How to Choose the Carpet Cleaning Franchise That's Right For You
Lily Sweeney, writer
Published at 15/11/2021 , Updated on 04/05/2022, Reading time: 6 min
If running a carpet cleaning franchise appeals, your research will soon show you just how many different options there are. These options broadly fall into three categories: Working with a specialist carpet cleaning business, working with a domestic cleaning business that completes a wider spectrum of cleaning for its clients, including carpet cleaning or working with a commercial cleaning business that does the same. This article will help you determine which route feels right for you.
Franchising is one of the most effective, low-risk (but potentially very high reward!) ways of becoming a carpet cleaner. As a franchisee, you’ll be fully supported by your franchisor following your investment, both with training and with ongoing guidance that’s always available if needed. If you strongly feel that starting a carpet cleaning franchise is the right move, keep reading to find your place in this popular sub-sector of the £55.5 billion [British Cleaning Council] cleaning industry.
- A specialist carpet cleaning franchise
As you might imagine from what’s already been mentioned, a specialist carpet cleaning franchise is one that works exclusively in the arena of carpet cleaning. It’s a service that digs much deeper than a quick hoover of a room might do, and though methods will vary from business to business, professional carpet cleaners will generally be able to lift stains that customers couldn’t lift alone. They can also “remove embedded pet hair from carpets that have not been vacuumed for prolonged periods of times, or eliminate furniture indentation marks from furniture that sat in situ for years” [Cleaner Cleaner].
Most franchise businesses working in the carpet cleaning specialism will offer their services across the commercial and domestic sectors, knowing that there’s a demand for this kind of deep cleaning on both sides of the fence. This means your customer base won’t be limited, and there will be plenty of potential custom to attract within the operational area that you’ll likely be assigned.
How to choose a franchise in the specialist carpet cleaning sector
There are many great options to discover in this sub-sector, but one you should definitely look into is the uniquely environmentally friendly Zero Dry Time. Zero Dry Time is a franchise that offers its customers (across commercial and domestic sectors) dry carpet upholstery and hardfloor cleaning services. Thanks to Zero Dry Time’s dry cleaning methods and use of non-toxic products, the franchise is highly innovative and far better for the environment. You can become a Zero Dry Time franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £24,950.
- A domestic cleaning franchise offering carpet cleaning services
A domestic cleaning franchise works in residential properties like houses and apartments, cleaning in smaller private spaces. Domestic cleaning services include things like dusting, disinfecting, surface cleaning, washing and hoovering. This type of investment is a strong choice because you can make a fairly low-cost investment (relative to the average cost of franchising, which was £42,200 as of 2018 [British Franchise Association]) but still reap a huge amount of financial reward as your business grows and potentially expands in time.
Not only is that initial fee lower, so are the running costs associated with a domestic cleaning business. You don’t need a lot of specialist equipment/space to store this equipment, and you don’t need a premises to work out of as most of your client-facing work will be conducted in homes and residential properties. Compare this type of investment to how much it might cost to run, say, a restaurant, and you’ll see where the savings come into play.
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How to choose a carpet cleaning franchise in the domestic cleaning sector
One great example of a domestic cleaning franchise offering many helpful services (including carpet cleaning) to its clients is Cleanhome. An investment with Cleanhome is structured and supported, and you’ll find you’re able to generate a high profit even in the early years of your business. You can become a franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £9,995, with franchise fees of £300. After two years in business as a franchisee, your expected revenue is a whopping £70,000, almost 10 times the initial investment.
Another strong option is Kingsmaid Domestic Cleaning, a popular franchise with 18 years of experience that doesn’t use any corrosive chemicals and is proud to be environmentally friendly. You can become a Kingsmaid franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £14,950, with a total investment cost of £15,000 and a royalty fee charged at 8% (advertising fees are waived for the first three months). After two years in business as a franchisee, your expected revenue with Kingsmaid is expected to exceed £145,000.
- A commercial cleaning franchise offering carpet cleaning services
Commercial cleaning businesses provide their services in non-domestic locations like offices, factories and retail spaces. The scale of a commercial investment tends to be larger, so you’ll definitely need a team of employees if you want to go down the commercial route. You’ll also need specialist cleaning equipment. A sweeping machine, for instance, could set you back between £200-2000 according to Startups. You’ll also need to account for higher insurance costs in spaces trafficked by the public.
That said, it’s important to note that a commercial cleaning franchise will also come with higher financial rewards. Companies are generally able to charge more for commercial cleaning services than they are for domestic cleaning services, and commercial clients tend to come to you with much larger-scale jobs/multiple cleaning contracts at a time, making building a client base and coming to profitability that little bit simpler.
Choosing a franchise that cleans carpets for commercial clients
There are many amazing and proven franchise investment options in the commercial cleaning sector. One such option is JAN-PRO. JAN-PRO has over 25 years of experience and is considered the UK’s number one commercial cleaning brand. You can become a JAN-PRO franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £3,000, with franchise fees of £3,000 and a total investment cost of £21,000. After two years, your expected revenue as a franchisee is an immense £375,000.
For an eco-conscious investment experience, check out Green Machine. This franchise network forefronts environmentally friendly business practices, and you can become a franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £21,000, with operating and advertising fees charged at 5.75% and 2% respectively (royalty fees TBD with franchisor). After two years in business, Green Machine expects you to be bringing in £500,000 as a franchisee!
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Start a carpet cleaning franchise today and enjoy all the benefits of running your own business
Hopefully, you’re leaving this article with a much stronger sense of what’s out there in the world of carpet cleaning. Now, why not stay on Point Franchise and deepen your research? Discover not just how to invest in, but how to run a carpet cleaning franchise with articles detailing a day in the life running a carpet cleaning franchise and the five advantages of running a carpet cleaning franchise.
Lily Sweeney, writer