The number of firms offering home improvement services as a saleable franchise has risen in the last 10 years. Some, such as The Glass Doctor or CertaPro, specialize in repair; others, such as Window World, in replacement; and a handful — take N-Hance or DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, for example — in full-on remodeling.
Franchises usually attract entrepreneurs looking for an opportunity or tradespeople, such as plumbers, seeking to acquire a turnkey business and the marketing power of a national brand. Franchises such as ServPro and Paul Davis now dominate one particular type of renovation: insurance restoration services. To get an idea of what it would cost to own a franchise business, add to the initial franchise fee, listed here, an annual royalty of 5% to 7% of sales taken by the franchisor, plus capital outlay for equipment or office/warehouse space.
2013 REMODELING 550: FRANCHISES
| # | Company | Location | Founded / Franchise | Initial Franchise Fee | No. Of Franchises (US&Canada) | Specialty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Closets | CA (Berkeley) | 1978 / 1982 | $40,000 | 96 | closet organization |
| 2 | Closet Factory | CA (Los Angeles) | 1983 / 1985 | $46,500 | 57 | closet organization |
| 3 | Closets By Design | CA (Gardena) | 1982 / 1988 | $36,900 | 33 | closet organization |
| 4 | Closet Storage & Concepts | NJ (Voorhees) | 1987 / 2000 | $17,500 – $38,500 | 8 | closet organization |
| 5 | Mr. Electric | TX (Waco) | 1994 / 1994 | $28,000 | 154 | electrical services |
| 6 | Mr. Sparky | FL (Sarasota) | 1996 / 2006 | NA | 94 | electrical services |
| 7 | The Glass Doctor | TX (Waco) | 1962 / 1977 | $28,000 | 184 | glass repair and replacement |
| 8 | The Glass Guru | CA (Roseville) | 2004 / 2007 | $12,500 – $ 65,000 | 69 | window restoration and replacement |
| 9 | The Grout Doctor | UT (Salt Lake City) | 1992 / /2001 | $7,500 – $22,500 | 73 | grout, tile, & stone restoration |
| 10 | Sir Grout Franchising | GA (Alpharetta) | 2004 / 2007 | $30,000 | 25 | grout & tile restoration |
| 11 | Mr. Handyman | MI (Ann Arbor) | 1996 / 2000 | $49,900 –$59,900 | 220 | handyman services |
| 12 | Handyman Matters | CO (Lakewood) | 1997 / /2001 | $30,000 | 122 | handyman services |
| 13 | Handyman Connection | OH (Cincinnati) | 1990 / 1991 | $50,000 | 99 | handyman services |
| 14 | Andy On–Call | TN (Chattanooga) | 1993 / 1999 | $25,000 – $30,000 | 45 | handyman services |
| 15 | House Doctors | OH (Millford) | 1994 / 1995 | $39,800 | 52 | handyman & remodeling services |
| 16 | Yellow Van Handyman (Home Task) | WA (Seattle) | 2004 / 2004 | $38,950 | 47 | handyman & remodeling services |
| 17 | USA Insulation | OH (Cleveland) | 1985 / 2007 | $45,000 | 18 | insulation |
| 18 | ServiceMaster Clean | TN (Memphis) | 1947 / 1952 | $61,900 – $67,000 | 4,500 | insurance restoration |
| 19 | Servpro | TN (Gallatin) | 1967 / 1969 | $43,000 | 1,626 | insurance restoration |
| 20 | Steamatic Total Cleaning & Restoration | TX (Fort Worth) | 1948 / 1967 | $5,000 – $40,000 | 333 | insurance restoration |
| 21 | Rainbow International Restoration & Cleaning | TX (Waco) | 1981 / 1981 | $28,000 | 306 | insurance restoration |
| 22 | DKI | IL (Wood Dale) | 1974 / 1994 | $5,000 – $43,750 | 265 | insurance restoration |
