Epcon Communities vs Dry-B-Lo Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Epcon Communities Franchise
Dry-B-Lo Franchise
Investment $887,200 - $4,569,000$65,700 - $147,500
Franchise Fee $50,000$15,000 - $25,000
Royalty Fee 1% to 2%7.5%
Advertising Fee $500/ month-
Year Founded 19861993
Year Franchised 19951997
Term Of Agreement Completion of 1 market area5 years
Term Of Agreement Completion of 1 market area5 years
Renewal Fee $25000-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Epcon Communities Franchise
Dry-B-Lo Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Upper management experience

  • General business experience
    		•

    Financing Options
     
    Epcon Communities Franchise
    Dry-B-Lo 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
    Dry-B-Lo Franchise
    Training Available at headquarters-
    Support Toll-free phone line, field consultants, Intranet, marketing, trainingNewsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Marketing plans, materials, field supportCo-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, 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.

    21% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 4 - 5

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Expansion Plans
     
    Epcon Communities Franchise
    Dry-B-Lo Franchise
    US Expansion --
    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 Dry-B-Lo

    Grant Moore's family had spent a lot of time and money building a deck and pouring concrete underneath it, but the area below was useless whenever it rained because water poured in. Moore knew there must be a way to keep the space below the deck dry. After working with an engineering firm for two years, Moore developed a drainage system that would not leak or collect debris. He filed patents and in 1993 founded Dry-B-Lo International Inc. to install his patented system of channels. This system, which is installed below a raised deck, helps convert a wet, unusable space into a dry, outdoor living space.