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Which Home Services & Maintenance Franchises Generate the Most Revenue?

Tap into the home services and maintenance industry with these franchise businesses that average seven-figure average unit sales.

Whether it’s plumbing, electrical, disaster recovery, HVAC, landscaping, or just handyman services, homeowners and landlords always need help to repair, improve, and maintain their property. The home services and maintenance industry is dominated by local businesses, but franchises offer a way in with the backing of a national marketing campaign and proven business model. We analyzed hundreds of the most popular and successful home services franchises to find the ones that consistently drive sales. These twenty franchise brands average seven figure average unit revenue (AUR). More on our methodology.

# 1

Closets By Design

This franchise found a profitable niche in closet makeovers, and it has proven to be a profitable enterprise with widely attainable investment requirements.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $7,197,839
  • Average Initial Investment: $329,500
  • Cash Required: $200,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $20,000

# 2

Premier Pools & Spas

This high-ticket franchise has been installing pools for over 30 years, and has built a marketing and lead generation platform to help local business owners replicate their success.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $5,767,808
  • Average Initial Investment: $82,750
  • Cash Required: $70,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $45,000

# 3

Paul Davis Restoration

This franchise offers its small business owners a steady stream of customers through partnerships and relationships with major insurance providers.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $5,013,232
  • Average Initial Investment: $427,575
  • Cash Required: $500,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $50,000-$184,000

# 4

Ace Hardware

Every market needs hardware stores, and Ace is the largest and most trusted retail hardware franchise, making it a solid choice for sales volume.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $4,297,469
  • Average Initial Investment: $1,246,215
  • Cash Required: $250,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $10,000

# 5

Superior Fence & Rail

Superior Fence & Rail competes only with local businesses, giving franchisees the advantage of a marketing pipeline with a minimum investment.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $2,813,164
  • Average Initial Investment: $168,650
  • Cash Required: $50,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $59,500

# 6

USA Insulation

Year-round business, seven figure average sales, six figure investment, and rapid growth make this a franchise worth looking into.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $2,025,126
  • Average Initial Investment: $328,750
  • Cash Required: $100,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $45,000

# 7

Zoom Drain

This maintenance franchise operates in a recession resistant, essential industry, and its system leaves only staffing up to the owner.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,969,186
  • Average Initial Investment: $328,174
  • Cash Required: $100,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $49,500

# 8

CertaPro Painters

CertaPro Painters is the largest residential and commercial painting business in the U.S., and this franchise offers an opportunity to run a local painting business without lifting a brush.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,848,138
  • Average Initial Investment: $139,825
  • Cash Required: $50,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $57,500

# 9

The Brothers That Just Do Gutters

This franchise built a thriving maintenance, repair, and installation business in a niche that was underserved and always in demand.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,715,217
  • Average Initial Investment: $147,875
  • Cash Required: $75,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $49,500

# 10

The Cleaning Authority

The Cleaning Authority franchisees receive 86% of their customers from local and national marketing campaigns, leaving owners to focus on operations.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,381,284
  • Average Initial Investment: $139,563
  • Cash Required: $50,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $15,000

# 11

Archadeck Outdoor Living

This franchise focuses on building decks, sunrooms, patios, gazebos, and more - all with average gross profit margins greater than 35%.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,353,278
  • Average Initial Investment: $89,838
  • Cash required: $50,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $59,500

# 12

Mister Sparky Electric

With services that are always in demand, Mister Sparky Electric is a promising choice for investors, entrepreneurs, and aspiring business owners.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,330,878
  • Average Initial Investment: $166,346
  • Cash Required: $150,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $33,000

# 13

Aire Serv

Cross-marketing and lead generation from the Neighborly network of home service brands gives this HVAC franchise a huge competitive advantage.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,314,689
  • Average Initial Investment: $155,000
  • Cash Required: $50,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $40,000

# 14

TemperaturePro

This HVAC and refrigeration business serves both residential and commercial customers, and has created regular services that generate recurring revenue for franchisees.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,291,843
  • Average Initial Investment: $420,900
  • Cash Required: $97,500
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $147,500

# 15

One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning

This franchise boasts a excellent wholesale access for cost control, and private label products, which keeps costs down and franchise owners competitive.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,291,843
  • Average Initial Investment: $420,900
  • Cash Required: $150,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $43,000

# 16

Pacific Lawn Sprinklers

This franchise is for the owner who wants to be working in the field - and requires a very low investment in return for a model and marketing platform that works.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,125,789
  • Average Initial Investment: $59,225
  • Cash Required: $13,700
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000

