Franchise opportunities compared

    Chem-Dry vs Dryer Vent Wizard

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Chem-Dry

    $74,150 – $249,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    $84,900 – $163,400

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 36

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Chem-Dry

    $36,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    $49,900

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 23

    Royalty · Item 6

    Chem-Dry

    4%–7% of gross sales

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Chem-Dry discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Chem-Dry: 1, Dryer Vent Wizard: 4). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Chem-Dry

    $74,150 – $249,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    $84,900 – $163,400
    Totals
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 36
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Chem-Dry

    $36,000
    Item 5 also requires an Initial Package costing $44,000 to $78,000, including equipment, supplies, inventory, and other items.
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    $49,900
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 23
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Chem-Dry

    4%–7% of gross sales
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Chem-Dry

    3% of percentage of gross sales; minimum monthly payment of $150 for standard territory and $75 for small territory
    Marketing Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Chem-Dry

    963
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    163
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 75
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Chem-Dry

    −320
    Calculated: 1,283 at end of 2023 → 963 at end of 2025

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    +16
    Calculated: 147 at end of 2023 → 163 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Chem-Dry

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Chem-Dry

    1994 under the Chem-Dry name and trademarks; predecessors began in 1978
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    2006 through predecessors; current predecessor began in 2011
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Chem-Dry

    1977
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    Dryer Vent Wizard

    2020
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Chem-Dry
    Franchised locations — other measures and revenue
    $350 per job
    other Projected Average Income Per Job
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    Dryer Vent Wizard
    Franchised (154 locations) — revenue
    $385 per job
    mean Gross Sales per Job
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 74
    Franchised (173 locations) — revenue
    $42,179,652
    other Systemwide Annual Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 74
    Franchised (73 businesses) — revenue
    $236,672
    mean Annual Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    +1 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Chem-Dry vs Dryer Vent Wizard: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Chem-Dry or Dryer Vent Wizard?
    Chem-Dry: $74,150 – $249,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Dryer Vent Wizard: $84,900 – $163,400 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 36). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Chem-Dry. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Chem-Dry or Dryer Vent Wizard?
    Chem-Dry: 963 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Dryer Vent Wizard: 163 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 75). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Chem-Dry and Dryer Vent Wizard disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Chem-Dry has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Dryer Vent Wizard has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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