1-800-Plumber franchise unit economics
1-800-Plumber franchisees run plumbing and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) businesses that sell installation and repair jobs at customers’ homes and businesses within one or more service areas.
1-800-Plumber franchise at a glance
The 2026 FDD reports 2025 revenue for 27 operators, grouped into three tiers, with the number of technicians each one ran every month and the number of jobs each one closed.
Item 19 of 1-800-Plumber’s 2026 FDD, issued 15 May 2026, lists 2025 revenue for 27 1-800-Plumber operators, 26 franchisees and the affiliate. On Averan’s count the 27 1-800-Plumber operators averaged $1,042,239*, with a median of $543,431.33*. Fees paid to 1-800-Plumber come to about 8.35%* of sales.
- A 1-800-Plumber franchise for one service area costs $179,210 to $345,700 to open, including a $56,500 initial franchise fee and a $47,500 Start Up Bundle of tools and equipment, according to the brand’s 2026 FDD.
- 1-800-Plumber charges a royalty of 6% and a Brand Development Fund fee of 2% on the first $1,500,000 of gross revenues each calendar year, with lower rates above that, plus a $300 monthly technology fee per service area.
- 1-800-Plumber sets Minimum Monthly Gross Revenues from the seventh month, rising to $150 per 1,000 people in the service area from month 25, and charges royalty and brand fund on the minimum when revenue falls below it.
- 1-800-Plumber reported 27 operators in 2025: 5 in a top tier averaging $3,782,882.22 of revenue, 11 in a middle tier averaging $671,434.56 and 11 in a lower tier averaging $166,015.41.
- A 1-800-Plumber technician brought in $33,957.65 of revenue a month in the top tier and $13,895.93 in the lower tier.
- 1-800-Plumber’s affiliate-owned business reported cost of sales of 54.25% of revenue in 2025, with labor at 32.30% and materials at 18.09%.
- 1-800-Plumber had 59 franchised outlets and 4 affiliate-owned outlets at the end of 2025, and 35 signed agreements not yet open.
- A 1-800-Plumber operator can run up to five service areas.
These figures come from 1-800-Plumber's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, as the brand reported them, and were read by Averan Advisors.
Own this franchise?
See what your numbers should look like every month.
Talk to Averan → Averan 1-800-Plumber Conversion Package →- Revenue a month per technician was $33,957.65 in the top tier and $13,895.93 in the lower tier. That is 2.44 times*. The top tier also ran more technicians: 9.3 a month on average, against 2.8 in the middle tier and 1.7 in the lower tier.
- Eight of the 11 lower-tier operators did not operate for all of 2025. Seven started during the year and one operated for most of the year before transferring its franchise. The lower-tier average of $166,015.41 therefore includes part years.
- The 27 operators had acquired 63 service areas and were operating 44 of them at the end of 2025. The 44 is the sum of Table B’s operating column*. Eighteen operators hold more than one service area, and the FDD states that franchisees with several areas generally market in one area first. Revenue is reported per operator, not per service area.
- From month 25, a 350,000-person service area has a minimum of $52,500 of gross revenues a month. That is $630,000 a year*. Royalty and brand fund are charged on the minimum in any month revenue falls below it, and a 12-month shortfall gives the franchisor a right to terminate.
- The affiliate’s gross profit was 45.75% of revenue in 2025, before overheads. Cost of sales was 54.25%, with labor at 32.30% and materials at 18.09%. The FDD shows no net profit and no expenses beyond cost of sales.
Revenue by tier
How much does a 1-800-Plumber franchise make?
| Tier | Operators | Average annual revenue | Average technicians a month | Revenue a month per technician |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top tier, over $1,000,000 | 5 | $3,782,882.22 | 9.3 | $33,957.65 |
| Middle tier, $500,000 to $1,000,000 | 11 | $671,434.56 | 2.8 | $20,346.50 |
| Lower tier, under $500,000 | 11 | $166,015.41 | 1.7 | $13,895.93 |
Figures as the brand reported them, from the affiliate’s unaudited statements and franchisees’ reports through the field management and point of sale systems. The affiliate is one of the five top-tier operators.
The 27 operators had an average of $1,042,239 of revenue in 2025 and a median of $543,431.33. Both are Averan figures from Table B*: the total of $28,140,448 divided by 27, and the 14th of the 27 operators in order of revenue. Five operators, all in the top tier, were above the average.
An operator is a franchisee or the affiliate, not a single location. The 27 operators are 26 franchisees, counting one owner of two New York franchises as one, plus the affiliate, 1-800-Plumber of Pearland. Franchisees with several service areas report one revenue figure, and the FDD states it cannot report sales per service area.
