Fire & Life Safety M&A Advisor for Northeast owners
You spent years building a sprinkler, alarm, suppression or elevator business that buildings depend on. When you start thinking about what comes next, you deserve an advisor who knows how this industry works and is in the market with fire & life safety companies right now.
Who we work with
We know this industry well, and we currently represent a number of fire and life safety companies. We work with owners across the Northeast, usually family-owned or founder-led, often with a team of technicians who have been with you for years. That includes:
- Fire sprinkler installation, inspection, testing and service
- Fire alarm and monitoring, including central station and communicator contracts
- Suppression: special hazard, clean agent, kitchen hood and extinguisher service
- Elevator service, maintenance and inspection
Our focus is companies doing roughly $2M to $10M in revenue in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. If you are outside that range or that map, call anyway. We will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit.
Why recurring inspection revenue matters
Fire codes require buildings to have their systems inspected, tested and maintained on a regular schedule. That work comes back every year, and it tends to lead to deficiency repairs and service calls. To a buyer, that looks a lot more like a subscription than a project business.
So the first questions you will hear are usually about how much of your revenue is inspection and service versus new installation, how many of those customers renew, how long they have been with you, and whether the agreements are written down. Monitoring contracts get the same scrutiny. Getting those numbers clean before you talk to anyone is one of the most useful things you can do.
NICET, licenses and your people
In this industry, the license on the wall and the certifications your techs hold are part of what a buyer is paying for. Expect questions like: Who holds the NICET certifications, and at what level? Whose name is on the state and local licenses? Is the company relying on the owner's personal license? Will your key technicians and designers stay after a sale?
None of that has to be a problem. It just has to be planned for, ideally well before a buyer's diligence team is asking.
Why private equity buyers want fire & life safety companies
Private equity firms and the platforms they back have been active in fire and life safety for a simple reason: the work is required by code, it recurs, it is hard to replace with technology or offshore labor, and the market is made up of many owner-run local companies that can be brought together.
- Non-discretionary demand. Buildings have to stay compliant whether the economy is up or down.
- Recurring, contracted work. Inspection and monitoring revenue repeats and supports financing.
- Room to grow. Buyers look for routes, customer relationships and licensed technicians they can build on.
That interest can be good news for you, but different buyers want different things. Some want you to stay and grow; some want to fold your company into theirs. Part of our job is helping you figure out which kind of buyer fits what you want.
What owners should expect
- A first, confidential conversation. We listen to what you want: timing, price, your people, your role afterward.
- An honest look at your business. Revenue mix, customer concentration, licensing and key people, and what would make a buyer pay more.
- Preparation. Cleaning up financials and organizing inspection, service and monitoring data so it tells your story clearly.
- A run process. We approach buyers that fit, manage the back-and-forth and keep things confidential, so you can keep running the company.
- Negotiation and diligence. Price is only one term. Structure, earnouts, your transition role and protections for your team all matter.
If you are not ready to sell yet, that is fine. Some of the most valuable work happens one to three years ahead of a sale.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of fire and life safety companies do you work with?
Owner-led companies in fire sprinkler, fire alarm and monitoring, special hazard suppression, extinguisher and kitchen hood service, and elevator service and inspection, generally in the $2M to $10M revenue range, with a focus on the Northeast.
Which states do you cover?
We lead with the Northeast: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. We also talk with owners elsewhere in the country.
Why does recurring inspection revenue matter so much to buyers?
Code-required inspection, testing and maintenance tends to repeat year after year, and it often leads to repair and service work. Buyers generally value predictable, contracted revenue more highly than one-time installation work, so how much of your revenue is recurring is one of the first things they will ask about.
Do my NICET-certified technicians affect what my company is worth?
Licensed and certified people are hard to hire and often required to do the work, so buyers look closely at who holds the certifications and licenses, whether they plan to stay, and whether the company depends on the owner's own license. Planning for that early can make a sale smoother.
How long does a sale usually take?
Every deal is different. Preparing materials, finding the right buyers, negotiating and completing due diligence typically takes many months, and owners who start planning a year or more ahead usually have more options.
Will I have to stay on after the sale?
Often, for some period. Many buyers ask the owner to help with the transition, and the length and terms are negotiated. We help you decide what you want before talking to buyers.
Is the first conversation confidential?
Yes. A first conversation is confidential and there is no obligation.
Start with a confidential conversation
No pitch deck, no pressure. Tell us a little about your company and what you are thinking about, and we will give you a straight answer on how we can help.