Rooter-Man Franchise Costs, Fees & FDD

Year Business Began: 1970

Franchising Since: 1981

Headquarters: Charlottesville, Virginia

Estimated Number of Units: 700

Franchise Description: RooterMan, LLC is the franchisor. The franchisor is owned by PSB Group, Inc., which is owned by Premium Service Brands, LLC. The Rooter-Man franchise features sewer and drain cleaning services which include the maintenance and cleaning of sewer pipes, emergency plumbing repairs and other related services and products. Franchises will primarily be sold to individuals who have some experience in providing plumbing, sewer and drain cleaning services.
Training Overview: Franchisees (or the principal owner, if the franchisee is an entity) and their manager must attend and successfully complete (to the franchisor’s satisfaction) an initial training program before the business may open. The training program spans a period of four weeks. The initial training program includes a week-long (approximately 40 hours) specialist-directed on-boarding program and 40 hours of on-line training. The franchisor reserves the right to modify any in-person aspects of the initial training and on-boarding programs due to events that may restrict travel or in-person activities for certain periods of time. The franchisor may periodically require that franchisees, their manager(s) and/or employees attend refresher-training programs in addition to the initial training which address new developments in the market or changes to the system.

Territory Granted: The franchisor will grant franchisees a protected territory, which it defines as the residential geographic area in which they will have the right to use the marks and the system to operate their Rooter-Man business. Franchisees must operate their franchise only in the protected territory defined in the Franchise Agreement, and only from their home office (or other approved office space) and their vehicles, and their home office (or other approved office space) and all vehicles must be located in the protected territory at all times. The protected territory will be delineated by zip codes and will consist of a geographic area containing not less than 125,000 people as of the date of the Franchise Agreement. Franchisees will not receive an exclusive territory. However, if franchisees are in compliance with the Franchise Agreement, the franchisor will not establish or operate, or license others to establish or operate, Rooter-Man businesses within the protected territory.

Obligations and Restrictions: The business must always be under the direct, “on-premises”, full-time supervision of a designated manager, which is the franchisee if franchisees are an individual, or is an individual the franchisee selects if franchisees are a business entity. The designated manager must meet the minimum standards and must attend and satisfactorily complete the initial training program before opening the business. Franchisees may only use their home office, or another office location selected by the franchisee with the franchisor’s approval, and the vehicles for the operation of their business, and franchisees must not use, or permit the use of, that office or those vehicles for any other purpose without the franchisor’s written consent. Franchisees must operate their franchise in strict conformity with the methods, standards and specifications in the brand standards manual and as the franchisor may require otherwise in writing. Franchisees may not deviate from these standards, specifications and procedures without the franchisor’s written consent.

Term of Agreement and Renewal: The length of the initial franchise term is 10 years. Two additional successive terms of 10 years each are available, if requirements are met.

Financial Assistance: The franchisor does not offer direct or indirect financing. The franchisor does not guarantee a franchisee’s note, lease or obligation. The franchisor offers a 10% discount on the franchise fee for honorably discharged U.S. military veterans and individuals working in rescue, emergency services and policing who purchase a new franchised business.

Estimated Initial Investment

Name of Fee	Low	High
Initial Franchise Fee	$4,975	$4,975
Vehicle	$1,500	$5,000
Real Estate and/or Leasehold Improvements	$0	$3,000
Equipment & Supplies	$5,000	$7,000
Insurance	$2,000	$5,000
Signage	$3,000	$4,000
Technology Fee	$2,500	$2,500
Grand Opening	$2,500	$5,000
Training Expenses	$2,000	$4,000
Licenses/Bonds	$100	$1,500
Professional Fees	$1,500	$3,000
Additional Funds (3 months)	$20,000	$37,500
ESTIMATED TOTAL	$45,075	$82,475

 
Other Fees

Type of Fee	Amount
Royalty	$3 per 1,000 of population in the territory.
Marketing Fund	$1 per 1,000 of population in the territory.
Website Fee	$199 per month.
Technology Fee	$399 per month, per technician.
Advertising Cooperative Fee	Up to greater of $10,000 or 2% of gross sales per year.
Late Fees and Insufficient Funds Fees	$100 per late payment, plus 1.5% per month or the highest rate allowed by law, whichever is less; $100/report/week.
Insurance Policies	Amount of unpaid premiums plus expenses in obtaining the policies.
Renewal Fee	$2,500
Transfer Fee (or expenses)	Greater of $20,000 or the franchisor’s actual out-of-pocket expenses.
Annual Convention	Attendance fee varies (recently, $1,000 per attendee). $2,000 if franchisees do not attend, but the franchisor may modify the fees on notice to franchisees based on the then current allocated costs.
Cost of Enforcement	All costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees.
Indemnification	All costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees.
Warranty Service After Transfer	The franchisor’s cost, plus 15%.
Warranty Assurance	$10,000
Taxes	Amount required to reimburse the franchisor for certain taxes imposed on payments to the franchisor.
Lost Profits	The franchisor is entitled to its lost profits if franchisees are terminated for cause or otherwise fail to operate the business for the entire term of the Franchise Agreement.

The above information has been compiled from the FDD of Rooter-Man. Year of FDD: 2025.
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