The Gutter Guys vs Furniture Medic Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
The Gutter Guys Franchise
Furniture Medic Franchise
Investment $91,700$80,799 - $90,136
Franchise Fee $15,000$33,000
Royalty Fee 5%7%
Advertising Fee -2%
Year Founded 19881992
Year Franchised 20001992
Term Of Agreement 10 years5 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years5 years
Renewal Fee 25% of franchise fee-


Business Experience Requirements

 
The Gutter Guys Franchise
Furniture Medic Franchise
Experience
  • Marketing skills
  • People skills, good work ethic

  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • Financing Options

     
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
    Furniture Medic Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoYes/No
    Start-up Costs No/NoYes/No
    Equipment No/YesYes/No
    Inventory No/NoYes/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
    Furniture Medic Franchise
    Training - On-The-Job Training: 97-101 hours Classroom Training: 61 hours Additional Training: Home study/mentor program
    Support Newsletter, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesPurchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertisingCo-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media Website development
    Operations 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)

    Franchise can be run from home.

    International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 40% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 1

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


    Expansion Plans

     
    The Gutter Guys Franchise
    Furniture Medic Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion NoYes

    Company Overviews

    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.

    About Furniture Medic

    Joseph Lunsford wasn't looking to start a business when he moved into a new home and realized that several pieces of his furniture had been damaged in transit, but start one he did. He founded Furniture Medic in 1992 in response to his dissatisfaction with the long turnaround time that was common with most refurnishing shops. In 1996 Furniture Medic was acquired by ServiceMaster and has since grown to more than 600 locations throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

    Veteran Incentives  20% off franchise fee

    "Entrepreneur
    #367 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #346 in Franchise 500 for 2021.