Where Home Service Franchises Are Looking to Grow

From restoration to rehabbing to redesigning, demand for home services in this country has never been higher. While the U.S. economy shrank by 3.5% in 2020, spending on home improvements and repairs grew more than 3% to nearly $420 billion, as people modified their living spaces in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report conducted by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. 

With Americans currently on a post-pandemic spending spree, that trend is only accelerating. The outlook for home service franchises has never been better. Here’s where some of the top brands are looking to grow this year:

Green Home Builders: Texas

Launched in Australia in 2006, Green Home Builders, dedicated to building energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly sustainable homes, established its first international franchise network with Green Homes New Zealand in 2015 before hitting U.S. markets with Green Home Builders USA in 2018.

Now the world’s first, largest and most sustainable home-building franchise has its sights set on the state of Texas for further expansion.

From a strategic growth perspective, The Lone Star State is an ideal state in which to grow the Green Home Builders business. With ample land to build on, Texas’ warm climate makes it an ideal spot to spread green housing practices — demand for year-round cooling within Texas homes requires better energy efficiency, and water conservation is critical in the state. 

“Green Home Builders brings technologies to the building environment that are also helpful in Texas,” said Green Home Builders’ business development consultant Jason August. “These services are healthier, not just green, but healthier in terms of mold, mildew and moisture resistance, enabling better rebuilding as areas like Houston, where there is flooding — there is more of a need for newer, greener technologies when areas get rebuilt. In addition to these considerations, there is a growing population in the region — a population that is increasingly realizing the importance of living in a more green, sustainable and healthy way.”

Handyman Pro: North Carolina

Offering a wide range of services, including carpentry, electrical, gutters, siding, windows, doors, masonry, plumbing and more, fast-growing home-repair and remodeling franchise Handyman Pro has targeted the Raleigh area for expansion.

With more than 188,000 households, Raleigh is the second-fastest growing large metro in the U.S. That’s a lot of homeowners with home projects to tackle.

“Raleigh is the ideal market for Handyman Pro,” said Luke Schulte, senior vice president of development for parent company Premium Service Brands. “It is an area that continues to show growth with the abundance of jobs and family-friendly neighborhoods. It also has an abundance of homeowners who have been spending more time than ever in their houses, and they also have busy work schedules, are coordinating remote learning for their kids and they’re strapped for time. We’re here to ensure their free time isn’t spent completing projects around the house.” 

Helping busy homeowners cross these items off their list has created a lucrative business opportunity for Handyman Pro franchise owners. The home repair service business is a $500 billion industry that has seen an annual growth of 3.5% over the last five years. 

Renew Crew: Florida

Pressure washing and outdoor surface renewal company franchise Renew Crew is fulfilling a growing need in the home services industry with its commitment to using eco-friendly products in a unique, three-step process that ensures premium results. 

Recently partnering with new franchisee Keil Zepernick in Celebration, Florida, the brand is looking to increase its footprint in the Sunshine State, where near constant warm weather means homeowners are not only spending a lot of time outdoors, but they’re also spending money on their outdoor spaces. 

Couple that with Florida’s booming real estate market and explosive population growth in recent years, and the state looks to be a great opportunity for other franchisees looking to capitalize on post-COVID demand for outdoor space. According to a recent report, 90% of Americans with outdoor living space have been taking greater advantage of their decks, porches and patios and consider their outdoor living space more valuable than ever before.

As Renew Crew continues its expansion this year, the brand is laser focused on markets like Florida where demand for its services is year-round, said Iric Wexler, chief development officer for Premium Service Brands.

“We’re excited about our momentum for 2021,” he said. “Consumers are spending money on their homes and turning their backyards into outdoor oases. There’s never been a better time to become a Premium Service Brands franchisee.”

Renovation Sells*: Utah

Chicago-based home-rehab company Renovation Sells focuses exclusively on partnerships with home sellers, making realtors — not homeowners — the brand’s primary client. As a result, the home renovation business has seen explosive growth and has opened up its innovative model to entrepreneurs in markets across the country.

With no locations in the state of Utah yet, the rehab brand has its eyes on The Beehive State, recently ranked as the nation’s No. 1 housing market for its pace of job growth, low state and local taxes and its increasing migration from the state of California.

“As we embark on franchising our opportunity, we have the benefit of a business model that fills a gap in the marketplace as well as ample territory availability across the country,” said Renovation Sells CEO Michael Valente. “We're excited to expand and establish a footprint in metros like Salt Lake City that are experiencing a real estate surge as millennials are reaching home-buying age.” 

Showhomes: Texas

Building on three decades of positive growth, interior design and staging services franchise brand Showhomes is looking to expand in the state of Texas, specifically in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

Between 2010 and 2020, Dallas-Fort Worth gained 1,349,378 new residents, ranking first among U.S. metropolitan areas. From 2020 through 2029, the Texas metro is projected to welcome another 1,393,623 newcomers — that’s 17.9% growth on top of the region’s roughly 7,539,711-person population.

“Showhomes currently stages the top 20% of luxury homes being sold across the nation,” said Showhomes COO Matt Kelton. “We believe Dallas is a particularly ripe market for home services.”

Known as the millionaire capital of the country, the Dallas-Fort Worth area has 69,710 million-dollar households and is projected to add another 43,638 in the next five years.

“We’re looking to bring up to eight new units to the Dallas area over the next several years,” added Kelton. “The city’s growing population is looking to buy, and these particular buyers still expect perfection, even in a market where inventory is tight. We train our franchise partners to elevate homes to meet the wish lists of discerning buyers, showing them what they didn’t even know they needed.”