Rob
Sorry that I'm just now posting a reply. For some reason, I don't get notifications (by email) from this board - when someone replies to a thread that I started or replied in. I just happen to be scanning the board.
Now for a friendly debate.
As for double and triple the overhead - that all depends on the franchise agreement. Some franchise agreement dictate that the Franchisor (owner of the company name) provides all invoicing, marketing/advertising (theirs a difference between the two), and technical information. Now if that Franchisor also had his own chemical line that is sold to the Franchisee (individual that owns the franchise) at cost & the Francisor sales equipment as a wholesaler and equipment can be purchase at cost. That adds to the deal. A franchise opportunity in this industry ( or others ) is for someone who takes pride in his work and has good work ethic, but may lack the experience, education, or the drive to build a company from A - Z in all aspects of the business. As a Franchisor -- you telling an individual, that with my assistance, you can make approx. this amount of money. Thats why a pressure washing franchise will be more successful in the commercial vs the residential industry. Commercial industry, you can gain accounts that are year around and placed them under contract. So if an individual (Francisor) can tell an individual, I can sale you a franchise which include: $75.000 in accounts under contract, Starter set-up of equipment and chemicals, invoicing, marketing, supply technical information, and what was mention above, etc. If an Franchisor can show this individual and his accountant/lawyer his books to back up my claims as well as the $75,000 in accounts. The individual may be willing to pay a purchase price and approx. 3% fee a year of his gross earnings. Basically, you selling a business that he (franchisee) can make $50,000 or so year - & each account that he signs or the Franchisor signs, he gets more.
It's been done it in the Janitorial business. There are some different challenges in the pressure washing industry. If it was easy, there would be no money in it, everyone would be doing it. My question to you: What about the franchises that are out there?
As for spending 2-3 weeks to training someone in the home inspection industry. Thats so funny. If you own a home inspection business, would you train someone for a couple of weeks and turn him loose to inspect houses that buyers are paying anywhere from $45,000.00 to $600,000.00. The liability in home inspection is tremendous. I have to carry a 3 million dollar liability policy. I've been sued 5 times in 10 or so years. I won all five, but I could have been sunk in a couple of them. One house that I inspected, the basement started to leak 4 years after the inspection. I won it with no problems, but they still sued me for $25,000.00. Although I won, it cost me over $5,000.00 to defend myself. What if I would have lost. Insurance would not have covered due to the time lenght.
When hiring an inspector: First of all, they must have experience in construction, elec, plumbing, etc. Then they must get certified through the organization in which I belong. To get that certification, they must complete 6 month correspondence course with a 85% or better ( they take a proctor exam at the end of the course), then they have to go to a 3 day school and past the final exam with a 85% or better. They cant go to the school until they have a minimum of 100 inspections. Normally it takes approx. a year to get an motivated individual certified. It can take longer. Very expensive getting someone trained and certified. Its worth it. I put my organization logo on my letterhead and realtors call for that reason along. The realtors in this area know that when they call my business, they are calling an professional. That certification increases my business revenue by 40% over my competitors. Theirs one other company that has the certification. The cost of training an individual to be an home inspection is very high. Some states also require an inspector to be certified throgh the state. Certification is very important, if its from the right organization. You can simply pay a fee to some home inspection organizations and be certified. Check into ASHI - home inspection certification. If you put ASHI logo on your business, Realtors know that you earned it. I've witness ASHI grow a lot over the past 10 or so years. PWNA, someday could have that much power in the market. They are heading the right directions, thats for sure.
I can train someone to pressure wash in less than a month. I can't teach him all the knowledge, but I can put him on a job. I wouldn't send him to do a log home or something - that would take more time. I have a guy that does nothing but washes residential houses. I took him with me on 5 house jobs and turned him loose. I inspected every house he did for 6 months or so. The cost of his training was paid for in 5 houses.
As for pressure washing being more technical than an electrician or engineer. I really don't know what to say to that other than to be an electrician, you have to be certified and to be an engineer, you have to have a degree (which is extremely hard to obtain) and be certified.
Sorry so long - got carried away. Do you run across Russ or Reed much these days? I hadn't talked to them in a while.
