Construction and trade business valuation benchmarks for New Zealand
Valuation evidence for New Zealand construction and trade businesses, drawn from 446 verified plumbing, electrical, roofing and building-services sales recorded by licensed NZ business brokers. Indexed price trends, median time-to-sell, recent comparables and a regional heatmap, covering ANZSIC Division E nationwide.
The state of the NZ construction and trade business sales market
Construction (ANZSIC Division E) is dominated, in transaction terms, by trade and building-services businesses: plumbing, electrical, roofing, air conditioning and tiling. Bizstats has recorded 446 sales in the category. Auckland accounts for about 42% of transactions, with Canterbury and Bay of Plenty close behind.
Sale prices have risen strongly, with the indexed median reaching 278 by 2025, a 178% cumulative gain on the 2010 baseline. Each year's median rests on a modest sample, so the path is volatile, but the long-run direction is firmly upward.
The SDE multiple index sits at 87, below its baseline. Trade businesses often depend heavily on the owner's licences, relationships and hands-on involvement, and buyers discount the multiple to reflect that key-person risk. Strong price growth is driven more by larger, better-systemised businesses coming to market than by buyers paying a richer multiple.
Sale price and SDE multiple figures are indexed to 2010 = 100. The +% values show cumulative change since the 2010 baseline. The full dollar medians, by sub-category, are available in a Bizstats valuation report.
Indexed median construction and trade sale price
Median sale price for New Zealand construction and trade business transactions, indexed to 2010 = 100. The underlying dollar medians by sub-category are published in the Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: The construction and trade price index reached 278 by 2025, a 178% cumulative rise, touching 309 at its strongest. Each year's median rests on a modest sample, so the path is volatile, but the long-run direction is a clear, substantial appreciation.
Indexed median construction and trade SDE multiple
Median SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) multiple paid for New Zealand construction and trade businesses, indexed to 2010 = 100. The price index tracks what businesses sell for; the SDE multiple index tracks what buyers are paying per dollar of earnings. Actual multiples by sub-category are published in a Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: The construction and trade SDE multiple has moved within a 60-100 band and sits at 87 by 2025, below the 2010 baseline. Buyers discount the multiple for key-person risk: many trade businesses lean on the owner's licences, technical skill and customer relationships, and pricing reflects how transferable those are.
What buyers pay for in a construction and trade business sale
The average split of the sale price into tangible assets, stock and intangibles (brand, customer base and other non-physical value) for NZ construction and trade business transactions, year by year. Each bar is a 100% view: it shows the mix, not the dollar value.
- Tangibles
- Stock
- Intangibles
| Year | Tangibles | Stock | Intangibles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 34% | 1% | 65% |
| 2012 | 26% | 2% | 72% |
| 2013 | 29% | 3% | 68% |
| 2014 | 25% | 7% | 68% |
| 2015 | 21% | 2% | 77% |
| 2016 | 24% | 1% | 75% |
| 2017 | 14% | 1% | 85% |
| 2018 | 24% | 1% | 75% |
| 2019 | 21% | 1% | 78% |
| 2020 | 15% | 8% | 77% |
| 2021 | 14% | 3% | 83% |
| 2022 | 17% | 2% | 81% |
| 2023 | 13% | 1% | 86% |
| 2024 | 17% | 3% | 80% |
| 2025 | 15% | 1% | 84% |
Commentary: Construction sales carry real tangible weight: plant, vehicles, tools and work in progress. By 2025 the median sale split roughly 15% tangible assets, 1% stock and 84% intangibles. The intangible share has moved from 65% in 2011 to 84% (+19 points): a forward order book, trade reputation and a reliable subcontractor network are increasingly what buyers pay for.
Median time-to-sell for NZ construction and trade businesses
Median months from listing to unconditional sale for NZ construction and trade business transactions. A leading indicator of buyer demand. Tighter time-to-sell signals stronger competition for available stock.
Commentary: Time-to-sell has lengthened, from around 4 months in 2010 to 6 months by 2025, the high for the period. Buyers take time to assess owner dependence, staff retention, licensing and forward workbooks, all of which extend the path from listing to unconditional sale for a trade business.
Recent construction and trade business sales in NZ
A sample of recent anonymised construction and trade transactions. Each row shows ANZSIC sub-category, region, revenue, SDE and sale month, with revenue and SDE rounded to the nearest $100,000. Full anonymised comparables with exact sale prices and SDE multiples are in a Bizstats valuation report.
| ANZSIC | Region | Revenue | SDE | SDE X | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing Services | Auckland | $200,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Other Building Installation Services | Canterbury | $2,700,000 | $1,000,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Electrical Services | Auckland | $2,300,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Roofing Services | Canterbury | $2,000,000 | $300,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Air Conditioning and Heating Services | Canterbury | $2,700,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Tiling and Carpeting Services | Bay of Plenty | $700,000 | $300,000 | ••• | Feb 2026 |
| Electrical Services | Auckland | $2,400,000 | $300,000 | ••• | Feb 2026 |
| Other Construction Services n.e.c. | Auckland | $200,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Feb 2026 |
| Air Conditioning and Heating Services | Canterbury | $600,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Jan 2026 |
| Other Construction Services n.e.c. | Northland | $500,000 | $300,000 | ••• | Jan 2026 |
See what they actually sold for. A Bizstats valuation report unlocks exact sale prices, SDE multiples and time-to-sell for construction and trade businesses by ANZSIC sub-category.
