Start a Glass Doctor Franchise in 2024

2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #185 Ranked #180 last year

Initial investment: $153K - $317K

Units as of 2024: 186 3.3% over 3 years

Glass Doctor began in 1962 by offering a straightforward service to customers in the form of window repairs. For customers, complete glass replacement services are just a phone call away.

In 1977, Glass Doctor began to franchise locations, expand its reach, and offer its services to both customers and potential franchisees. With over 40 years of operation, Glass Doctor has grown to over 150 franchises in the U.S., further evidence of its strength as a brand. Glass Doctor is a part of the Neighborly group, which franchises more than a dozen other home services brands.

The ideal candidate for a Glass Doctor franchise is an individual who values independence and dedicates themselves to the delivery of quality service to customers.

Why You May Want to Start a Glass Doctor Franchise

Vehicle owners, homeowners, and business owners are constantly looking for timely and affordable services. Glass Doctor is a reputable brand in the glass repair and replacement industry that delivers professional solutions to meet clients’ needs.

In a market with many competitors, Glass Doctor has distinguished itself by offering various types of glass repair. Glass Doctor's capability to handle multiple tasks has built its reputation as a reliable service provider.

Customers are drawn in by Glass Doctor's ability to fix broken glass, repair doors, fix partitions, and even hang mirrors with professionalism. Operating a Glass Doctor franchise may provide an opportunity to meet your community's needs and bring light into homes, automobiles, and workspaces.

What Might Make a Glass Doctor a Good Choice?

For prospective franchisees, Glass Doctor offers two franchise opportunities: the Home & Business Glass franchise and the Auto Glass franchise. For either franchise, you do not need prior glass experience.

There is a required startup investment to franchise a Glass Doctor. You will need to make sure your finances are in order with sufficient liquid capital to open a franchise location. There is also a required franchise fee and a net worth requirement that all franchisees need to meet.

If you are a veteran, there may be a discount that you can put towards the franchise fee. Franchisees may also pay a royalty fee and an advertisement fee. A franchisee can sign a contract with Glass Doctor for up to 10 years, and if successful, you may renew the franchise agreement.

Glass Doctor provides on-site training for franchisees. Classroom training and additional training is held bi-annually to help you become a glass guru. Glass Doctor also provides ongoing marketing support to help with on-brand advertisements.

How Do You Open a Glass Doctor Franchise?

To open a Glass Doctor, make sure you speak with your financial advisor and a lawyer. Review your local need for a Glass Doctor and learn more about which type of franchise you would like to invest in, either the Home & Business Glass franchise or the Auto Glass franchise.

As a franchisee, you can decide to complete the work yourself or hire employees to help repair the various glass needs. A Glass Doctor franchise values respect, integrity, and customer focus, giving you an edge as you navigate the competitive glass world.

Company Overview

About Glass Doctor

Industry	Maintenance
Related Categories	Glass Repair, Windshield Repair, Home Repairs/Handyman Services, Miscellaneous Maintenance Businesses, Home Improvement
Founded	1962
Parent Company	Neighborly
Leadership	Jeramy Sibley, Brand President
Corporate Address	1010 N. University Parks Dr. Waco, TX 76707
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1977 (47 years)
# of employees at HQ	1,600
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Canada
# of Units	186 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Glass Doctor franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$59,900
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$152,900 - $317,100
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$250,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$50,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	20% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	4%-7%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	2%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Glass Doctor has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	8-40 hours
Classroom Training	65 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	5-6
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	No