Home cleaning primarily falls under the heading of residential cleaning franchises, which specialize in tidying things inside the home from carpets to counters and virtually everything else within a house’s walls. It’s one of the three major categories of cleaning franchises. Another is restoration, which home owners use from time-to-time in times of duress (more on this area of home cleaning below). The other is commercial cleaning.
Over the years, green cleaning has become a central tenet of home cleaning franchises. It’s especially important when considering that the average American spends upwards of 90% of their time indoors.
Having safely cleaned surfaces and upholstery is essential to maintaining health. Over the years, some cleaning solutions have been linked to an increased risk of asthma, the most common chronic illness and the leading cause of school absences due to chronic illness in the country, as well as other long-term health effects.
The need for green cleaning methods also extends to people consciously wanting to do the right thing. “As more and more business owners and managers seek to minimize their company’s environmental impact, the use of less water, less paper, and environmentally friendly cleaning solutions is crucial,” says Adam Povlitz, President of Anago Cleaning Systems.
In response, home cleaning franchises have been diligent to accommodate the desires of customers when it comes to green cleaning. In fact, some franchises have built their whole franchises systems—and their names—around a green cleaning concept. Take, for instance, ecomaids. Another example is Oxi Clean, whose name is derived from its green cleaning solution as part of a residue-free oxygenated carpet cleaning system. And they are just two of many, many examples.
Restoration Franchises Provide Cleaning Services When Home Owners and Communities Need It Most
“We shifted gears and got into the restoration game instead…right around the time of Hurricane Katrina,” recounts Idan Shipzear when discussing the change of the small carpet cleaning operation he and his 911 Restoration co-founder were working at into what the company became.
“We sent a crew out there and I saw firsthand how much good could come from a company that provided these services while really paying attention to the customers’ needs,” he continued. “A big part of our philosophy is that healthy businesses can create a healthier community. Our success depends on our involvement with the community and that’s why our organization has to impact the community in a positive way.”
Restoration cleaning franchises specialize in major cleanup efforts, typically after events that majorly impact the ability to inhabit a home or other type of property. These services can include: mold removal, as well as recovery from wind, water, fire and/or smoke damage. In addition, a fast-growing portion of this industry segment deals with biohazard cleanup from crime and trauma scenes, infectious diseases, and hoarding homes.
Restoration cleaning demand is expected to continue to grow as changes in weather patterns have led to an increase in natural disasters such as stronger seasonal storms and wildfires. These events are in addition to the number of accidental household or building flooding and fires that occur each year.
Because of the growth, the restoration business as a whole is reaching a level of maturity in its lifecycle as new service providers enter the market. The maturation of the industry means “restorers need to start thinking [more] about sales process and a sales pipeline” to combat the challenges that come from a maturing industry environment according to Cleaning & Restoration magazine – a publication from the Restoration Industry Association.
Fortunately for restoration cleaning franchisees, franchises by-and-large offer proprietary systems to streamline operations and aid in sales generation. As Shipzear contends, “our support in generating more business for our franchisees takes a lot of the risk factor off the table.”
And the theme of support continues with franchises in the field. For instance, Rainbow International franchisees are assisted by a “dedicated franchise consultant” in their first year and, beginning in the second year, they are assigned a regional service manager to advise them as needed. PuroClean offers initial field training that consists of “industry standard office set-up and outside sales calls.”
Prospective restoration cleaning franchisees should keep in mind franchising is a two-way street. While the franchises can provide the support franchisees need to flourish in a competitive space, it’s important for prospective franchisees to bring a customer service and community-oriented mindset to the table as they will often be dealing with people in distress.
“In our business, our job is to be ready and respond to emergency calls,” says Shipzear. “We never know what type of calls we will get. For example, we can get a call for a flooded business with 30 employees. Besides having to restore the property, we need to collaborate with the business owner to make sure that his business is running. On the other hand, we can get a call from a mom with three kids. Our first priority is to calm her down to make sure her kids get to school and give her the fresh start she deserves ASAP.”
As Rainbow International says succinctly, a restoration franchise “is more than a business; it is a way to help people recover from loss by restoring value, stability and peace of mind.”
Initial Investment and Opening Costs for Home Cleaning Franchises
The amount necessary to open a franchise varies depending on the unique business system and execution requirements for that particular franchise. The initial investment required for a home cleaning franchise can range widely, mostly dependent on if an office outside your home will be needed. For home cleaning franchises, it is also wise to factor in the lease or purchase of a vehicle to your initial budget estimates, if you don’t already have reliable transportation. For some of these franchises, specialized equipment may be necessary as well.
Our franchise profiles will present you with a basic range for the initial investment required to open a franchise. But when it comes to finding out the details of an initial investment, the FDD is the best place to look. Franchisors offer itemized estimates in their FDD based upon their experience establishing, and in some cases operating, units.
Keep in mind these estimates are just that, though—an estimate. Prospective franchisees should review the figures presented with a business advisor, taking into consideration their unique circumstances, before making the decision to enter into a franchise agreement.
Ongoing Costs for Home Cleaning Franchises
Don’t forget about the additional costs required for nearly all franchise businesses. This includes expenses such as royalty fees, marketing fees, software fees, training fees, and more.
The most common is the royalty fee. Royalty fees are assessed for the continued use of the franchisor’s trademarks and patented processes, along with certain types of operational support. In addition to regularly assessed fees, other fees are charged on an “as needed” basis such as audit fees, or costs for additional, non-mandatory, training.
It’s important to note that while many initial and ongoing costs are detailed in the FDD, there are some costs inherent to business ownership, like employee wages or utility costs, that aren’t.