| 23 | PuroClean | FL (Tamarac) | 1990 / 1991 | $45,000 | 255 | insurance restoration |
| 24 | Paul Davis Restoration | FL (Jacksonville) | 1966 / 1971 | $75,000 | 210 | insurance restoration |
| 25 | Re–Bath | AZ (Tempe) | 1979 / 1991 | $27,000 – $95,000 | 209 | bathroom remodeling |
| 26 | Kitchen Tune–Up | SD (Aberdeen) | 1986 / 1988 | $39,995 | 155 | kitchen & bathroom remodeling |
| 27 | Kitchen Solvers | WI (La Crosse) | 1982 / 1984 | $20,000 | 44 | kitchen & bathroom remodeling |
| 28 | DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen | TX (Waco) | 1988 / 1999 | $35,000 | 60 | kitchen & bathroom remodeling |
| 29 | Certa Pro | PA (Oaks) | 1971 / 1990 | $52,000 | 440 | painting |
| 30 | Fresh Coat | OH (Cincinatti) | 2204 / 2005 | $34,900 – $40,900 | 89 | painting |
| 31 | Roto–Rooter | OH (Cincinatti) | 1935 / 1936 | $25,000 | 500 | plumbing |
| 32 | Rooter–Man | MA (North Billerica) | 1982 / 1982 | $3,975 – $39,750 | 475 | plumbing |
| 33 | Benjamin Franklin Plumbing | FL (Sarasota) | 1998 / 2001 | NA | 250+ | plumbing |
| 34 | Archadeck | VA (Richmond) | 1980 / 1984 | $7,200 – $49,500 | 58 | porches, decks, & outdoor living |
| 35 | Pillar to Post | FL (Tampa ) | 1994 / 1994 | $15,900 | 363 | property inspections |
| 36 | HouseMaster Home Inspections | NJ (Bound Brook) | 1971 / 1979 | $42,500 | 313 | property inspections |
| 37 | The BrickKicker Home Inspection Services | IL (Naperville) | 1989 / 1994 | $9,000 – $15,000 | 40 | property inspections |
| 38 | WIN Home Inspection | AL (Madison) | 1993 / 1994 | $30,000 – $40,000 | 173 | property inspections |
| 39 | Inspect–It 1st | OH (Independence) | 1991 / 1998 | $26,900 | 67 | property inspections |
| 40 | AmeriSpec Home Inspection Services | TN (Memphis) | 1987 / 1988 | $25,900 – $35,900 | 294 | property inspections |
| 41 | ABC Seamless | ND (Fargo) | 1973 / 1978 | $12,000 | 98 | seamless steel siding & gutters |
| 42 | United States Seamless | ND (Fargo) | 1991 / 1992 | $2,450 | 52 | seamless steel siding & gutters |
| 43 | Four Seasons Sunrooms | NY (Holbrook) | 1975 / 1984 | $7,500 – $15,000 | 290 | sunrooms & windows |
| 44 | Miracle Method Surface Restoration | CO (Colorado Springs) | 1977 / 1980 | $35,000 | 129 | surface refinishing |
| 45 | Granite Transformations | FL (Miramar) | 1995 / 1997 | $35,000 – $75,000 | 84 | surface refinishing |
| 46 | Surface Specialists Systems | NC (Mathews) | 1981 / 1982 | $21,000 | 43 | surface refinishing |
| 47 | Get a Grip | NM (Albuquerque) | 1999 / 2007 | $25,000 – $70,000 | 16 | surface refinishing |
| 48 | Window World | NC (N. Wilkesboro) | 1995 / 2011 | $12,900 | 193 | window replacement |
| 49 | Universal Windows Direct | OH (Oakwood) | 2002 / 2008 | $5,000 | 38 | window replacement |
| 50 | Mr. Sandless | PA (Aston) | 2004 / 2005 | $2,500 – $16,000 | 245 | wood floor refinishing |
| 51 | N–Hance Revolutionary Wood Renewal | UT (Logan) | 2001 / 2003 | $27,000 –$44,500 | 200+ | wood refinishing |
| 52 | Furniture Medic | TN (Memphis) | 1992 / 1992 | $29,900 | 259 | wood repair & refinishing |
| 53 | Pro Energy Consultants | OH (Cleveland) | 1995 / 1999 | $24,900 | 42 | home energy auditing |
Related Articles & Other 2013 RM550 Tables
2013's Remodeling 550 Group Predicts Robust Growth This Year
