The market size of the residential cleaning services industry was $12.5 billion in 2022 and the number of businesses in the industry has grown an average of 3.3% per year from 2018-2023. It is a strong industry to be in and there are several franchises, including Merry Maids®, that offer franchise opportunities. With all house cleaning franchises you are considering, there are some key areas you’ll want to explore before making a decision.
1. What’s Included in the Initial Franchise Fee?
The franchise fee gives you the ability to operate a franchise under the brand name, but some franchises also include extra benefits. At Merry Maids®, we include training, the national seminar, six months of software license fees, and an opening package of inventory and equipment.
2. What’s Included in the Initial Investment?
The initial investment is what it takes to get you up and running. The franchise fee is usually included in the total investment with other things you need to get started. You should look for estimated costs on the following:
- Expenses to attend training
- Real estate improvements and office equipment costs
- Insurance and professional fees
- Miscellaneous costs such as a business license, utility deposit, and marketing collateral
- A suggested amount of cash on hand to pay for expenses while you’re getting started
Merry Maids® also includes a marketing fund deposit to help generate leads in your territory, and three days of our 24/7 telephone answering service.
3. What is the Training Program?
Training to run a house cleaning franchise consists of how to do the work and how to run the business. You need to know what you’re getting with both.
Doing the work might seem obvious, but your training program should cover how the cleaning is done to be most efficient.
With respect to running the business, you want to be proficient in selling and pricing your services to potential customers. Merry Maids spends a lot of time on sales because regular customers provide recurring revenue, which helps build a strong financial foundation for your business.
Other business training will focus on employees, marketing, being proficient with software programs, and so on. Merry Maids also provides business coaching for the lifetime of your ownership to ensure you’re comfortable with the processes. Our seminars, regional meetings, and virtual training opportunities continue throughout the year.
Among the questions to ask franchisors is how the training program extends beyond your startup phase. You’re signing an agreement to run this franchise for 5, 10, or 15 years, so you want to maintain value throughout your tenure.
4. How Does the Marketing Program Work?
A strong marketing program is critical because residential cleaning is a highly competitive marketplace. Some house cleaning franchises rely heavily on the franchise owner to look after marketing, resulting in a lower royalty fee, which can be appealing. However, marketing is about gaining customers, and money spent to secure a long-time regular customer is well worth it.
5. Are Territories Protected?
Merry Maids® offers limited protected rights in territories. What that means is that while your maid service franchise agreement is in effect, the franchisor will not relicense to a third party to establish a Merry Maids® business in your region.
There’s enough competition in this industry that you shouldn’t have to compete against your own franchisees. If your franchisor does not provide some kind of protected territory, you may be taking a bigger risk than those who do.
6. What’s the AUV?
You want to know what the average unit volume (AUV) is for the franchise. This tells you the average gross revenues of franchisees operating for a period of time. The AUV is not a guarantee that you’ll earn the same amount, but it does give you an idea.
Here’s a starting point: in 2021, the average Merry Maids® franchise produced over $1 million in annual revenue.
How Do I Get Started with Merry Maids®?
Request more information by filling out our online form. A Merry Maids® brand representative will contact you for an initial, no-commitment discussion where you can ask these questions and more. We have a strong business model, and we have a lot to offer our franchise owners.