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BIZBITE

Bathtub Refinishing Business

Ugly tubs, happy landlords, and tiny-ticket reglazing jobs that add up fast

Bottom line

Accessible entry point; validate local supply before buying.

Bathtub refinishing companies resurface worn tubs, tile, sinks, and countertops instead of replacing them. The surprising angle is that owners and property managers can save thousands versus a full bathroom renovation, which makes refinishing an easy sell in older housing stock. It is a compact service business with straightforward crews and attractive labor leverage.

72
Acquisition score
Excellent

Avg Revenue

$300K

Profit Margin

28%

Acquisition Multiple

2x - 3.5x

Startup Cost

$10K - $50K

How It Works

The operator prepares the surface, repairs chips or cracks, sprays a new coating, and returns the fixture to service after curing. Revenue comes from per-fixture jobs, apartment turnover work, hotel renovations, and contractor referrals. Many owners start mobile, then add crews and light shop space as volume grows.

Revenue Range

Low End
$100K
Typical
$300K
High End
$700K

BizBite underwriting snapshot

Watch / verify

Bathtub Refinishing Business has enough high-level data for a first look, but BizBite has not assigned a category-specific operating model yet. Treat the score as preliminary.

50
Fair / 100
Data confidence
medium
52/100
Financing fit
medium

Category-level fit before lender-specific diligence.

Confidence cap
78

Weak source data caps the final score.

Why it may work

  • +SBA dataset shows 269 recent comparable loans

Be careful

  • !Source link status has not been verified yet
  • !No last-checked date yet
  • !No category operating model yet
  • !No category model yet

Real Acquisitions in This Category

SBA 7(a) change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 238220 · Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors

Deals tracked
724
269 in last 24 mo
Median loan
$711K
$299K–$1.6M p25/p75
Implied deal size
$836K
median · ~85% LTV
Charge-off rate
not enough resolved loans

Deal Size Distribution

<$150K
72
$150K–500K
217
$500K–1M
151
$1M–2M
154
>$2M
130

Deal Flow Over Time

12-month momentum
-21.9%
deal volume vs prior 12 mo
Median loan Δ
+44.7%
118 recent · 151 prior

Financing Profile

Median rate
9.50%
14% fixed · last 24 mo
Median term
120 mo
standard 10-yr
Collateralized
0%
of loans secured
Median jobs
11
supported per deal
Top lenders in this space
Live Oak Banking Company167
The Huntington National Bank51
First Internet Bank of Indiana23
Old National Bank14
Byline Bank13
Where deals happen
FL83
TX64
CA53
PA41
MI32
CO32
WI31
NC27
OH26
IL26

Recent Comparable Deals

ClosedStateLoanImplied deal
Mar 2026MI$1.8M$2.1M
Mar 2026FL$700K$824K
Mar 2026NE$800K$941K
Mar 2026WI$284K$334K
Mar 2026PA$1.3M$1.5M
Mar 2026TX$175K$206K
Mar 2026PA$75K$88K
Mar 2026TX$1.3M$1.5M
Mar 2026LA$320K$376K
Mar 2026WI$1.2M$1.4M
Volume rank #7/544Deal-size rank #263/544Momentum rank #243p90 loan: $2.8MData as of Mar 2026

Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA dataset, filtered to acquisitions (loans where business age is "Change of Ownership"). Implied deal size assumes an 85% loan-to-purchase ratio, a common SBA change-of-ownership structure. Charge-off rate shown only when 10+ loans have resolved (paid in full or charged off). Interest rates reflect last 24 months only. Actual deal values vary with equity injections, seller financing, and working capital terms.

Pros

  • +Low startup cost and mobile-friendly model
  • +Clear ROI versus full bathroom replacement
  • +Property manager and contractor accounts can repeat often
  • +Fast jobs create good revenue per technician day

Cons

  • -Work quality and ventilation safety cannot be sloppy
  • -Consumer jobs can be lumpy without B2B referral channels
  • -Commodity pricing pressure exists in some local markets

Best For

First-time operators who want a low-capex home-service business with visible before-and-after value

Operating Costs

A BizBuySell search result for an established bathtub refinishing business in Los Angeles showed about $84K cash flow on a $48K asking price, which suggests small owner-operator shops can throw off strong earnings. Main costs are coatings and chemicals, labor, lead generation, insurance, and vehicle expense.

SBA Financing Estimator

Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service

$-2239/mo
after debt service
Deal price — $840K
Range: $450K (2×) to $1.4M (3.5×+)
Down payment — 15% ($126K)
SBA minimum equity injection is 10% for change-of-ownership
Interest rate — 9.50%
SBA median for this category: 9.5%
Loan term — 10 years (120 mo)
SBA median for this category: 120 months
Down payment
$126K
15% equity injection
Loan amount
$714K
85% SBA-financed
Monthly payment
$9K/mo
$395K total interest
Monthly profit
$7K/mo
at 28% margin
Monthly cash flow after debt service
$-2239/mo
Margin does not cover debt service at these terms. Lower the deal price, increase the down payment, or extend the loan term.

Estimates only. Excludes owner compensation, capex, working capital draws, and taxes. Margin assumes average occupancy and volume. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower profile.

Where to Buy

BizBuySell – Bathtub Refinishing Business

Search result snippet referenced an established bathtub refinishing business with disclosed cash flow

Miracle Method

Large refinishing operator showing the service mix and replacement-versus-refinishing value proposition

This Old House – Tub Refinishing Cost

Consumer cost comparison that helps explain why refinishing is easier to sell than replacement

72/100Excellent

Acquisition Score

Profit margin
19/30
Entry multiple
25/25
Market depth
20/20
Risk (charge-off)
8/15
Deal momentum
0/10

Scores margin (30), entry multiple (25), SBA market depth (20), category risk (15), and deal momentum (10). Higher = better acquisition candidate.

Quick Facts

Category
service
Difficulty
2/5
Buy price
$600K$1.1M

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