Strong cash flow, low price… and a margin that needs to be proven.
This high-rise window cleaning business is listed at $499K, generating about $436K in revenue and $244K in cash flow.
It also has long-term repeat clients and some contracts, which helps stabilize revenue.
At first glance, this looks like one of the strongest small deals you’ll find.
And when you run the numbers, it mostly holds up.
Deal Snapshot
Let’s run it through a standard SBA-style scenario.
Financing Overview
After debt, you’re left with about $170K per year.
That’s extremely strong for a deal under $500K.
Why This Looks Great
This deal checks almost every box.
- Low price: 2.05x multiple, below industry average (~2.4x).
- Strong cash flow: ~$170K after debt.
- High DSCR: 3.29 gives massive cushion.
- Fast payback: Down payment recovered in just a few months.
- Recurring clients: Repeat business and contracts.
On paper, this is exactly what buyers want.
The One Thing That Doesn’t Add Up
The margin is unusually high.
- Reported margin: 56%
- Industry average: ~32%
- Gap: Massive
For a business with 4 employees doing high-rise work, that’s not typical.
And when something looks this good, you don’t assume it’s real — you verify it.
What Could Be Driving It
There are a few possibilities behind a margin like this.
- Owner doing hidden work: Not fully accounted for in expenses.
- Underpaid labor: Wages below market rates.
- Deferred costs: Equipment, insurance, or maintenance not fully reflected.
- Exceptionally efficient operation: Best-case scenario.
Only one of those leads to a clean deal.
What You Need To Validate
This deal lives or dies on the margin.
- True labor costs: Are wages sustainable post-acquisition?
- Owner involvement: Is any work being hidden in SDE?
- Cost normalization: Are all expenses fully captured?
- Contract stability: How locked in is the recurring revenue?
If the margin holds, this is a great deal.
If it doesn’t, the entire profile changes.
BizHub Verdict
This deal scores an 8.2 / 10.
Strong cash flow, fair pricing, and excellent financing metrics.
But the margin is the assumption that must be proven.
Great deals don’t just look good — they hold up under pressure.
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Want to see the original listing? View it here →