Advice on specialty construction / home services businesses

February 24, 2026

by a searcher from University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, USA

Hi all! I'm a first time buyer with a tech background looking for advice on specialty construction / home services businesses, bonus points if you have knowledge on the LA area. My general thesis is boomers are increasingly aging at home and are therefore looking to make improvements/modifications to their home and utilize services that enable them to stay independent in their home for longer. I'm buying into a franchise as a wedge to quickly enter and learn this space, and the plan is to acquire a portfolio of complementary businesses over the next few years. The specific franchise I'm looking at does shower / tub installations. As I finish up due diligence, would love to connect and chat with more people who have experience in this space. If you'd be open to connecting please let me know!

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Reply by a lender
from Cornell University in Los Angeles, CA, USA

Hi ^redacted‌ - nice to meet you. Good thesis. Bathroom modifications are the largest segment of the aging-in-place market ($5+ billion), and 73% of remodelers report demand has increased significantly over the past five years. But when you start acquiring complementary businesses with SBA financing, contractor licensing becomes your biggest hurdle. In California, shower/tub work requires a CSLB contractor's license (C-36 Plumbing, B General Building, or the newer B-2 Residential Remodeling). All require four years of verifiable trade experience. No shortcuts. Three ways buyers solve this: Existing employee who holds the license stays on as qualifier. Lenders want a solid employment agreement, not a handshake. Hire a new qualifier before closing. Same idea, but lenders are skeptical of last-minute hires. Seller retains partial equity (under 20%) and stays as RMO. Under current SBA rules, they must personally guarantee the loan for two years. This gives you a transition window. Starting with a franchise is smart because most franchisors handle licensing for you. But before you pursue independent add-on acquisitions, you need a licensing plan locked in. We have a lot experience financing specialty construction companies via the SBA. If this is a franchise startup, we can even help you get funding via the SBA, as long as its in the SBA Franchise directory. If you ever need help reviewing a deal, I am happy to help. We work with all the major SBA lenders. The bank pay us after your loan closes, so this is a 100% free service for you. You can email me directly at redacted or schedule a meeting with me: https://cal.com/francodeguzman/30min. Look forward to chatting!

Reply by a lender
from Eastern Illinois University in 900 E Diehl Rd, Naperville, IL 60563, USA

We have financed many businesses in this space over the years, so if you need any help with financing or just want some advice on what we have seen, I would be happy to connect. I would concur with you with many boomers having low interest rates on their mortgages, they are unlikely to move and more likely to make upgrades to their existing homes. So I do believe it is a good business to be in. You can reach me here or directly at redacted Good luck with starting your franchise.

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