Franchisor Stories
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Grout Medic is a franchised tile and grout cleaning and repair service, providing services like grout cleaning, color sealing, regrouting and tile repair.
Grout Medic is a franchised tile and grout cleaning and repair service, providing services like grout cleaning, color sealing, regrouting and tile repair in a mobile setting.
Established in Chicago in 1997, The Grout Medic began franchising in 2001 and today operates 69 locations in the United States.
Mission: Grout Medic’s mission is to restore and revitalize tile and grout and to provide long-lasting protection through services like steam cleaning, sealing and repair, helping homeowners protect their investment and improve the appearance of their tiled surfaces without the need for a full remodel, delivering convenience in a mobile setting.
Vision: The Grout Medic aims to grow by empowering more local owners to deliver professional, specialized and environmentally conscious tile and grout restoration services nationwide, expanding its franchise network via support by its parent company, Premium Service Brands.
Franchising with Grout Medic offers several key benefits that make it an attractive opportunity for prospective franchisees:
Grout Medic provides franchising opportunities in the United States with a focus on locations in Connecticut, Ohio, Texas and Tennessee (with additional market availability to come). Visit the Grout Medic website for more information on current franchising opportunities.
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a Grout Medic franchise ranges from $1,445,000 to $3,810,500. The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $65,000 | $65,000 |
| Start-Up Equipment Package | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Travel and Living Expenses | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Vehicle Decorations | $500 | $2,000 |
| Insurance | $500 | $1,500 |
| Legal | $0 | $1,000 |
| Opening Inventory | $0 | $500 |
| Technology Fee | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Grand Opening | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Computer Equipment and Software | $0 | $1,500 |
| Bookkeeping | $0 | $500 |
| Employees' Payroll | $0 | $11,000 |
| Designated Manager Salary | $0 | $30,000 |
| Marketing | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Additional Funds (6 Months) | $10,000 | $20,000 |
Initial Franchise Fee: The initial franchise fee for a Grout Medic franchise is $65,000. Grout Medic offers a discount on the initial franchise fee for qualified veterans.
Ongoing Fees: Grout Medic franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing fees, according to the 2025 FDD:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty | Greater of $150 or 6% of gross sales/week |
| Marketing Fund Contribution | Greater of $50 or 2% of gross sales/week |
| Contact Center Fee | Greater of weekly minimum or 2% of gross sales/week Weekly Minimum: |
| Technology Fee | $210/week |
ROI Potential: According to the brand’s 2025 FDD, the 45 Grout Medic franchises (operated by a total of 26 franchisees) reported the following average gross sales for FY 2024:
| Quartile | Average | Median | High | Low |
| Top 25% (16) | $1,394,453 | $1,054,588 | $2,610,159 | $908,957 |
| Middle 50% (20) | $316,935 | $249,990 | $852,740 | $160,130 |
| Bottom 25% (9) | $128,636 | $138,258 | $152,384 | $72,823 |
| Total (45) | $556,340 | $249,990 | $22610,159 | $72,823 |
The franchisee and designated manager must successfully complete the Owner’s Experience Program (OXP) initial training before the franchise can open. The training is conducted across three weeks, including two virtual weeks and one week of live classroom sessions at franchisor’s corporate office in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The onboarding program is expected to take up to 40 hours. The franchisor will also offer ongoing support in regards to vehicles, equipment, employee selection/training, advertising, bookkeeping and operational problems. The franchisor may also provide onsite assistance and training at the business if requested.
Franchisees must purchase and use a laptop PC (not a Mac computer) and must use a POS system as well as the franchisor's designated bookkeeping software and contact center services (for centralized customer service and scheduling).
A non-refundable initial technology fee of $5,000 must be paid in one lump sum (reimbursing the franchisor for costs for developing, maintaining and improving their customized software platform). An ongoing weekly technology fee of $210 per week is also charged, covering services such as website development, email or software.
Previous tile or construction experience isn’t necessary. The Grout Medic is looking for financially qualified owners with strong people and business skills, and will provide technical training for franchisees.
As a The Grout Medic franchise owner, the franchisee is expected to actively manage a local tile and grout service business, overseeing day-to-day operations, implementing the brand’s sales and marketing systems and using its centralized support tools for customer service, estimating and scheduling. The model is set up for an owner to be “their own boss” and manage their schedule while applying the training and resources provided by the brand.
The Grout Medic does not provide in-house financing, but has partnered with trusted third-party lenders to offer funding support for eligible candidates.
The home services market in the U.S. stands at $657 billion, with home improvement accounting for $475 billion of that (and over 150 million projects) and home maintenance making up for almost $106 billion (and 419 million projects).
Following the pandemic, the home services market grew by almost 11%, highlighting a strong future.
Overall, a niche business — like mobile tile and grout services — within the larger home services marketplace is primed for growth.
Grout Medic distinguishes itself in the home services sector by catering to a niche market, delivering tile and grout cleaning services in a convenient mobile setting.
In terms of competition, Grout Medic faces several notable players in the home services sector, including JAN-PRO, PuroClean and Sir Grout. However, Grout Medic’s unique focus on a niche market and mobile delivery of services sets the franchise apart in a niche market.
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