The tiers differ in technicians as well as revenue per technician. The top tier averaged 9.3 technicians a month and the lower tier 1.7. Each top-tier technician brought in 2.44 times as much revenue a month as a lower-tier technician*.
The lower tier includes eight operators that did not operate for the full year. Seven began operating during 2025. The eighth operated for most of 2025 before transferring its franchise, and its results are included.
Table A and Table B print slightly different revenue for some operators. Table A’s figures, which the tier averages use, add to $28,126,361 and Table B’s to $28,140,448, a difference of $14,088*. The largest gap is operator S, at $200,242.15 in Table A and $215,831.01 in Table B.
Affiliate gross profit
Affiliate gross profit, 2025
| Line | Amount | Share of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Total revenue | $2,775,230 | |
| Labor | $896,403 | 32.30% |
| Materials | $501,963 | 18.09% |
| Subcontractors | $83,525 | 3.01% |
| Other job expense | $15,348 | 0.55% |
| Permits | $8,316 | 0.30% |
| Total cost of sales | $1,505,555 | 54.25% |
| Gross profit | $1,269,675 | 45.75% |
| Royalty not paid by the affiliate (6%) | $166,514 | 6% |
| Brand Development Fund fee not paid by the affiliate (2%) | $55,505 | 2% |
| Technology fee not paid by the affiliate ($300 a month per service area) | $14,400 |
As the brand reported it, rounded to the dollar, reordered here by size within cost of sales. The affiliate reports its Pearland and Sugar Land, Texas businesses together, counted as four service areas.
The affiliate’s cost of sales was 54.25% of revenue, and gross profit was 45.75%. Cost of sales covers materials, labor, permits, subcontractors and other job expenses. The FDD does not show rent, vehicles, insurance, office staff, marketing or owner pay, and publishes no net profit.
Labor was the largest line at $896,403, or 32.30% of revenue. Materials were $501,963, or 18.09%.
Table C shows the fees the affiliate does not pay at flat rates of 6% and 2%. Those two lines add to $222,019*. Under the Item 6 rate table, which lowers both rates above $1,500,000 of annual gross revenues, the same revenue would carry $206,078 of royalty and brand fund, an effective 7.43%*.
The affiliate’s revenue is printed as $2,775,230 in Table C and $2,787,233.81 in Tables A and B. The difference is $12,004*. The FDD does not explain it. The affiliate’s two areas have populations of about 508,900 and 484,000, above the 350,000 maximum for a franchised service area.
Revenue by operator
Revenue and closed jobs by operator, 2025
| Operator | Tier | Service areas acquired / operating | Annual revenue | Closed jobs | Average closed job |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Top | 5 / 5 | $7,940,388.25 | 5,078 | $1,563.69 |
| B | Top | 1 / 1 | $5,312,136.54 | 2,983 | $1,780.80 |
| C (affiliate) | Top | 4 / 4 | $2,787,233.81 | 2,095 | $1,330.42 |
| D | Top | 2 / 2 | $1,765,591.23 | 1,138 | $1,551.49 |
| E | Top | 4 / 3 | $1,109,185.21 | 606 | $1,830.34 |
| F | Middle | 3 / 1 | $901,875.16 | 831 | $1,085.29 |
| G | Middle | 4 / 2 | $817,877.85 | 523 | $1,563.82 |
| H | Middle | 1 / 1 | $773,344.72 | 801 | $965.47 |
| I | Middle | 2 / 2 | $747,676.59 | 391 | $1,912.22 |
| J | Middle | 1 / 1 | $719,320.68 | 573 | $1,255.36 |
| K | Middle | 2 / 2 | $654,056.01 | 332 | $1,970.05 |
| L | Middle | 1 / 1 | $641,242.74 | 720 | $890.61 |
| M | Middle | 2 / 2 | $552,337.91 | 362 | $1,525.80 |
| N | Middle | 3 / 1 | $543,431.33 | 399 | $1,361.98 |
| O | Middle | 2 / 2 | $531,746.10 | 725 | $733.44 |
| P | Middle | 2 / 2 | $503,142.92 | 643 | $782.49 |
| Q | Lower | 1 / 1 | $334,273.41 | 691 | $483.75 |
| R | Lower | 1 / 1 | $307,815.40 | 289 | $1,065.11 |
| S | Lower | 5 / 1 | $215,831.01 | 151 | $1,429.34 |
| T | Lower | 1 / 1 | $206,317.42 | 309 | $667.69 |
| U | Lower | 1 / 1 | $187,844.07 | 204 | $920.80 |
| V | Lower | 2 / 2 | $163,559.15 | 233 | $702.01 |
| W | Lower | 2 / 1 | $153,177.84 | 110 | $1,392.52 |
| X | Lower | 1 / 1 | $92,777.45 | 84 | $1,104.49 |
| Y | Lower | 4 / 1 | $87,299.73 | 121 | $737.09 |
| Z | Lower | 3 / 1 | $52,436.56 | 51 | $1,028.17 |
| AA | Lower | 3 / 1 | $38,529.20 | 15 | $2,601.28 |
| All 27 * | 63 / 44 | $28,140,448 | 20,458 | $1,375.52 |
Operator rows as the brand reported them in Table B; the tier column follows Table A. The total row is Averan’s sum of the 27 rows and the total divided by the jobs, marked *.
