How much does a Infrared Roof Moisture Scan cost to buy?

A typical Infrared Roof Moisture Scan sells for 1.8x to 4x seller's discretionary earnings. With estimated SDE of $160K, expect to pay roughly $287K to $638K before adjustments for assets, debt, growth, and local market quality.

How much does it cost to start a Infrared Roof Moisture Scan?

Startup costs range from $20K to $150K depending on location, equipment, and scale.

Service

Infrared Roof Moisture Scan

Flat roofs hide wet insulation; thermal cameras make the invisible billable

Bottom line

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

Infrared roof moisture scanning companies inspect commercial flat and low-slope roofs after sunset to identify trapped moisture, wet insulation, and failing roof sections before full replacement is needed. The business sells to building owners, property managers, roofers, schools, hospitals, and insurers who want targeted repair maps instead of destructive testing or surprise leaks.

See listings →Compare ↔

Share LinkedInReddit HN

Acquisition score

Margin · multiple · SBA data

69Strong

Avg revenue

$420K/yr

$120K–$1.2M range

Profit margin

38%

~$160K SDE

Multiple

1.8–4×

of SDE

Est. buy price

$287K–$638K

startup: $20K–$150K

How It Works

Technicians scan roof surfaces with infrared cameras or drones during the right temperature window, mark suspect wet areas, capture thermal images, and deliver annotated moisture maps for roofers and owners. Repeat work comes from annual portfolio scans, warranty documentation, leak investigations, and post-storm inspections.

BizBite verdict

Watch / verify

Infrared Roof Moisture Scan 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.

69Strong

low data confidence · 40/100medium financing fit

Why it may work

+Attractive 38% estimated margin profile

Be careful

!Source link status has not been verified yet
!No last-checked date yet
!No SBA category enrichment yet
!No category operating model yet
!Low data confidence

Deal Calculator

Priced off $160K SDE — can this deal service its own debt?

2.46×

DSCR · Lender-comfortable

Purchase multiple — 2.8× SDE ($445K)

Category range: 1.8×–4× SDE

Down payment — 10% ($45K)

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

Interest rate — 10.50%

Typical SBA 7(a) range: 9.5–12% (prime-based)

Loan term — 10 years

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

Purchase price

$445K

2.8× of $160K SDE

Cash to close

$58K

$45K down + ~3% closing

Debt service

$5K/mo

$65K/yr on $401K loan

Cash-on-cash

164%

cash back in ~8 mo

Debt service coverage · what the lender sees

2.46×+$8K/mo after debt

Most SBA lenders want ≥1.25× coverage; 1.5×+ is a strong file.

SDE = revenue × margin estimate for this niche; it includes owner compensation, so budget your salary out of cash flow. Excludes working-capital injection, capex reserves, and taxes. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower.

Pros

+High-value diagnostic service with low material cost
+Pairs with commercial roofing, drone inspection, and insurance claims
+Can prevent six-figure roof replacements through targeted repairs
+Portfolio property managers create repeat routes

Cons

-Weather and timing constraints affect scheduling
-Requires thermography skill and credible reporting
-Often needs B2B relationships with roofers and facility managers

Best For

Commercial roofing operators, building inspectors, drone pilots, and thermographers selling to facility managers

Operating Costs

Costs include thermal cameras or thermal drones, moisture meters, certification, roof-access safety gear, insurance, reporting software, travel, and marketing. Contribution margin is strong when scans are batched across multi-building portfolios.