Chem-Dry vs HomeVestors franchise USA 2026: is the $58K investment gap worth it?
Chem-Dry is 1.6× cheaper to get into — $92K vs $150K (about $58K less). Chem-Dry runs the bigger network at 941 vs 862 outlets. HomeVestors takes less off the top (2% royalty vs 7%).
01 What actually matters
Numbers that separate them on a 5-year horizon — not the franchise-development pitch.
Chem-Dry (941 outlets) and HomeVestors (862) operate at comparable scale — neither has a decisive network advantage, so your location-specific due diligence matters more than brand size here.
HomeVestors is expanding fastest here — 29 outlets per year since founding in 1996. High-velocity brands signal momentum but also mean new territory for individual franchisees gets handed out quickly; lock in your preferred area early.
02 The numbers, visualised
Primary format per brand, from FDD Item 7. A brand's smaller express or non-traditional formats can cost materially less.
Initial investment (FDD Item 7)
Total initial investment, low end of each brand's FDD Item 7 range for its primary format. Several US brands also run smaller express, non-traditional or conversion formats at materially lower investment — check the brand page for the full Item 7 table.
Network scale — total outlets
Total US outlets from FDD Item 20. Bigger networks mean more brand recognition and supplier scale; smaller ones mean less intra-brand competition in your trade area.
Customer ratings
Which brand's outlets are rated higher by customers, aggregated across locations. Exact star rating and review volume are in Brand Health.
Direction only — the underlying rating & review count are Pro data.
03 Side-by-side
Straight from each brand’s FDD. Green badge marks the more favourable value for a typical first-time operator.
| Metric | Chem-Dry | HomeVestors |
|---|---|---|
| Initial investment (Item 7) | $92K ↓ Lower | $150K |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 7% | 2% ↓ Lower |
| Gross margin | — | — |
| Min space (sq ft) | — | 600 |
| Total US outlets (Item 20) | 941 ↑ Bigger | 862 |
| Franchise fee (Item 5) | $36K ↓ Lower | $85K |
| Additional funds | — | — |
Not sure if Chem-Dry or HomeVestors actually fits *you*?
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04 Explore these brands in depth
Same data plus the full FDD breakdown, fee load, contract fairness and SBA lending picture — free on every brand page.
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05 Frequently asked
Wrapped in FAQPage JSON-LD for SERP rich-result eligibility.
What is the minimum space required for a Services franchise?
Among these brands, the smallest footprint is HomeVestors at 600+ sqft. Square footage is only half the site test — most US franchisors also specify traffic counts, co-tenancy, parking ratios and a trade-area population in the franchise agreement, and will reject a site that hits the minimum footprint but misses those.
Can I own multiple Services franchises?
Yes — multi-unit ownership is the norm in mature US Services systems, and most franchisors sell it as an area development agreement: a fee paid up front for the right to open N units on a fixed schedule inside a defined territory. The terms sit in FDD Items 5 and 12. Miss the development schedule and the franchisor can usually reclaim the territory, so treat the schedule as a covenant, not a target.
What are the hidden costs in Services franchises?
FDD Item 7 is the honest list, and it runs well past the headline number: initial franchise fee (Item 5), leasehold improvements and build-out, equipment and signage, opening inventory, insurance, training travel, grand-opening advertising, and three months of additional funds. On top of that sit the recurring Item 6 fees — royalty, national ad fund, technology, and often a local-marketing minimum. FRANticc separates the one-time spend from the recurring load on every brand page so you see the real exposure.
How many Services franchise brands are available in the US?
FRANticc's database lists 2 brands matching this comparison with verified investment data, store counts, and format details. Several more are covered across our full directory. Every figure is traced to the brand's Franchise Disclosure Document.