PE consolidation gets a number, and RIA organizes the independents

Industry-watchers now peg the field at ~15,000 firms shrinking to under 10,000 by 2030, with multiples running 3x-11x and named platform deals continuing (Montera-backed Midwest Remediation, American Restoration trading PE-to-PE). RIA responded in Feb 2026 by launching a "Voice of the Independent" task force whose advisory board is explicitly limited to firms that are neither franchised nor PE-backed.

FORThe roll-up is proof your business is worth something, so build it to be acquirable even if you never sell.

AGAINSTEvery shop that sells to PE hands a competitor more pricing power over your carriers and your labor pool, so staying independent is a competitive act, not just a lifestyle choice.

Consensus vs. contrarianConsensus: consolidation is inevitable, take the multiple. Contrarian worth owning: the independents who systematize like a platform but stay independent capture the platform's margins without the platform's mandate, and that's the most valuable seat in the industry over the next five years.

Sources Sherwood News, sherwood.news/business/natural-disaster-clea… The Deal Sheet, thedealsheet.co/industries/restoration/; deal: PrivSource (Midwest Remediation / Montera), www.privsource.com/acquisitions/deal/midwest… American Restoration resale, cleanfax.com/american-restoration-sold-to-an… RIA, www.restorationindustry.org/restoration-blog…

PE consolidation gets a number, and RIA organizes the independents

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PE consolidation gets a number, and RIA organizes the independents

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