Franopolis
    IBvsWT

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Irrigation Business vs Waterloo Turf Business

    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.

    IBIrrigation Business2025 FDDWTWaterloo Turf Business2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Irrigation Business

    $125,800 – $159,500

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Waterloo Turf Business

    $121,300 – $233,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Irrigation Business

    $49,500

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 18

    Waterloo Turf Business

    $59,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Royalty · Item 6

    Irrigation Business

    8%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Waterloo Turf Business

    4%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    Before you compare

    • Irrigation Business figures come from its 2025 FDD and Waterloo Turf Business figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Irrigation Business and Waterloo Turf Business disclose 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 (Irrigation Business: 49, Waterloo Turf Business: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Irrigation Business

    $125,800 – $159,500
    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Waterloo Turf Business

    $121,300 – $233,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Irrigation Business

    $49,500
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 18

    Waterloo Turf Business

    $59,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Irrigation Business

    8%
    Monthly Branding Royalty, initial schedule
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Waterloo Turf Business

    4%
    Royalty rate — highest sales tier
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Irrigation Business

    $40,000
    Individual Advertising Investment minimum for one Territory
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Waterloo Turf Business

    2%
    National Brand Fund contribution — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Irrigation Business

    202
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 60

    Waterloo Turf Business

    31
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 70
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Irrigation Business

    +34
    Calculated: 168 at end of 2022 → 202 at end of 2024

    Waterloo Turf Business

    +26
    Calculated: 5 at end of 2023 → 31 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Irrigation Business

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Waterloo Turf Business

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

    Irrigation Business

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Waterloo Turf Business

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Irrigation Business

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Waterloo Turf Business

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    IBIrrigation Business
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 38 Reporting Franchisees operating in 107 territories, open and operating full-…
    $51,387
    other 2023 average Vehicle Expense
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 49
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Conserva Irrigation reporting multi-territory franchisees operational throughou…
    17.3 percent
    other 2023 Cost of Materials as a Percentage of Revenue
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Conserva Irrigation reporting multi-territory franchisees operational throughou…
    28.5 percent
    other 2023 Cost of Materials as a Percentage of Revenue
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52
    +46 more groups in the full report
    WTWaterloo Turf Business
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Austin Waterloo Turf Business, one affiliated business, January 1–December 31,…
    36.56 percent
    other Austin 2023
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 58
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Austin Waterloo Turf Business, one affiliated business, January 1–December 31,…
    $492,212
    other Austin 2024
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Austin Waterloo Turf Business, one affiliated business, January 1–December 31,…
    $1,470,739
    other Austin 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 62
    +5 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.

    Irrigation Business vs Waterloo Turf Business: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Irrigation Business or Waterloo Turf Business?
    Irrigation Business: $125,800 – $159,500 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Waterloo Turf Business: $121,300 – $233,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Waterloo Turf Business. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Irrigation Business and Waterloo Turf Business royalties compare?
    Irrigation Business: 8% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20); Waterloo Turf Business: 4% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Irrigation Business or Waterloo Turf Business?
    Irrigation Business: 202 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 60); Waterloo Turf Business: 31 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 70). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Irrigation Business and Waterloo Turf Business disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Irrigation Business has reviewed Item 19 figures for 49 location groups; Waterloo Turf Business has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 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

    Keep researching

    IB

    Full Irrigation Business report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    WT

    Full Waterloo Turf Business report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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    Plain-language meaning of each Item