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  3. How Much Does a Cleaning Business Make Vs. a Cleaning Franchise?
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How Much Does a Cleaning Business Make vs. a Cleaning Franchise?

2023-02-17

IBISWorld (the largest industry research publisher) reports that the residential cleaning services industry in the U.S. has a market value of $12 billion spread amongst 369,551 businesses. This averages $32,471 per business. However, in the residential cleaning franchise service industry, 1,572 businesses are sharing $1 billion of the market size, which averages $636,132 per business.

How much does a cleaning business make in a year? The answer will be significantly different if the cleaning business is an independent operation, or a cleaning franchise.

Is a Cleaning Business Profitable?

It’s not uncommon for a franchise business to have higher revenue averages than an independent business because the franchise business model is meant to grow a business to its ultimate potential. For many independent cleaners, the goal is to replace the income they would have earned working for someone else while being able to capitalize on the flexibility of owning a business.

You don't need a franchise opportunity to enter the residential cleaning services market, but when investigating how much cleaning companies make, a franchise may be a better investment of your time and money.

Benefits of Owning a House Cleaning Franchise

Merry Maids is part of the ServiceMaster Brands group of companies which has a significant presence in the home services market. We have a 16.6% share of the total industry revenue in the residential cleaning services franchise industry. Having been in this business for 40 years, we are now one of the largest home cleaning franchises in the U.S.

Over the years, we have developed a franchise model that provides homeowners with a trusted, high-quality cleaning service. It also provides franchisees with an opportunity to grow a business they can be proud of that supports them financially. Our model has attracted professionals from across other customer service-related industries, as well as independent cleaners who grew their business by converting to a Merry Maids franchise.

Some of the things that attract franchisees to Merry Maids include:

Profitability

How much does a cleaning business make with a Merry Maids franchise? According to our franchise disclosure document, the average gross sales of all 975 franchisees in the previous year came to $256,865. More than 50% of our franchisees had higher average gross sales, and the top 25% of franchisees broke the half-million dollar mark. Compare that to an independent small business that makes $35,000-$50,000 a year.

At Merry Maids, we build business owners.

Established Brand

It takes time to establish a brand that people will trust to be in their homes. Merry Maids has built that brand awareness over four decades through the dedicated support of our franchises with marketing, business operations, and technical expertise. A solid business structure builds confidence in homeowners and earns recognition as a top-ranking franchise in the business world as well. With exclusive territories for franchisees, our marketing team works to drive business to your location.

Diversified Revenue Streams

We have a proven success strategy of building franchise clientele with customized cleaning plans. Revenue streams are diverse with one-time, deep cleanings or routine weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly services. We provide training for cleaning services that include:

  • traditional cleaning
  • wall washing
  • oven, refrigerator, and appliance cleaning
  • window washing
  • cabinet cleaning
  • furniture treatment
  • packing and unpacking
  • post-construction cleaning
  • pre-move-in cleaning

How Much Does a Cleaning Business Make? Final Thoughts

In evaluating the potential for profit in a home cleaning services business opportunity, it’s important to look at a variety of factors that contribute to how you generate revenue. These include:

  • Multiple ways to earn revenue by offering custom services
  • Choosing a territory that will support the cleaning company establishment
  • Being able to set yourself apart from your competitors
  • Having a support system to rely on when it comes to quoting jobs, hiring properly, growing effectively, and managing industry-related challenges
  • A business model that can be trusted to deliver consistent results to homeowners

Inquire About a Merry Maids Franchise

Owning a cleaning franchise can be a game-changer in your life. It can give you the flexibility you want in a career, and the compensation that follows your dedication to the business. Merry Maids has helped hundreds of owners from a variety of backgrounds become franchisees over the years including owners of independent cleaning businesses who were looking for a growth opportunity.

The common priority with all of our franchisees is that they are dedicated to taking care of the customer and they can do that best by being their own boss. If this sounds like an opportunity you would like to explore, contact us today.

Find out what it takes to get started on your future franchise.

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