Maintenance and repair will always be necessities, but which brands should you turn to when entering this reliable sector?
From gutters to greenhouses, or smartphones to swimming pools, property is often a priority for consumers. Materialism pays, it seems, and franchises have been generating exponentially growing revenues based on this single fact for over a decade. The thing is, the home and property sector is as vast and diverse as the requirements of its clients. Which brands best align with your values, or maximize your skillset? To help narrow down your options, we’ve handpicked some of the best franchise opportunities open to entrepreneurs – regardless of experience or expertise.
1. uBreakiFix
The story behind uBreakiFix rivals even the very best millennial underdog tales. Founded in 2009 in an Orlando bedroom, the phone repair brand began as a grassroots mail-in service. Demand for a same-day turnaround led to an inaugural brick-and-mortar store, and within three years, this bedroom project grew to a network of over 47 locations with $27m revenue.
Today, uBreakiFix has a 540-unit-strong presence across the U.S. and Canada, and has completed more than 7.3 million repairs on phones, tablets, and any other electrical device you could think of. New stores open seemingly every week, so the property repair specialists aren’t stopping anytime soon.
“We want to be a household name in electronics repair,” said Justin Wetherill, co-founder, in an interview with Forbes. “We now fix anything with a power button – phones, tablets, computers, game consoles, drones, hoverboards, and vacuum cleaners.”
“The future of technology will massively affect our industry and the way services are delivered to customers,” explains Anton Skarlatov, founding director. This is much more than a hypothetical prediction; it’s the backbone of the Fantastic Services franchise model.
Now operating more than 530 units in the U.K., U.S.A., and Australia, Fantastic Services is an intuitive service wrapped in a convenient package. Using an entirely online, automated booking service, customers are put in touch with skilled tradespeople who carry out whatever maintenance work is required. This reduces the burden of paperwork-heavy admin, and allows franchisees to make the system work for their needs. “Our franchisees can run their business remotely, wherever necessary, thanks to our digital management systems,” says Skarlatov.
“Our online systems allow master and area development franchisees to run their business from either their office or from an Airbnb in Zimbabwe.”
3. Gutter-Vac
Cleaning out gutters might not seem like a franchisable concept, but when Warren Ballantyne pioneered the technology behind Gutter-Vac in 1995, he knew he’d struck on something that handymen had been struggling with for decades.
“I had a plumbing business and I was constantly asked to clean gutters,” says Ballantyne, MD and founder. “To do this work we had to use our hands, and we repeatedly cut ourselves, were confronted by spiders and vermin, and had the added danger of hanging over the edge of gutters and roofs.”
Fast-forward two decades, and that innovation has paid off. More than 80 Gutter-Vac franchises operate across Australia, and the brand has grown internationally to Atlanta, Georgia, in the form of Outback GutterVac.
Are new markets on the horizon? “Yes,” explains Ballantyne, “Gutter-Vac has plans to expand into New Zealand in 2020, and 2021 will see expansion into the U.K. market with a slightly different version of the Gutter-Vac business model.”
4. N-Hance
It’s not often that a brand comes along and speeds up a process by 2,100 per cent, but that’s precisely what N-Hance did with its wood refining technique, which allows franchisees to complete work in two days which previously took professionals upward of six weeks.
Now at over 500 locations open in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, N-Hance is looking to bring its bespoke approach to even more homeowners and business operators around the world. By perfecting a refinishing method that allows franchisees to earn revenue from several streams – including wooden floors, cabinets, furniture, and doors – N-Hance has crafted a bankable franchise model that practically guarantees hefty returns. The brand is currently looking for master franchisees in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and South America, and would like to speak with entrepreneurs, regardless of experience, who have a passion for delivering quality customer service.
Nobody likes dealing with the side effects of Mother Nature. Thanks to Restoration 1, this concern is largely a thing of the past, as this restoration and repairs franchise specializes in dealing with the effects of damage caused by water, mold, fire, and smoke.
According to Marketwired, more than 14,000 people in the U.S. experience water damage every day, which can add up to costing insurers and consumers more than $10bn every year. The unfortunate fact is that these numbers will only climb, but the silver lining is that franchisees are signing up for a recession-proof business. And with more than 500 locations planned for the next three years, Restoration 1 is aiming to be the frontrunner in emergency repairs.
“We will ensure consistent quality by continuing to add to our franchise operations team,” explains Gary Findley, CEO. “Each franchisee has their own franchise consultant, and these staff members are highly experienced in the industry and work closely with the franchisee.”
Findley’s previous experience at the boutique fitness franchise, Curves, provided him with deep insight into how he could make Restoration 1 thrive when he joined the brand as CEO in 2016. “My experience at Curves taught me how to treat franchisees, and I’ve brought that same experience to Restoration 1,” says Findley.
“I also learned the importance of building a phenomenal team – this is what will give you long term success.”
