Which costs less to open, Chem-Dry or Squeegee Squad?

Chem-Dry: $74,150 – $249,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Squeegee Squad: $69,525 – $263,550 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Squeegee Squad. 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 Squeegee Squad?

Chem-Dry: 963 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Squeegee Squad: 84 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do Chem-Dry and Squeegee Squad disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Chem-Dry has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Squeegee Squad has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Chem-Dry vs Squeegee Squad

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.

Chem-Dry2026 FDD

Squeegee Squad2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Chem-Dry

$74,150 – $249,500

2026 FDD · Item 7

Squeegee Squad

$69,525 – $263,550

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Chem-Dry

$36,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

Squeegee Squad

Not available

Royalty · Item 6

Chem-Dry

4%–7% of gross sales

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Squeegee Squad

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, Squeegee Squad: 2). Different groups are not directly comparable.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Chem-Dry

Squeegee Squad

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Chem-Dry

$74,150 – $249,500

2026 FDD · Item 7

Squeegee Squad

$69,525 – $263,550

Total

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18

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

Squeegee Squad

Not available

No single standard fee identified

Royalty (Item 6)

Chem-Dry

4%–7% of gross sales

Royalty

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Squeegee Squad

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

Squeegee Squad

1% of percentage of gross revenues

Weekly Advertising Fees

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

System scale & health

Disclosure

Chem-Dry

Squeegee Squad

Total outlets (Item 20)

Chem-Dry

963

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65

Squeegee Squad

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Chem-Dry

−320

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

Squeegee Squad

+22

Calculated: 62 at end of 2023 → 84 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Chem-Dry

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Squeegee Squad

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

Squeegee Squad

2005

2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Chem-Dry

1977

2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

Squeegee Squad

2005

2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

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

Squeegee Squad

Franchised locations — revenue

25.4 percent

other Change in % of Systemwide Gross Revenue from 2024 to 2025

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 39

Franchised and company-owned (71 locations) — revenue

$2,668

other Annual Gross Revenues

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 37

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 Squeegee Squad: common questions

Which costs less to open, Chem-Dry or Squeegee Squad?: Chem-Dry: $74,150 – $249,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Squeegee Squad: $69,525 – $263,550 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Squeegee Squad. 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 Squeegee Squad?: Chem-Dry: 963 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Squeegee Squad: 84 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 40). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do Chem-Dry and Squeegee Squad disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Chem-Dry has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Squeegee Squad has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 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