A Look Into Preservan’s Growth Strategy: How the Wood Rot Repair Franchise Chooses Its Target Markets

Preservan Wood Rot Repair, the emerging wood repair and restoration franchise, is working to grow in multiple key markets as it brings its unique, epoxy-based repair technology to structures in need. From older homes to historical landmarks, the Preservan franchise opportunity offers a vehicle for local entrepreneurs to make a real, sustainable change for structures in their areas. 

“Right now, we’re really focused on expanding in markets where I think people are going to find early success,” CEO Ty McBride said. “One of the main things we look for in a target market is a lot of homes and structures that are going to provide that need for our franchisees. I’m always looking at houses built before 1939 and cities that have great historic preservation communities. They really like our brand and can become early advocates and champions of what we do, so it makes the success of the franchisee come even faster.”

Where Is Preservan Needed?

While structures built before 1939 indicate a strong historical presence, McBride said that any concentration of homes built before the year 2000 is another strong indicator as wood typically begins to noticeably deteriorate around the 25-year mark.

Growing cities can be home to many older buildings, and demand from homeowners is shifting in this direction. As interest in historic buildings grows, the need for services like Preservan’s follows.

“The idea of living in an old or historic house is really popular right now. A lot of people want to get back to the city center, and cities like Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa and Charlotte have these beautiful historic neighborhoods,” McBride said. “Most of these neighborhoods have some of the best housing in the market, and they’re home to some of the fastest growth in terms of investment in home repairs and home improvements.”

How Preservan Shapes Territories in Target Markets

While there are older homes everywhere, and wood deterioration is relatively reliable, there are some circumstances that can increase need. Preservan analyzes market circumstances in all of its target markets and creates franchise territories accordingly, ensuring an equitable baseline throughout the system.

Climate is one of the biggest factors in how quickly wood will deteriorate, with warmer, more humid areas seeing more rapid deterioration. A long-term study meant to help professionals make recommendations for treatment of telephone poles identified different “Deterioration Zones” throughout the country, and this data has proven extremely valuable for Preservan.

“It’s an obscure data set, but it really makes a huge impact when you’re trying to understand our business and where we can provide value,” McBride said. “I understood how and why our business works in the markets we’re in, but I was looking for a resource that would explain why someone in New Mexico should have a territory three times the size of someone in Florida. This study was perfect, and we now use it to inform territory sizes and ensure our owners have a fair opportunity, even in lower Deterioration Zones.”

A territory that is in a “severe” Deterioration Zone will have fewer households than a territory in a “low” Deterioration Zone to balance demand between franchisees. Still, McBride said that there is plenty of demand, even in low-deterioration areas.

“If someone is building a home in Orlando, they know that they need to use treated wood to mitigate the deterioration that is bound to happen,” he said. “In areas like Denver, for example, there’s less treatment to the wood because people are less concerned about deterioration — so it’s still rotting. There are things like log cabins throughout low-deterioration areas that we are uniquely qualified to repair with our epoxy system.”

As it grows, Preservan is carefully targeting growth in Southeast Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas and Missouri, developing around its existing hubs as it lays the groundwork to expand even further. 

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/preservan.