Franopolis
    vs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Mr. Handyman vs Surface Experts

    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.

    Mr. Handyman2026 FDDSurface Experts2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Mr. Handyman

    $161,900

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Surface Experts

    $155,893 – $273,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Mr. Handyman

    $67,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 23

    Surface Experts

    $75,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Royalty · Item 6

    Mr. Handyman

    Not available

    Surface Experts

    Greater of 8% of Gross Sales or $1,600 per month, beginning after your first year; $1,800 minimum after 18 months for a larger territory with more than 500,000 people.

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Mr. Handyman: 6, Surface Experts: 4). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Mr. Handyman

    $161,900
    TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Surface Experts

    $155,893 – $273,200
    Total
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Mr. Handyman

    $67,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 23

    Surface Experts

    $75,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Mr. Handyman

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Surface Experts

    Greater of 8% of Gross Sales or $1,600 per month, beginning after your first year; $1,800 minimum after 18 months for a larger territory with more than 500,000 people.
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Mr. Handyman

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Surface Experts

    2% of up to 2% of gross sales; currently none
    Brand Fund Contribution
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Mr. Handyman

    357
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 76

    Surface Experts

    103
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Mr. Handyman

    +31
    Calculated: 326 at end of 2023 → 357 at end of 2025

    Surface Experts

    +27
    Calculated: 76 at end of 2023 → 103 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Mr. Handyman

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Surface Experts

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

    Mr. Handyman

    September 2000
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10

    Surface Experts

    2018
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Mr. Handyman

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Surface Experts

    2018
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Mr. Handyman
    Franchised (22 locations) — revenue
    $1,240,458
    median Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 74
    Franchised (67 locations) — revenue
    $1,057,118
    mean Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 74
    Franchised (12 locations) — revenue
    $1,794,704
    mean Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 74
    +3 more groups in the full report
    Surface Experts
    Franchised (16 locations) — revenue
    $468,010
    other Annual Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 42
    Franchised (17 locations) — revenue
    $256,082
    other Annual Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 42
    Franchised (75 locations) — revenue
    $406 per job
    mean Gross Revenue Per Job
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    +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.

    Mr. Handyman vs Surface Experts: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Mr. Handyman or Surface Experts?
    Mr. Handyman: $161,900 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38); Surface Experts: $155,893 – $273,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 17). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Surface Experts. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Mr. Handyman or Surface Experts?
    Mr. Handyman: 357 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 76); Surface Experts: 103 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Mr. Handyman and Surface Experts disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Mr. Handyman has reviewed Item 19 figures for 6 location groups; Surface Experts 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

    Keep researching

    Full Mr. Handyman report

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

    Full Surface Experts report

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

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    Plain-language meaning of each Item