1-800-Plumber franchise cost 2026
The 2026 1-800-Plumber FDD puts the estimated initial investment at 3 different totals depending on format (Item 7). It lists a $46,500 initial franchise fee. Item 19 reports average top tier average annual revenue of $3,782,882 (period: 2025).
Quick answer. The 2026 1-800-Plumber FDD puts the estimated initial investment at 3 different totals depending on format (Item 7). It lists an initial franchise fee that varies by format, territory or number of units. Item 19 reports average top tier average annual revenue of $3,782,882 (period: 2025).
Key takeaways
- Estimated initial investment: 3 different totals depending on format (Item 7).
- The largest single line is "Enterprise Director - Franchise Fee" at $149,500 (Item 7).
- Initial franchise fee: varies by format, territory or number of units; see the fee table below (Item 5, p. 12).
- Item 19: average top tier average annual revenue of $3,782,882 (Item 19, p. 50). Sales are not profit.
- Outlets on file in Item 20 went from 40 at the start of 2023 to 61 at the end of 2025 (Item 20).
Estimated initial investment (Item 7)
Item 7 of the 2026 FDD lists the following ranges. These are the franchisor's estimates, not quotes for any specific location.
| Line | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Developer - Computers/Office Equipment | $0 | $5,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Insurance | $1,000 | $30,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Vans and Signage | $3,000 | $35,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Real Property/Site Lease | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Leasehold Improvements | $1,000 | $20,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Training Costs | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Market Penetration Strategy | $16,500 | $16,500 |
| Strategic Developer - Additional Funds - 3 Months | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Security and Utility Deposits | $500 | $6,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Professional Fees | $500 | $6,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Business Licenses | $10 | $10,000 |
| Enterprise Director - Vans and Signage | $4,500 | $52,500 |
| Enterprise Director - Start Up Bundle | $66,500 | $66,500 |
| Enterprise Director - Market Penetration Strategy | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Franchise Fee | $56,500 | $56,500 |
| Principal Deployer - Real Property/Site Lease | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Leasehold Improvements | $1,000 | $20,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Vans and Signage | $3,000 | $35,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Start Up Bundle | $47,500 | $47,500 |
| Principal Deployer - Computers/Office Equipment | $0 | $5,000 |
| Principal Deployer - GPS | $200 | $200 |
| Principal Deployer - Insurance | $1,000 | $30,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Training Costs | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Business Licenses | $10 | $10,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Market Penetration Strategy | $16,500 | $16,500 |
| Principal Deployer - Professional Fees | $500 | $6,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Franchise Fee | $103,000 | $103,000 |
| Strategic Developer - Start Up Bundle | $47,500 | $47,500 |
| Principal Deployer - Office Furniture | $500 | $5,000 |
| Strategic Developer - GPS | $200 | $200 |
| Enterprise Director - Franchise Fee | $149,500 | $149,500 |
| Strategic Developer - Office Furniture | $500 | $5,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Security and Utility Deposits | $500 | $6,000 |
| Principal Deployer - Additional Funds - 3 Months | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Enterprise Director - Total | $301,310 | $483,800 |
| Strategic Developer - Total | $225,710 | $392,200 |
| Principal Deployer - Total | $179,210 | $345,700 |
Fees (Items 5 and 6)
| Fee | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee - second and subsequent franchises | $46,500 | — |
| Market Penetration Strategy - Principal Deployer or Strategic Developer | $16,500 | — |
| Market Penetration Strategy - Enterprise Director | $25,000 | — |
| Start Up Bundle - Principal Deployer or Strategic Developer | $47,500 | — |
| Start Up Bundle - Enterprise Director | $66,500 | — |
| Initial Franchise Fee - first franchise | $56,500 | — |
| Audit Fee for Act of Deception | $20,000 | Per audit notice for an Act of Deception |
| Local Ad Expenditure | 8% | 8% · Percent of Gross Revenues; at least 8% is required in specified circumstances |
| Technology Fee | $300 | Per month per Service Area |
| Call Center Fee | $300 | Currently per month, plus $25 per appointment; one-time setup fee of $300 |
| Call Center setup fee | $300 | One-time fee |
| Meeting nonattendance fee | $1,500 | Per meeting if attendee does not attend |
| Meeting incomplete attendance or hotel fee | $750 | Per meeting |
| Field Management Software System Fee | $211 | Per month per technician per Service Area |
| Successor Franchise Fee | 25% | 25% · Percent of then-current Franchise Fee |
| Transfer Fee | $15,000 | Per approved transfer |
| Insufficient Funds Fee | $50 | Per violation |
| Additional Training | $100 | Per hour per person, plus out-of-pocket expenses; current rate will not exceed $250 per person plus out-of-pocket expenses |
| Interest and Late Fees | $75 | $75 per occurrence per late report or fee; interest is the lesser of 18% per annum or the highest lawful rate |
| Relocation Fee | $1,000 | Per Office relocation request |
| Meeting and Convention Fee | $299 | Per attendee; maximum $1,000 per attendee |
| GPS monthly service fee | $25 | Per unit per month |
Financial performance (Item 19)
These figures are reported by the franchisor. Read the population, period and basis before comparing them with anything else, and remember that gross sales are not profit.
| Metric | Statistic | Value | Period | Who is counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Tier Average Annual Revenue | average | $3,782,882 | 2025 | Not stated in our record |
| Lower Tier Average Annual Revenue | average | $166,015 | 2025 | Not stated in our record |
| Middle Tier Average Annual Revenue | average | $661,244 | 2025 | Not stated in our record |
| Affiliate Total Revenue | reported | $2,775,230 | 2025 | Not stated in our record |
| Affiliate Gross Profit | reported | $1,269,675 | 2025 | Not stated in our record |
Outlets (Item 20)
| Year | Outlet type | Start of year | End of year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | company-owned | 4 | 4 |
| 2023 | franchised | 36 | 44 |
| 2024 | company-owned | 4 | 4 |
| 2024 | franchised | 44 | 50 |
| 2025 | company-owned | 4 | 4 |
| 2025 | franchised | 50 | 57 |
Calculated: net change in outlets 2023–2025 = end of 2025 (61) − start of 2023 (40) = +21. Outlet counts describe the size of the system, not how individual owners performed.
Questions to bring to your own research
- Which Item 7 lines depend most on your local rent, buildout and labor costs?
- Which fees in Item 6 are fixed, and which rise with sales or at renewal?
- Which units are included in the Item 19 figures, and which are excluded?
- What do current and former franchisees say about the time it took to open and the costs they actually paid?
Sources and method
Every figure above comes from the 1-800-Plumber 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document and was checked against the document by a reviewer before it appeared on Franopolis. Figures marked "Calculated" are Franopolis arithmetic, with the formula shown. This entry is not investment, legal or tax advice, and it does not rank or recommend any franchise.
See the full 1-800-Plumber research profile, model your own numbers in the Investment Planner, or read the territory disclosures.