Parking Lot Sweeping
You sleep. Your sweeper runs. Clients renew every year.
Parking lot sweeping companies contract with shopping centers, office parks, municipalities, HOAs, and industrial facilities to sweep and clean paved surfaces — typically between midnight and 6 AM. It's one of the most defensible route businesses in existence: clients sign 1–3 year recurring contracts, the work is invisible enough that competitors rarely poach accounts, and operators who build density in a territory can run extremely lean.
Avg Revenue
$350K
Profit Margin
30%
Acquisition Multiple
1.5x - 2.5x
Startup Cost
$30K - $90K
Difficulty
2/5
How It Works
A regenerative air or mechanical sweeper truck routes through client lots overnight. Operators charge $75–$200 per visit depending on lot size and frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly). Clients are property managers, mall operators, municipalities, and HOAs. Contracts lock in annual revenue; adding more stops to an existing route is nearly pure margin. One truck can handle 8–15 stops per night.
Revenue Range
Real Acquisitions in This Category
SBA 7(a) change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 561790 · Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings
Deal Size Distribution
Deal Flow Over Time
Financing Profile
Recent Comparable Deals
| Closed | State | Loan | Implied deal | Jobs | Franchise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | IL | $3.0M | $3.5M | 24 | — |
| Nov 2025 | MN | $75K | $88K | 2 | — |
| Nov 2025 | OH | $3.2M | $3.8M | 21 | — |
| Nov 2025 | OH | $125K | $147K | 21 | — |
| Sep 2025 | FL | $285K | $335K | 4 | — |
| Sep 2025 | MA | $250K | $294K | — | — |
| Aug 2025 | TN | $305K | $359K | 2 | — |
| Aug 2025 | OH | $865K | $1.0M | 4 | — |
| Aug 2025 | UT | $350K | $412K | 4 | Painter1 |
| Jul 2025 | WI | $1.3M | $1.5M | 25 | — |
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
- +Recurring annual contracts — most clients stay for years without upselling
- +Work happens at night while you sleep — highly passive with a hired driver
- +Low competition once you've established a territory
- +Equipment holds value — sweepers resell for 50–70% of purchase price
Cons
- -Night-shift labor is hard to hire and retain
- -Sweeper trucks require regular maintenance ($5K–$15K/year)
- -Weather and debris season create call-outs and extra runs
Best For
Route business buyers; owner-operators who want a low-glamour, high-repeat income stream
Operating Costs
Key costs: sweeper truck payment or lease ($1,500–$3,000/mo), driver labor ($3,500–$5,000/mo), fuel ($800–$2,000/mo), and maintenance. Route density is everything — 10 stops near each other beats 20 spread across a city.
SBA Financing Estimator
Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service
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
Find parking lot sweeping and property maintenance routes for sale
Broker-listed service businesses including sweeping and maintenance routes
Acquisition Score
Scores margin (30), entry multiple (25), SBA market depth (20), category risk (15), and deal momentum (10). Higher = better acquisition candidate.
Quick Facts
- Category
- route
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Buy price
- $525K–$875K
Buyer's Toolkit
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