Revenue ran from $7,940,388.25 at operator A to $38,529.20 at operator AA. Operator A runs five service areas. Operator AA began in the fourth quarter, with revenue for October to December only.
The average closed job ran from $483.75 to $2,601.28 across operators. The number of closed jobs ran from 15 to 5,078. Across all 27 operators, 20,458 closed jobs produced $28,140,448, or $1,375.52 a job*.
The largest single job was $400,000, at operator A. Median job prices ran from $233.99 to $1,272.96, and the smallest closed jobs from $9.69 to $99.00.
At each operator, between 16.7% and 35.5% of closed jobs met or exceeded that operator’s own average job. A median job below the average job at every operator means a smaller number of larger jobs lifts each average.
Several operators hold more service areas than they operate. Operator S had acquired five service areas and was operating one; operators Y, Z and AA had acquired three or four and were operating one each.
Brand charges
Brand charges
| Charge | Rate in the FDD | A year at $1,042,239 * | Share of revenue * |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.00% of gross revenues on the first $1,500,000 each calendar year, 5.00% on the second $1,500,000, 4.00% above $3,000,000 | $62,534 | 6.00% |
| Brand Development Fund fee | 2.00% on the first $1,500,000, 1.75% on the second $1,500,000, 1.50% above $3,000,000 | $20,845 | 2.00% |
| Technology fee | $300 a month per service area, which may rise to $1,000 | $3,600 | 0.35% |
| Local advertising | 8% to 10% of gross revenues recommended; 8% required for 12 months after missing the minimum two months running or three months in 12 | Not included | |
| Call center | Optional: $300 a month plus $25 an appointment, $300 setup, paid to a third party | Not included | |
| Mandatory meetings | Currently $299 per attendee; $1,500 for a missed meeting | Not included | |
| Royalty, brand fund and technology | $86,979 | 8.35% |
Rates as the brand reported them. The dollar and share columns are marked *, applying each rate to the 2025 operator average and assuming one service area. Royalty and brand fund are paid twice a month.
At the 2025 operator average of $1,042,239, royalty, brand fund and the technology fee come to $86,979 a year, or 8.35% of revenue. That is an Averan calculation for one service area*. At the median of $543,431.33 the same charges are $47,075, or 8.66%*.
The royalty and brand fund rates step down within each calendar year and reset each January. Revenue above $1,500,000 in a year is charged 5.00% and 1.75%, and revenue above $3,000,000 is charged 4.00% and 1.50%. In 2025, 23 of the 27 operators were below $1,500,000 for the year*.
Minimum Monthly Gross Revenues start in the seventh full month of operation. The minimum is $50 per 1,000 people in the service area each month in months 7 to 12, $100 in months 13 to 24 and $150 from month 25. For a 350,000-person service area that is $17,500, $35,000 and $52,500 a month*, or $630,000 a year from month 25*. The minimum applies to each service area.
In a month below the minimum, royalty and brand fund are charged on the minimum. Missing the minimum two months in a row, or three months in any 12, makes 8% local advertising spend compulsory for the next 12 months. If gross revenues over any 12 months fall below the total of the minimums, the franchisor may terminate the agreement. The franchisor may waive the minimum case by case.
Gross revenues are counted when billed, whether or not collected. The Item 6 definition includes credit sales and excludes refunds, discounts, sales tax and approved coupons. Item 19 does not report revenue per service area or by month of operation, so its figures cannot be set directly against the minimums.
