Selling a Design-Build Company: How Pristine Landscaping Kept Its Premium Edge

How do you build a premium design‑build landscaping company—and then successfully sell it while protecting your legacy and your team? In this episode of The Landscaper Grow Show, Mark Lamberth talks with Gregg Rosenfield of Pristine Landscaping in San Antonio. Gregg shares how he went from corporate media executive to running a high‑end outdoor living and masonry-focused landscape company, and eventually to selling that company to a multi‑business ownership group. He explains what buyers really look for (cash flow, systems, and reputation), why recurring revenue increases valuation multiples, and how his deal was structured with upfront cash and a multi‑year earn‑out. Gregg also talks about building a crew of true craftsmen, insisting on design plans for almost every project, and why he believes landscaping is one of the most meaningful “beautifying the world” careers you can choose. If you’re growing a design‑build company, thinking about an eventual exit, or just want to run a more premium, plan‑driven operation, this conversation is packed with hard‑won insight. What you’ll learn on this episode: How Gregg moved from a 26‑year corporate media career into landscaping Why Pristine focused on high‑end design‑build and masonry‑driven outdoor makeovers How charging more (and losing “cheap” clients) led to better commercial work What buyers examine in due diligence: books, cash flow, reviews, and reputation Why recurring revenue can boost valuation multiples compared to pure design‑build How Gregg’s sale was structured with ~3x cash‑flow multiples and a 5‑year earn‑out The importance of key people like Manuel—and how incentives and clawbacks work Why insisting on a written design plan is the foundation of premium, repeatable work