Epcon Communities vs The Gutter Guys Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Epcon Communities Franchise
The Gutter Guys Franchise
Investment $887,200 - $4,569,000$91,700
Franchise Fee $50,000$15,000
Royalty Fee 1% to 2%5%
Advertising Fee $500/ month-
Year Founded 19861988
Year Franchised 19952000
Term Of Agreement Completion of 1 market area10 years
Term Of Agreement Completion of 1 market area10 years
Renewal Fee $2500025% of franchise fee


Business Experience Requirements
 
Epcon Communities Franchise
The Gutter Guys Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Upper management experience

  • Marketing skills
  • People skills, good work ethic
    		•

    Financing Options
     
    Epcon Communities Franchise
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/No
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support
     
    Epcon Communities Franchise
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
    Training Available at headquarters-
    Support Toll-free phone line, field consultants, Intranet, marketing, trainingNewsletter, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Marketing plans, materials, field supportCo-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
    Operations

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 4

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% 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
     
    Epcon Communities Franchise
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
    US Expansion -Yes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesNo

    Company Overviews

    About Epcon Communities

    In 1986, Philip Fankhauser and Edward Bacome founded Epcon Homes & Communities in Columbus, OH when they built their first residential community. Three years later, a local builder who wanted to utilize their successful design and floor plans for a community in a nearby city approached the duo. The partners were hesitant to license their already proven system out to other builders and, at the time, had little interest in expanding outside of the Columbus market. However, their designs and floor plans became so widely popular that others also soon came calling, seeking to build an Epcon Homes & Communities-style development in neighboring cities or in outlying areas of Ohio. Fankhauser and Bacome finally granted the first license to use their successful construction plans and the franchising concept was born. The company began franchising in 1995 and has not looked back. Epcon Communities and its franchisees built over 25,000 homes and established franchises in 30 states.
    Epcon is seeking new franchise units throughout the U.S.
    Epcon's long-term goal is to expand into all 50 states, Canada and Central America.

    "Entrepreneur
    #398 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.