Start a Duct Doctor USA Franchise in 2024

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $44K - $202K

Units as of 2023: 25 3% over 3 years

In 1985, Dr. Gerald Vanderpool, a well-known member of the Board of Certified Allergists, founded Duct Doctor USA. His goal was to provide customers with an excellent duct cleaning experience, improving their environment's air quality and flow in the process.

Duct Doctor USA offers in-depth duct cleaning for residential and commercial clients. In 2000, Duct Doctor USA started franchising the company. Since then, it has opened several locations in select states across the United States. Duct Doctor also has a few international locations.

Why You May Want To Start a Duct Doctor USA Franchise

Duct Doctor USA is looking for franchisees willing to work hard and be involved firsthand in daily operations. A Duct Doctor USA franchise is not something that a franchisee can operate from afar. Franchisees should work closely with their customers and team members.

In terms of professional skills, franchisees typically need to have good customer service skills and be personable. Generally, franchisees will be interacting with current or new clients on the daily. Franchisees may also need to have proven leadership skills, excellent time management skills, and solid organizational skills.

What Might Make a Duct Doctor USA Franchise a Good Choice?

A Duct Doctor USA franchisee may find that the brand has an edge over its competition due to the technology it uses and the training it puts its franchisees through. Its diesel-driven vacuum cleaners clean out ducts and are designed to keep debris and contaminants from expelling into the living/working space of the client.

NADCA Certified Air System Cleaning specialists may train Duct Doctor USA technicians. This training means that the company trains technicians to clean using processes up to NADA standards. Franchisees will most likely need to stay aware of changes in the industry to keep their training up to date.

To be part of the Duct Doctor USA team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How to Open a Duct Doctor USA Franchise

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. Due diligence and meeting the franchise's financial requirements for a startup are probably two of the more important parts of the screening process. This may show corporate that you are serious about the opportunity.

As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Duct Doctor USA franchising team questions.

Franchisees may receive support from the Duct Doctor USA brand throughout the franchising process if awarded a franchise. This typically includes a territory startup program that includes marketing development, a training program that includes manuals for the franchisee, a 24/7 call center that acts as a liaison between the customer and franchisee, and assistance with commercial bidding and logistical coordination if a franchisee owns more than one unit.

Company Overview

About Duct Doctor USA

Industry	Maintenance
Related Categories	HVAC/Duct-Cleaning Services, Miscellaneous Services, Miscellaneous Maintenance Businesses, Cleaning/Restoration
Founded	1985
Leadership	Ken Stricklin, Executive VP Franchising
Corporate Address	5555 Oakbrook Pkwy., #660 Norcross, GA 30093
Social	Facebook

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2000 (24 years)
# of employees at HQ	16
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises worldwide. This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming
# of Units	25 (as of 2023)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Duct Doctor USA 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.	$25,000
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.	$44,100 - $201,500
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.	$100,000
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.	$5,000 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.	5%-8%
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.	to 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	Duct Doctor USA 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	190 hours
Classroom Training	24 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates 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.	Yes
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	2
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.	Yes