Business Valuation Vancouver — Fixed-Fee for Sale, Partners, Divorce, Tax (2026)

You are considering selling your business. Or bringing on a partner. Or going through a divorce. Or planning your estate.

In every case, you need a defensible, documented valuation of your business.

Not a “back of the envelope” multiple from a broker. Not a guess from your accountant. A formal valuation that will stand up to scrutiny — from buyers, partners, CRA, or a judge.

ARV Consultants provides business valuation services for Vancouver businesses with revenue between $500,000and$20 million. Our valuations are prepared by a CPA-designated consultant (Rajeev Kumar, named one of the world’s Top 10 CFOs) and follow Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators (CICBV) standards.

For a rough estimate of your business value using industry multiples, see our valuation multiples by industry guide. For a formal valuation, continue below.

When You Need a Formal Business Valuation

You need a formal valuation for:

You do NOT need a formal valuation if:

• You just want a rough estimate (use our valuation multiples guide)

• You are in early discussions with a broker (estimate is sufficient)

• Your business is very small (under $250k revenue, asset-based approach may be simpler)

What a Formal Business Valuation Includes

A complete valuation report (typically 30–50 pages) includes:

Three approaches to value:

• Market approach — Comparable company transactions and public company multiples

• Income approach — Discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis

• Asset approach — Net book value or liquidation value

Normalization adjustments:

• Removing one-time or non-recurring expenses

• Adjusting owner salary to market rates

• Adding back discretionary expenses

Risk assessment:

• Industry and market risks

• Customer concentration analysis

• Management dependency evaluation

Valuation conclusion:

• Fair market value (minority interest)

• Control premium (if applicable)

• Discount for lack of marketability (DLOM, if applicable)

Report quality: CRA-ready, court-defensible (if prepared by qualified valuator)

Calculation vs Valuation — What Is the Difference?

This is critical for understanding what you are paying for.

Our recommendation: If you need the valuation for CRA, divorce court, or a formal sale process — get a full valuation. If you just want a planning number for internal discussions, a calculation is sufficient.

For CRA estate freezes or tax planning, you must have a full valuation.

Business Valuation Pricing (2026) — Fixed-Fee by Purpose

What is included:

• 30–50 page report (valuation engagement)

• Three approaches to value

• Normalization adjustments

• Risk assessment

• Post-report support (2 hours of Q&A with your lawyer/accountant)

What is NOT included:

• Expert witness testimony in court (available at additional cost)

• Updates for subsequent year-ends (new engagement required)

Not sure which purpose fits your situation? A 15-minute call gives you a clear answer. book a free consultation

What Is Your Business Worth? (Estimate vs Formal Valuation)

Use our valuation multiples by industry guide for a rough estimate. For example:

• Tech SaaS business with $1MEBITDA\times 4.5xmultiple=$4.5M estimated value

• Construction with $1MEBITDA\times 3.5xmultiple=$3.5M estimated value

But a formal valuation may differ significantly based on:

• Customer concentration (one customer >30% of revenue reduces value)

• Owner dependency (business cannot run without you reduces value)

• Growth rate (20% YoY growth increases value)

• Industry trends (tailwinds or headwinds)

The multiples guide gives you a range. A formal valuation gives you the exact number.

Vancouver Business We Helped

Partner buy-out in Burnaby: A manufacturing company with $8M revenue, 3 equal partners. One partner wanted to retire. The remaining 2 partners needed a fair value for the buy-out. The partners could not agree on price.

Our engagement: Full valuation engagement ($12,000 fixed fee).

What we delivered:

• 45-page valuation report

• Market approach (comparable transactions)

• Income approach (DCF analysis)

• Asset approach (net book value)

• Normalization adjustments (owner salaries, one-time expenses)

• Control premium analysis (the retiring partner had a controlling block)

Result: All 3 partners accepted the valuation. Buy-out completed at $2.8M. No litigation. No CRA challenge. The valuation report was shared with the departing partner’s tax advisor and accepted for tax purposes.

Vancouver Business Valuation Process

Our valuation process is designed to minimize disruption to your business.

Step 1 — Kickoff (1 hour)

• Understand the purpose of the valuation (sale, partner, divorce, tax)

• Identify key assumptions and timelines

• Sign engagement letter

Step 2 — Information Gathering (1–2 weeks)

• You provide financial statements (3–5 years)

• You provide tax returns, budgets, forecasts

• You complete management questionnaire

• We review and request clarifying information

Step 3 — Analysis and Draft (2–4 weeks)

• We perform normalization adjustments

• We apply three approaches to value

• We draft valuation report

• We review with you (high-level findings)

Step 4 — Final Report (1 week)

• We incorporate your feedback

• We finalize valuation report

• We deliver PDF and printed copies

• We provide 2 hours of Q&A with your lawyer/accountant

Total timeline: 4–6 weeks (valuation engagement), 2–3 weeks (calculation engagement)

Why Choose ARV Consultants for Business Valuation?

When Valuation Reveals Deeper Problems

Sometimes the valuation number is lower than expected. That is valuable information.

If your business is worth less than you thought, you have two options:

1. Accept the lower value and proceed with the transaction

2. Fix the problems and increase value before selling

Common problems revealed by valuation:

• Customer concentration (reduce before sale)

• Owner dependency (build management team)

• Poor financial records (clean up before valuation)

• Declining industry (pivot or accept lower multiple)

For strategic financial leadership to increase your valuation, see our CFO services and signs you need a CFO guide.

Related Services

CFO Services
If you need ongoing financial leadership to increase your valuation before a sale, see our CFO services.

Business Consultancy
If you need operational improvements to increase your valuation multiple, see our business consultancy.

Vancouver-Specific Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between a business valuation and a business appraisal?
Same thing. Different terms. Both refer to determining the value of a business.

Do I need a CBV (Chartered Business Valuator)?
For CRA or court, a CBV is preferred. We are CPA-designated with CBV-level expertise. For most small to medium businesses, our valuations are accepted by CRA and courts. For complex or high-stakes matters, we can refer you to a CBV.

How long does a valuation take?
4–6 weeks for a full valuation. 2–3 weeks for a calculation.

Will my valuation be accepted by CRA?
Yes, if you order a full valuation engagement (not a calculation). We follow CICBV standards and include all required disclosures.

Do you provide expert witness testimony in court?
Yes, at additional cost. We can appear as an expert witness for divorce, shareholder disputes, or litigation matters.

What information do I need to provide?
3–5 years of financial statements, 3 years of tax returns, current budget/forecast, list of major customers, and a management questionnaire.

Ready to Know Exactly What Your Business Is Worth?

Formal valuation. Fixed-fee pricing. CRA-ready. Court-defensible.

Here is how to start:

1. Book a free 15-minute consultation — we listen to your situation and purpose

2. We recommend the right engagement — calculation or full valuation

3. You get a fixed-fee quote — no surprises

Get a fixed-fee valuation quote

*Rajeev Kumar, Director at ARV Consultants. CPA, 18 years experience. Named one of the world’s Top 10 CFOs by CEO Insights Magazine (2024, 2023, 2022). 100+ business valuations completed.*