFC, EBITDA Multiples for UK SMEs, April 2026 (sub-scale proxy). North American MRR multiples: Fire Alarm and Life Safety Company Valuation Multiples 2026 (directionally consistent; not UK-verified).
Recurring Maintenance Contracts
Recurring revenue from planned maintenance contracts is the single most valuable asset in a fire safety business. Buyers pay a premium for predictable, repeating income with high retention rates.
BAFE SP203 Accreditation
BAFE SP203 certification for fire detection and alarm systems is one of the first things a buyer checks, and our calculator counts BAFE registration together with FIA membership. Customers can specify BAFE third-party certification when they choose a provider.
BAFE SP101 and SP207
SP101 for portable extinguishers and SP207 for evacuation alert systems broaden your service offer. Under BAFE SP203-1, a change of ownership must be reported to the certification body, which can ask for a new application.
FIA Membership and LPCB
Fire Industry Association membership is open only to companies that hold, or are working towards, third-party certification. LPCB or UL third-party certification is a strong differentiator for commercial work.
Geographic Density
Concentrated customer bases reduce travel time and increase engineer productivity. Route density is a hidden multiplier that acquirers, particularly PE-backed platforms, actively look for.
Fleet and Workshop Condition
Well-maintained, branded vehicles and a tidy workshop reduce the buyer's post-acquisition capital expenditure. A modern setup signals a well-run operation and supports a higher valuation.
Owner Dependency
Businesses that can operate without the owner command significantly higher multiples. If you are the primary risk assessor, sole client contact, and chief decision-maker, buyers will discount accordingly.
Commercial vs Domestic Mix
Commercial compliance contracts tend to be larger, longer-term, and more predictable. A strong commercial client base often supports a higher multiple than purely domestic work.
How we work out the figures.
The figures come from industry benchmarks for UK fire safety business sales: the profit multiples that businesses like yours typically sell for. The calculator applies them to the turnover and profit you give it, then adjusts for your other answers.
These benchmarks are published reference ranges, not a record of completed sales, so the result is an indicative range rather than a formal valuation. A formal valuation needs a look at your accounts and how the business runs.
We last reviewed the benchmarks in July 2026.
Your business is worth more than a guess.
"An indicative range is the start of the conversation. What your business is genuinely worth is revealed by real buyer competition, and that is what we create."Simon Read, Founder & Managing Director