Create a Bizstats report →Sample drawn from 446 verified construction and trade transactions, updated as new sales are recorded by our network of licensed NZ business brokers.
Construction and trade business sales by NZ region
Construction and trade transaction activity and median time-to-sell mapped across New Zealand's 16 regions. Auckland leads with 189 recorded sales, ahead of Canterbury and Bay of Plenty. Switch the metric to compare regional time-to-sell, and click any region for its benchmarks.
| Region | Transactions | Median time-to-sell (months) |
|---|---|---|
| Northland | 11 | Insufficient sample |
| Auckland | 189 | 4 |
| Waikato | 35 | 6 |
| Bay of Plenty | 64 | 4 |
| Gisborne | 1 | Insufficient sample |
| Taranaki | 15 | 6 |
| Manawatu | 12 | Insufficient sample |
| Hawke's Bay | 3 | Insufficient sample |
| Wellington | 18 | 4 |
| Tasman | 1 | Insufficient sample |
| Nelson | 4 | Insufficient sample |
| Marlborough | 6 | Insufficient sample |
| West Coast | 0 | Insufficient sample |
| Canterbury | 66 | 4 |
| Otago | 20 | 5.5 |
| Southland | 1 | Insufficient sample |
Put these construction and trade benchmarks to work
Apply Bizstats construction and trade benchmarks to a specific business: your own, a target acquisition or a comparable you're researching. Three free tools, no signup, real insights.
Work out Seller's Discretionary Earnings for a plumbing, electrical or building-services business, step by step.
Calculate SDEStart hereApply construction and trade multiples to your SDE and get a market value estimate in seconds.
Try for FreeCalculate the return on investment for a trade business purchase.
Calculate ROIConstruction and trade business valuation FAQ
In transaction terms, ANZSIC Division E is dominated by trade and building-services businesses: plumbing, electrical, roofing, air conditioning and heating, tiling and carpeting, and general construction services. Bizstats has recorded 446 sales in the category.
Yes. Indexed to 2010 = 100, the median construction and trade sale price reached 278 by 2025, a 178% cumulative gain. Each year's median rests on a modest sample, so the year-to-year path is volatile, but the long-run direction is firmly upward.
Many trade businesses depend on the owner's licences, technical skill and customer relationships. Buyers discount the SDE multiple to reflect that key-person risk. Businesses with qualified staff, systems and a transferable client base sit higher in the range. Owner dependence and several other modifiers shape where a specific business lands.
Median time-to-sell is around 6 months and has lengthened over the period. Buyers take time to assess owner dependence, staff retention, licensing and the forward workbook before committing.
Auckland leads with 189 recorded sales, followed by Canterbury (66) and Bay of Plenty (64). Where a region has fewer than 15 recorded sales we do not publish a time-to-sell figure, since the sample is too thin to benchmark reliably.
The dataset is updated monthly as new transactions flow in from our network of licensed New Zealand business brokers. Recorded coverage reaches back well over a decade, and the indexed trends on this page are benchmarked from 2010.
About this page
The benchmark figures, charts and recent comparables above are drawn from 446 verified construction and trade business sales recorded by licensed NZ business brokers. The written analysis is generated from that data and reviewed by the Bizstats team, and is refreshed as new sales are recorded. These are indicative market benchmarks, not a formal valuation. See our Terms of Use.
Benchmarks last updated .
Learn more about business valuation
Guides that explain the metrics behind these construction and trade benchmarks: SDE, earnings multiples, the ANZSIC classification and how market-based valuation works.
Understanding the Role of SDE in Business Valuation
One of the most widely used methods for business valuation is the capitalisation of earnings. Learn why Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is crucial for SME valuation.
Value Modifiers in Business Valuation
Learn about value modifiers in business valuation and how factors like customer concentration, brand, and operational efficiency affect the final price.
Key Factors That Impact Earnings Multiples in Business Valuation
For small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs), Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is the most relevant measure when valuing a business. This is particularly true in New Zealand, where 97% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees.
How to Maximise the Sale of Your SME Business
For many small to medium business owners, a significant portion of their assets is tied to their business. Learn how to maximise your sale price.
Understanding ANZSIC
ANZSIC codes classify business data, simplifying your search for accurate comparables on Bizstats.
When is the Best Time to Sell my Business?
Thinking about selling your business? Remember that timing is everything! At Bizstats, we prefer a data-driven approach to business decisions.