# 17

Floor Coverings International

Floor Coverings International uses a shop-at-home model that has become appealing to decision makers at home who have become accustomed to making purchases without setting foot in a store.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,111,515
  • Average Initial Investment: $185,750
  • Cash Required: $50,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $50,000

# 18

U.S. Lawns

U.S. Lawns is an exclusively commercial landscaping franchise with low cost of entry and excellent unit financials.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,076,284
  • Average Initial Investment: $152,650
  • Cash Required: $25,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $34,000

# 19

Lawn Doctor

This lawn care franchise focuses on providing repeat services to the residential sector giving unit owners a recurring revenue stream and steady flow of customers.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,010,244
  • Average Initial Investment: $130,486
  • Cash Required: $60,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $35,000

# 20

College Hunks Hauling Junk

An excellent marketing program delivering almost 400,000 booked jobs a year is the cornerstone of this franchise opportunity, giving franchise owners consistent business.

  • Average Unit Revenue: $1,008,953
  • Average Initial Investment: $221,100
  • Cash Required: $150,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee: $65,000
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Our Methodology

The goal of any franchise owner is to run a profitable business. The franchise model is advantageous for entrepreneurs because it offers a proven business model that can be opened in new markets with reasonable expectations of financial performance. While the performance of existing franchise units is not a guarantee that a new unit will perform as well, it is safe to use average unit revenues (AUR) to compare different franchise opportunities.

Taking expected unit revenue in context with a thoughtful business plan to include expected operating costs and expenses can give entrepreneurs a methodology to compare potential profitability and return on investment of a given franchise venture.

In this report we rank franchises based on the average revenue generated by a single franchise unit or territory to highlight opportunities with the greatest sales potential.

What Is Average Unit Revenue?

Franchises report unit revenues in slightly different ways, but all generally refer to the total average sales of a single business unit, territory, or similar language that represents the exclusive market of a franchise owner.

Where Does the Data Come From?

The FTC’s franchise rule permits franchisors to provide information on actual or potential franchise revenue of franchisee and/or corporate owned units. While franchises are not legally required to report average unit revenue, most do. This allows potential franchisees to estimate the volume they may expect from opening a new franchise business.

How Do We Measure It?

We use data provided by the franchisors in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). As much as possible, we look for revenue of franchised units rather than corporate owned units. Often this data is directly available based on a subset of franchise units that are representative of typical unit performance. In some cases, we may derive average unit revenue from corporate royalty revenue and number of total franchise units.

The following table includes notes from the FDD on the source of AUR provided.

Closets by Design

Based on 69 franchised territories

Premier Pools & Spas

Based on 70 franchisee owned units

Paul Davis Restoration

Based on 167 franchise locations open for at least one full year

Ace Hardware

AUR is a weighted average for 685 stores operating in five formats: 121 convenience hardware formats, 323 core hardware formats, 189 super hardware formats, 42 home center formats, and 10 contractor oriented supply formats

Superior Fence & Rail

Based on 30 franchised units

USA Insulation

AUR is per territory for 42 territories operating for at least one full year

Zoom Drain

Based on 13 franchisee owned units

CertaPro Painters

Based on 332 franchises

The Brothers that just do Gutters

Based on 11 outlets

The Cleaning Authority

Based on 199 franchised units

Archadeck Outdoor Living

Based on 67 franchised territories

Mister Sparky

AUR is per territory for 42 franchisees operating 120 territories for at least one full year

Aire Serv

Based on 200 franchise locations open for at least one full year

TemperaturePro

Based on 181 franchised outlets

One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating

AUR is per territory for 323 territories operated by 78 franchisees

Pacific Lawn Sprinklers

Based on 8 franchised units

Floor Coverings International

AUR is for average gross revenues landed for all 109 Franchise locations open at least 24 months

U.S. Lawns

Based on 193 franchise locations open for at least one full year

Lawn Doctor

AUR is per territory based on 196 territories

College Hunks Hauling Junk

AUR is per territory for 63 franchise single-territory operations

Why It's Important

Sales or revenue volume is central to determining the financial viability of a franchise investment. Expected unit revenues combined with a reasonable estimate of operating expenses can help potential franchisees determine the return on their initial investment, and the potential earnings of a franchise opportunity. To learn more about researching franchises, seethe articles in our Franchise Learning Center.

Want to see more franchises actively opening in new markets? See our Franchise Directory.


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