As demand for home maintenance and handyman services continues to grow, TruBlue Home Service Ally is carving out a unique niche in the market with a focus on long-term relationships with customers, often through home maintenance.

The franchise, led by President Sean Fitzgerald, is much more than just a standard handyman concept, though. Fitzgerald spoke with 1851 Franchise to discuss the opportunities available to franchisees looking to join the industry and to share his own personal connection to the TruBlue Home Service Ally mission.

1851 Franchise: Why is TruBlue Home Service Ally a good business opportunity?

Sean Fitzgerald: The difference between us and other similar brands is this: Do we do handyman work? Yes. But our real focus is the ongoing relationship with our customers. Our ultimate goal is to focus on the subscription side of the business and become an ally. 

By definition, an ally is someone that’s going to support you in an ongoing struggle. No matter who it is, whether it’s seniors, single moms or busy adults, there is an immediate need for services like this. Poor home maintenance can lead to safety issues and other inconveniences.

No matter who our customer is — even though the needs are a little different — one of the things that makes us so appealing to our customers is that we’re working with seniors. We have to have high standards — just like they do in the senior care industry — but those same standards are incredibly applicable to busy adults and single moms. When you let someone in your home, that’s an extremely vulnerable position to be in. The demand has been proven, but what makes TruBlue Home Service Ally an even better opportunity is how our standards exceed those of some of the run-of-the-mill handyman concepts.

1851: Why is now the time to open a TruBlue Home Service Ally?

Fitzgerald: Aging in place is not a new concept. People have long preferred to stay in their homes, but the resources necessary to make that a safe venture have not always been as widely available.

There’s also healing in place. Healing in place is not a new concept either, but it’s a new buzzword. You’re hearing more and more about it because doctors and hospital administrators are pushing people out of the hospital earlier. 

That’s actually better. It’s healthier, psychologically, to be home than it is to be in the hospital. And because of the advancement of medical technology, you can have all the monitors and such at home. There are a ton of cost savings associated with that, but the problem that remains is that the patient still is not in a hospital room. The bathrooms aren’t equipped for someone who has just had surgery, for example. We can play a role in that too.

There are a lot of components to making a space safer for seniors and people who have unique medical needs, including grab bars and better lighting. The “Silver Tsunami” wave is here, and the demand for services like those offered through TruBlue Home Service Ally is as high as ever.

1851: Why do you love TruBlue Home Service Ally?

Fitzgerald: So many of our owners have a personal experience relating to the services we provide, and so do I. I lost my mother to cancer at an early age. I was an executive in the senior care franchise space, and I was dealing with that loss personally when my father fell down the steps, broke his neck and became quadriplegic. He died shortly after from complications. Dealing with that, as a family member, really helped me to understand what people go through and gave me a great appreciation for the challenges associated with aging in place.

If you look at the big picture, the way people have aged historically, it’s not a good story. Most people are put in a nursing home and their house is sold to pay for that care. With some nursing homes, it can be $5,000 to $10,000 per month. The average home in the U.S. is around $400,000 right now. Based on that, there’s not a lot of time before the money runs out.

Then, maybe, the family moves the loved one to a state-run nursing home, and that industry needs some help. Nursing homes can be extremely depressing, and as a family member, you don’t necessarily want to visit a lot. The senior is visited less, money is running out and their health is declining — it’s awful. The way we’ve handled the late stages of people’s lives in this country is awful, and I really want to flip that.

There are so many wins with aging in place. Mentally, they’re healthier. They’re more engaged in life and it’s a more pleasant way to live out their time. Everyone deserves that. 

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