Do you know how much your A/E/P or environmental consulting firm is worth? If you're an owner of an A/E/P or environmental consulting firm, you can't risk not knowing the value of your business. Whether it's for external purposes, such as a firm sale or merger, or internal purposes, such as ownership transition or ESOP purposes, all firm owners should know what their investments are worth. And the 2008 Valuation Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning & Environmental Consulting Firms is the definitive resource for helping you find out! With the survey data included in this report and ZweigWhite's exclusive Z-Formulas, you'll be able to quickly and easily learn what your firm is worth.

• Use ZweigWhite’s exclusive Z-Formulas to quickly find out how much your firm is worth
• Use over 225 case studies to make reliable comparisons of value between your firm and others in the industry
• Find out what makes one firm more valuable than another
• See how growth rate, staff size, firm age, and other factors affect firm value
• Settle internal ownership transition disputes armed with the latest data about firm values

Do you know how much your A/E/P or environmental consulting firm is worth? If you're an owner of an A/E/P or environmental consulting firm, you can't risk not knowing the value of your business. Whether it's for external purposes, such as a firm sale or merger, or internal purposes, such as ownership transition or ESOP purposes, all firm owners should know what their investments are worth.

The 2008 Valuation Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning & Environmental Consulting Firms is the definitive, one-of-a-kind resource for quickly determining how much your own firm is worth and how it compares to other firms just like your own. Compare data by firm type, staff size, firm age, region of headquarters, growth rate, and many other factors. Get information on which types of valuations done by which types of accountants, appraisers, or firm leaders result in the highest values.

The information in this report is based on over 225 actual valuations of A/E/P and environmental consulting firms! Each year, ZweigWhite conducts a nationwide survey to identify design and environmental firms that use an internal formula for valuation, that have been merged or acquired, or that have been appraised by an independent valuation consultant. These firms supply us with information on their type of business, revenues, profits, growth, assets, and so on. Then, for each firm we calculate six different value ratios (e.g., TIC value per employee, TIC value/net revenue, etc.) and compare these by firm size, type, region, reason for valuation, and more. The result is rock-solid comparative data relied upon by thousands of firms.

A case study for every valuation is included so you can compare your firm's statistics to other firms just like your own. You'll also find a chapter on valuation practices and ways to enhance value for design and environmental consulting firms!

Plus, you'll also get ZweigWhite's exclusive Z-Formulas. For more than a decade, thousands of design and environmental firm leaders, accountants to the A/E industry, and professional business appraisers alike have been using ZweigWhite's valuation data and Z-Formulas to determine firm value. Simply input seven factors: staff size, net revenue, backlog, EBITDA, profit, book value, and interest bearing debt, and you'll quickly get a rough value for any design or environmental firm.

Do you know how much your business is worth? If you're an owner or manager in an architecture, engineering, or environmental firm, you can't escape valuation questions. You owe it to yourself to get the best information on your biggest investment. This is the book the professionals themselves use! Join the thousands of firms that have enjoyed the benefits of this annual report—secure your copy today!

INTRODUCTION
The 2008 Valuation Survey summarizes data collected in nationwide pollings of design and environmental consulting firms. The purpose of the survey is to compile information on firm valuation practices and the relative values of different types of firms.

INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS VALUATION
The report begins with an introduction which covers “What is business valuation?,” “Reasons for valuation,” “Definition of value,” “Valuation approaches,” “Special considerations,” and “Managing a firm for maximum value.”

THE SURVEY SAMPLE
The survey is based on over 225 actual valuations of A/E/P and environmental consulting firms. The report details the precise breakdown of firms but does not identify any firm by name.

VALUE RATIOS
To make pound-for-pound comparisons among firms, the value data are summarized into six ratios: TIC Value per Employee, TIC Value/Net Revenue, TIC Value/Backlog, TIC Value/EBITDA, Equity Value/Profit, and Equity Value/Book Value.

COMPARATIVE VALUE
The report explores the critical question of whether certain firm and valuation differences have a bearing on firm value. Value is compared by firm size, type, age, region, growth rate, reason for valuation, who conducted the valuation, minority or controlling interest, growth projections, valuation method, and year of valuation.

VALUATION FORMULAS
An expanded section looks at the use of valuation formulas in design and environmental consulting firms, including the actual formulas reported by participants.

Z-VALUE
The median values for each value ratio studied are combined into a rule-of-thumb formula for quickly determining a rough value for a firm.

CASE STUDIES
The individual questionnaire responses, which constitute real-life valuation cases, are blinded and supplied as supplementary data.