1.0Market Snapshot
- 4,687
- Plumbing and sanitary installation firms in 2024 (BFS STATENT: 944 sanitary installers, 812 sanitary and sheet-metal firms and 2,931 sanitary and heating installers, NOGA 43.22.01–03).
- 31,329
- Employees in plumbing and sanitary installation in 2024 (BFS STATENT), 28,448 full-time equivalents; 20,400 of them work in combined sanitary and heating firms.
- +0.7%
- Growth in employees from 2020 (31,104) to 2024 (31,329), BFS STATENT; 2024 was 0.5% below 2023. The number of firms rose 2.3% over the same period.
According to Val Index analysis of Swiss commercial-register and federal data (2026), Switzerland counts 4,687 plumbing & sanitary installation companies — Plumbing and sanitary installation firms in 2024 (BFS STATENT: 944 sanitary installers, 812 sanitary and sheet-metal firms and 2,931 sanitary and heating installers, NOGA 43.22.01–03)..
2.0Industry Overview
Plumbers install and maintain the water, waste-water and sanitary systems of Switzerland's buildings — pipes, bathrooms, kitchens, drinking-water installations — and most also install heating. In 2024 BFS counted 4,687 plumbing and sanitary firms with 31,329 employees (STATENT). The largest group by far, 2,931 firms with 20,400 employees, combines sanitary and heating installation; 944 firms do sanitary work only and 812 combine it with sheet-metal work. Employment has been flat since 2020 (+0.7%), while the number of firms grew 2.3%, so firms are getting slightly smaller on average (6.1 employees).
3.0Industry Health Check (SWOT)
- Essential, regulated work on water and heating systems
- Flat employment since 2020 and a shortage of installers
- Heating replacement: a third of residential buildings still burn oil→ §4.0
- Lack of skilled installers and apprentices
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Plumbing & Sanitary Installation business valuation in Switzerland
- Statutory Multiple (EBITDA)
- 3.0 - 4.5×
- Deal Multiple (EBITDA)
- 4.0 - 6.5×
- Market Trend
- Stable
Indicative ranges based on market research. Actual multiples vary by company size, growth, and market conditions.
8.0Regional Clusters
Western Switzerland
1,324 plumbing and sanitary firms with 9,067 employees in 2024 (BFS STATENT), the most of any region.
Bern and Solothurn
687 firms with 4,370 employees; Sanitas Troesch is registered in Bern and Nussbaum in Olten.
Eastern Switzerland
672 firms with 4,398 employees; Geberit (Rapperswil-Jona) and Hälg & Co. (St. Gallen) are registered in the canton of St. Gallen.
Northwestern Switzerland
645 firms with 3,891 employees, the smallest on average (6.0 per firm).
Zurich
621 firms with 4,516 employees; Meier Tobler is registered in Schwerzenbach.
Central Switzerland
427 firms with 3,262 employees, the largest on average (7.6 per firm).
Ticino
299 firms with 1,825 employees.
Sources
9.0Frequently Asked Questions
▶How much is a plumbing company worth in Switzerland?
ValIndex's multiples table puts Swiss plumbing and sanitary at 4.0–6.5× EBITDA in transactions and 3.0–4.5× EBITDA on statutory valuations. Firms with service contracts, a management team and heating know-how sit at the upper end; small firms that depend on the owner sit lower.
▶What drives the value of a Swiss plumbing and sanitary firm?
Buyers price: (1) recurring service and maintenance revenue; (2) the number and age of qualified installers; (3) whether the firm also installs heating; (4) client mix between property managers, private owners and general contractors; (5) the order book; (6) dependence on the owner.
▶How big is the Swiss plumbing and sanitary trade?
In 2024 BFS counted 4,687 plumbing and sanitary firms with 31,329 employees (28,448 full-time equivalents). 2,931 of them, with 20,400 employees, combine sanitary and heating installation. Employment is up 0.7% since 2020.
▶Who are the main companies in Swiss plumbing and sanitary technology?
Suppliers include Geberit (Rapperswil-Jona), R. Nussbaum (Olten), the wholesaler Meier Tobler (Schwerzenbach) and the bathroom distributor Sanitas Troesch (Bern). Among installers, Hälg & Co. (St. Gallen) has grown by taking over regional plumbing and heating firms.
▶What are the key trends in Swiss plumbing?
Five trends: (1) flat employment with more firms; (2) renovation growing, with construction investment up 3.5% in 2025; (3) heating replacement, with 20,097 subsidised replacements in 2025; (4) modest growth for Swiss suppliers; (5) regional installer groups buying firms.
▶What are the main risks when buying a Swiss plumbing company?
The main risks are: (1) loss of key installers; (2) owner-dependent client relationships; (3) warranty claims for water damage; (4) dependence on a few general contractors; (5) changes in heating subsidies. Due diligence should check service contracts, staff ages, warranty provisions and the order book.
▶How does heating replacement affect Swiss plumbers?
Combined sanitary-and-heating installers replace oil and gas heating with heat pumps. At the end of 2025 a third of Switzerland's 1.8 million residential buildings were still heated with oil and 17% with gas, and the Gebäudeprogramm subsidised 20,097 replacements in 2025, 82% by heat pumps. This gives firms that do both trades a steady stream of work.
▶Where are Swiss plumbing firms located?
Using BFS figures for 2024: Western Switzerland has the most firms (1,324, with 9,067 employees), followed by Bern and Solothurn (687; 4,370), Eastern Switzerland (672; 4,398), Northwestern Switzerland (645; 3,891), Zurich (621; 4,516), Central Switzerland (427; 3,262) and Ticino (299; 1,825).