Benjamin Franklin Plumbing

The franchise fee is $43,000 for a standard territory of 100,000 people, plus $0.43 per person above that threshold. A larger territory of 150,000 people costs $64,500; the 2024 FDD high was $76,700. Discounts are meaningful and multiple: 30% off ($12,900) for veterans and multi-unit operators, $5,000 off for women/minority-owned businesses, $5,000 for first responders. Veterans who own a large territory can bring their effective fee down to roughly $53K.

The Conversion Franchise pathway is notably attractive for existing plumbing businesses: only $5,000 down at signing, with the remainder deferred five years and potentially forgiven up to 100% based on Year 5 performance. If you're converting an existing plumbing operation, the entry barrier to the brand is minimal.

Total investment for a Start-Up Franchise runs $143K to $287K — driven by the $43K franchise fee, $60K–$90K in three-month working capital, $8K–$15K for two vehicle leases (plumbers in trucks, not storefront), $4K–$8K for machinery and tools, and $18,000 in mandatory Grand Opening Marketing. No storefront buildout required: a small commercial office (2,000–3,000 sq ft) adds $3K–$9K in rent.

The ongoing royalty is 6% of gross revenue with a $1,500/month minimum (starting one year after opening). The Brand Fund Contribution is tiered: 1.5% on the first $5M in annual revenue, declining as you scale. At $665K average revenue, the effective ad rate is 1.5%, making the total combined fee burden about 7.5% — competitive for home services plumbing. The technology fee is just $100/month, with a $300/month cap. The call center (required for the first 36 months via the designated vendor) adds $2.05 per call plus $29 per booked job — a meaningful per-transaction cost that can run several thousand dollars monthly for active operations.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing's Item 19 is structured by territory (not franchisee), which matters because the 78 reporting franchisees operate an average of 4.3 territories each.

Per-territory averages for 338 qualifying territories in 2024: - Top 25% (84 territories): Average $1.83M gross revenue per territory - 2nd quartile (66 territories): Average $1.05M - 3rd quartile (64 territories): Average $568K - Bottom 25% (164 territories): Average $233K - Overall average: $665K per territory; median: $735K

Per franchisee (the more useful lens for a new owner of a single territory): - Top 25% (20 franchisees): Average $7.28M — but these operators hold an average of 10 territories - Bottom 25% (20 franchisees): Average $457K - Median franchisee revenue: $1.64M (across multiple territories)

Only 13% of franchisees exceeded the overall per-franchisee average — an artifact of highly concentrated revenue in the top multi-territory operators. Same-store sales grew 2.2% in 2024 across 310 territories: modest but positive.

No net income or EBITDA is disclosed. With 6% royalty, 1.5% brand fund, and home services plumbing labor margins typically 50–65%, a single territory at $665K average should generate $80K–$150K in owner income before debt service, depending heavily on crew size and call volume.

The Benjamin Franklin Plumbing system has grown consistently: from 285 units in 2022 to 335 in 2023 to 363 in 2024. The 2023 surge (65 new openings) reflects the Conversion Franchise program driving in existing plumbers. Growth has moderated in 2024 (41 new openings), which is more typical for a specialty service franchise. Closures are very low: 2 in 2022, 5 in 2023, 9 in 2024 — a sub-3% annual closure rate.

With 10 company-owned territories providing an operational benchmark, and the franchisor operating across 28 states, the system is growing its geographic footprint without signs of systemic distress.

The liquidated damages clause is the most aggressive in this analysis: if the franchisor terminates your agreement for default, you owe the greater of two years' trailing royalties or $100,000. On a $665K-revenue territory paying 6% royalty ($40K/year), that's $80K in royalties — but the $100,000 floor applies regardless. If your business was struggling and the royalties were low, the floor creates a minimum exit penalty that may exceed your actual obligations.

Territory infringement penalties escalate sharply: the fourth violation allows the franchisor to terminate your agreement immediately, with 100% of the infringing service revenue as a fee for each violation. In a plumbing business where service calls can cross territory lines by accident, this is a real operational risk.

The call center requirement for the first 36 months (and potentially beyond if performance requirements aren't met) at $29 per booked job is a per-call fee that compounds with volume. An operator receiving 200 booked calls per month pays $5,800/month in call center fees alone for three years.