The Top Ten Commercial Cleaning Franchises and what they cost.

That was the title in a May, 2011 issue of Entrepreneur magazine.  The author listed the top 10 and their franchise start-up costs: Here is the list:

1. Vanguard Cleaning Systems

Startup costs: $8,200 - $38,100

2. Jan-Pro Franchising International Inc.

Startup costs: $3,145 - $50,405

3. Stratus Building Solutions

Startup costs: $3,450 - $57,750

4. CleanNet USA Inc.

Startup costs: $6,655 - $92,950

5. Bonus Building Care

Startup costs: $9,020 - $41,919

6. System4

Startup costs: $5,460 - $37,750

7. ServiceMaster Clean

Startup costs: $47,072 - $141,303

8. Anago Cleaning Systems

Startup costs: $8,543 - $65,406

9. BuildingStars Inc.

Startup costs: $2,195 - $52,795

10. Steamatic Inc.

Startup costs: $96,600 - $166,960

Often new entrepreneurs who are looking to start a commercial cleaning business wonder whether buying a commercial cleaning franchise is the right choice for them. I looked at several over the years, but never found them worth the expense and ‘headache’. I realize that most people haven’t a clue as to how to start a business, and that starting a home based business by buying a franchise seems easier.

In a typical janitorial cleaning service franchise, you pay the franchisor a fee for a “package” of janitorial cleaning accounts. The fee is based on the dollar value of cleaning accounts that the franchisor will make available. The fee usually is about half the gross income the accounts are supposed to generate in a year. For example, for a fee of $10,000, you’ll get cleaning accounts worth $20,000; for a fee of $15,000, you’ll get cleaning accounts worth $30,000. You also may have to pay ongoing royalty or management fees.

Many companies say they will offer you contracted office cleaning accounts that will produce the level of income represented in the package you purchased. However, several factors can affect that level of income. For example, if you don’t accept an account, the franchisor may not have to offer you a substitute. Or, if you refuse a cleaning service account because you feel it’s located too far away, you may lose your right to that income. Also, if you lose cleaning accounts because you did a poor cleaning job, the franchisor doesn’t have to replace those accounts.

One should consider a commercial cleaning franchise 'opportunity' only after asking themselves some questions.

Would you be a good manager?

Purchasing a commercial cleaning franchise is essentially managing a pre-developed company. You’d need to hire employees who’d fall in line with your thinking and buy into the concept the franchisor has already set in place. Want to offer widow cleaning, but you’ve bought a carpet cleaning franchise? Sorry!

How good of a follower are you?

Franchising is all about following an existing set of rules and procedures which are defined by your franchisor. If you are a highly creative person, and enjoy being creative, innovative and open-minded, a franchise environment will only suffocate you as there will be no room for your creativity and ideas. A commercial cleaning franchise is built on the idea that the consumer will expect the exact same experience no matter which location they deal with.

Do you enjoy hard work?

Even though your partner (commercial cleaning franchise) will give you all the tools to get started, you’re still on the hook to bring in new clientele and build numbers. Are you willing to pay $40,000 and up for a franchise, just to discover you don’t like to sell?

The above questions should be taken seriously, and if your answer is “No” to any of the above questions, maybe a commercial cleaning franchise is not right for you.

For a couple hundred dollars in equipment and supplies, my FREE newsletter http://cleanup4profits.com , and a $19.95 book; you can do everything a franchisor can teach you to do. And, there are no monthly royalty fees.