Jet-Black vs The Gutter Guys Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Jet-Black vs The Gutter Guys including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Jet-Black Franchise
The Gutter Guys Franchise
Investment $71,600 - $125,340$91,700
Franchise Fee $25,000$15,000
Royalty Fee 1%-8%5%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19881988
Year Franchised 19932000
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 15 years10 years
Renewal Fee -25% of franchise fee


Business Experience Requirements

 
Jet-Black Franchise
The Gutter Guys Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Interpersonal skills; management experience preferred

  • Marketing skills
  • People skills, good work ethic

  • Financing Options

     
    Jet-Black Franchise
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/YesNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/No
    Equipment No/YesNo/Yes
    Inventory No/YesNo/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Jet-Black Franchise
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 24+ hours Classroom Training: 16+ hours Additional Training: At advanced training seminars -
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform Newsletter, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
    Operations Franchise can be run from home.

    30% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 - 5

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (99% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Franchise can be run from home.

    10% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 7

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


    Expansion Plans

     
    Jet-Black Franchise
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion YesNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    Company Overviews

    About Jet-Black

    In August 1987, Doug and Andy Hoiland's parents had their driveway seal-coated. The brothers were not impressed with the results: cracks left unfilled, oil spots bleeding through, and footprints from the sealer on the sidewalk. When they found that most paving companies did seal-coating only on the side, they decided to open their own business, specializing in seal-coating, in May 1988. In 1993, they awarded their first Jet-Black franchise. Jet-Black franchisees offer driveway repair services including power-cleaning, heat-treating oil spots, seal-coating, patching cracks and caulking joints.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Jet-Black business is from $71,600 to $125,340 for one to two Franchised Territories. This includes $61,050 to $79,940 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliate. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Yellow Dawg Striping business is from $55,050 to $77,400 for one to two Franchised Territories. This includes $44,500 to $52,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliate.
    Veteran Incentives  First-unit franchise fee waived
    #241 in Franchise 500 for 2020.

    About The Gutter Guys

    The Gutter Guys was founded by Michael Williams in 1988. Michael had been working in the restaurant and hospitality business for the previous fifteen years and needed gutters and downspouts on his new home. Amazed at the total lack of professionalism in the gutter companies he encountered while getting gutter installation estimates, he decided to start The Gutter Guys. Using his extensive knowledge of and passion for customer service, Michael's company now serves more than 300,000 happy customers throughout four mid-Atlantic states: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

    Not only did Michael develop the recipe to satisfy his customers, he also found the right recipe to recruit and retain quality employees. While discussing how to utilize and reward skilled employees with his business advisor and CPA Chuck Johnson, the idea of franchising came up. Not franchising in the normal sense, but as a way to expand the geographic area the business served and give employees an opportunity to become self employed while remaining with The Gutter Guys.

    Chuck was so instrumental in helping to develop a system to give The Gutter Guys' employees a chance to become franchise owners that he was invited to join the company. Chuck accepted and sold his well-established accounting practice to join The Gutters Guys full time. Since that time, we have helped twelve of our employees become self employed franchisees of The Gutter Guys.