Most woodworking and millwork businesses in Canada change hands at a multiple of their normalized earnings, typically EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), adjusted for owner add-backs. The multiple itself depends on your size, location, growth trajectory, and how much the business depends on you, the owner.
Custom woodworking and millwork shops are valued on their project pipeline, repeat commercial clients, and whether skilled cabinetmakers stay on. A steady flow of contracted commercial work, designers and project managers who run jobs, and modern equipment lift value; one-off residential jobs, owner-led design, and lumpy revenue weigh it down.
Pushes the number up
- A pipeline of contracted commercial millwork
- Repeat builder, designer, and GC relationships
- Skilled cabinetmakers who stay through a sale
- Modern shop equipment and CNC capacity
Pulls the number down
- Mostly one-off residential projects
- Owner personally designs and estimates
- Lumpy, project-driven revenue
- Thin margins on fixed-price work
You put in your numbers. We show you two things.
Market data: Sector-specific transaction multiples based on aggregated business transaction reports. Updated quarterly.
Peer benchmarks: Estimates from verified owners in your sector and size range. See what similar businesses are worth, and compare your own expectations against market data and transaction multiples.
Takes about three minutes.
No pitch. No account required. Just your numbers in, and market context out.
Get My InsightsWoodworking and millwork shops are valued as a multiple of normalized EBITDA. Pipeline quality, repeat clients, staff retention, and owner dependence all move the number. Clariva shows the benchmark range for your size and province.
Higher for shops with a contracted commercial pipeline and managers who run jobs; lower for owner-led shops doing one-off residential work. Enter your numbers to see your range.
Yes. Contracted commercial millwork tends to be steadier and higher-volume than one-off residential jobs, which buyers value for its predictability.
No. The estimate is for benchmarking and context only, and does not replace a formal business valuation. For a transaction, work with an M&A advisor or a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV).
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Not financial advice. Clariva is a data aggregation and compilation tool. All ranges shown on this platform are derived from publicly available transaction data and anonymized user submissions, and are provided for informational and benchmarking purposes only. Nothing on this platform constitutes a formal business valuation, financial advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell. Consult a qualified M&A advisor, Chartered Business Valuator (CBV), or legal counsel before making any financial or transactional decisions. Individual data is never shared or sold. Anonymized, aggregated insights may be used for industry research. You can request deletion of your data at any time by emailing tanner@clariva.ca.