How much does a Fire Extinguisher Service Route cost to buy?

A typical Fire Extinguisher Service Route sells for 2.2x to 5.5x seller's discretionary earnings. With estimated SDE of $195K, expect to pay roughly $429K to $1.1M before adjustments for assets, debt, growth, and local market quality.

How much does it cost to start a Fire Extinguisher Service Route?

Startup costs range from $45K to $260K depending on location, equipment, and scale.

Service

Fire Extinguisher Service Route

Q: What are the profit margins for a Fire Extinguisher Service Route?

The average profit margin for a Fire Extinguisher Service Route is around 30%. Costs include service vans, extinguishers and parts inventory, recharge equipment, hydrotest partnerships or equipment, tags, software, insurance, licensing, technician labor, and shop space.

Small red cylinders create sticky inspection routes

Bottom line

Worth studying, but do not buy without strong local proof.

Fire extinguisher service route businesses inspect, tag, recharge, hydrotest, replace, and sell portable extinguishers for restaurants, offices, warehouses, schools, apartments, shops, and industrial facilities. The model is route-based compliance: every building has extinguishers, and most customers want a vendor who keeps the tags current without drama.

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Acquisition score

Strong

Avg Revenue

$650K

Profit Margin

30%

Acquisition Multiple

2.2x - 5.5x

Startup Cost

$45K - $260K

How It Works

Technicians run scheduled routes, visually inspect extinguishers, perform annual maintenance, recharge discharged units, coordinate six-year teardown maintenance and hydrostatic tests, replace expired equipment, and document service tags for inspectors and facility managers. Revenue comes from annual service, recharges, replacements, hydrotesting, cabinets, signage, and bundled life-safety accounts.

Revenue Range

Low End

$160K

Typical

$650K

High End

$2.2M

Pros

+Compliance-driven recurring route revenue
+Dense commercial areas make routes efficient
+Replacement and recharge work lifts ticket size
+Can cross-sell alarms, sprinklers, kitchen suppression, and exit lighting

Cons

-Local licensing and technician requirements vary
-Route pricing can be competitive
-Inventory, cylinders, and testing workflows need tight controls

Best For

Operators with fire protection, route service, facilities maintenance, or B2B field-service experience

Operating Costs

Costs include service vans, extinguishers and parts inventory, recharge equipment, hydrotest partnerships or equipment, tags, software, insurance, licensing, technician labor, and shop space.

SBA Financing Estimator

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

$-7263/mo

after debt service

Deal price — $2.3M

Range: $1.1M (2.2×) to $4.2M (5.5×+)

Down payment — 15% ($342K)

SBA minimum equity injection is 10% for change-of-ownership

Interest rate — 8.00%

Current prime-based SBA rates: 7.5–10.5%

Loan term — 10 years (120 mo)

Standard SBA 7(a): 10 years for business acquisition

Down payment

$342K

15% equity injection

Loan amount

$1.9M

85% SBA-financed

Monthly payment

$24K/mo

$884K total interest

Monthly profit

$16K/mo

at 30% margin

Monthly cash flow after debt service

$-7263/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.