Cost to open
Cost to open
| Item | One area, low | One area, high | Three areas, low | Three areas, high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $56,500 | $56,500 | $149,500 | $149,500 |
| Additional funds, three months | $50,000 | $100,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Start Up Bundle (tools, equipment and products) | $47,500 | $47,500 | $66,500 | $66,500 |
| Vans and signage | $3,000 | $35,000 | $4,500 | $52,500 |
| Insurance | $1,000 | $30,000 | $1,000 | $30,000 |
| Leasehold improvements | $1,000 | $20,000 | $1,000 | $20,000 |
| Market Penetration Strategy | $16,500 | $16,500 | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Business licenses | $10 | $10,000 | $10 | $10,000 |
| Security and utility deposits | $500 | $6,000 | $500 | $6,000 |
| Professional fees | $500 | $6,000 | $500 | $6,000 |
| Real property or site lease | $1,000 | $5,000 | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Office furniture | $500 | $5,000 | $500 | $5,000 |
| Computers and office equipment | $0 | $5,000 | $0 | $5,000 |
| Training costs | $1,000 | $3,000 | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| GPS | $200 | $200 | $300 | $300 |
| Total | $179,210 | $345,700 | $301,310 | $483,800 |
As the brand reported it, reordered here by size. The two-area Strategic Developer model totals $225,710 to $392,200.
One service area costs $179,210 to $345,700 to open. Two service areas cost $225,710 to $392,200 and three cost $301,310 to $483,800. Each service area has a maximum population of 350,000.
$120,500 of the one-area investment is paid to the franchisor or an affiliate. That is the $56,500 franchise fee, the $47,500 Start Up Bundle and the $16,500 Market Penetration Strategy, all due at signing and nonrefundable. For three areas the cover page gives $241,000.
The initial franchise fee is $56,500 for the first service area and $46,500 for each one after. Veterans may receive 10% off the fee for the first service area. Item 5 states the Market Penetration Strategy payment applies to each service area.
The van line does not include the price of the vans. It covers paint and decals or wraps at about $1,500 to $4,000 a van and a down payment of $0 to $3,500 a van on a lease or loan. A one-area franchise opens with two vans and must add an HVAC van within six months; a three-area franchise must reach seven vans within 24 months.
The three months of additional funds are $50,000 to $100,000. They cover wages, occupancy, van payments and other running costs. Opening typically takes 150 days from signing the first franchise agreement.
Locations
Locations, 2023 to 2025
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other reasons | End | Transfers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 36 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 44 | 0 |
| 2024 | 44 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 50 | 3 |
| 2025 | 50 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 59 | 5 |
| 2023–2025 * | 36 | 66 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 59 | 8 |
Counts as the brand reported them; the total row sums the three years and is marked *. Item 20 counts each service area of about 350,000 people as one outlet. The affiliate had 4 outlets in Texas in each year.
1-800-Plumber had 59 franchised outlets and 4 affiliate-owned outlets at the end of 2025, 63 in all. The franchised count rose from 36 at the start of 2023. Each outlet is a service area, so one franchisee can hold several.
Across 2023 to 2025, 66 franchised outlets opened and 41 left through termination, reacquisition or ceasing operations. Those are Averan sums of the yearly counts*. In 2025, 21 opened, 8 were terminated and 4 ceased operating.
Item 19 and Item 20 give different 2025 exit counts. Item 19 states that seven franchisees with 10 service areas ceased operations during 2025. Item 20 records 8 terminations and 4 other closures, 12 outlets*.
The outlet count includes service areas not yet operating. Table B lists 63 service areas acquired by the 27 operators and 44 operating at the end of 2025*.
35 franchise agreements were signed but not opened at 31 December 2025. The largest numbers were in Florida, Maryland, Texas and Virginia, with five each. The franchisor projected 11 new franchised outlets in 2026.
Questions we get asked
Questions owners ask
How much does it cost to open a 1-800-Plumber franchise?
The 2026 FDD estimates $179,210 to $345,700 for one service area, $225,710 to $392,200 for two and $301,310 to $483,800 for three. For one area that includes the $56,500 franchise fee, a $47,500 Start Up Bundle, a $16,500 Market Penetration Strategy and $50,000 to $100,000 of additional funds for three months. The cost of the vans themselves is not included.
What fees does 1-800-Plumber charge?
Royalty is 6.00% and the Brand Development Fund fee 2.00% on the first $1,500,000 of gross revenues each calendar year, falling to 5.00% and 1.75% on the next $1,500,000 and 4.00% and 1.50% above $3,000,000. The technology fee is $300 a month per service area. From the seventh month, royalty and brand fund are charged on the greater of actual revenue or the Minimum Monthly Gross Revenues. On Averan’s reading these charges come to about 8.35% of revenue at the 2025 operator average.
How much does a 1-800-Plumber franchise make?
Item 19 reports 2025 revenue for 27 operators, some running several service areas. The top tier of 5 averaged $3,782,882.22, the middle tier of 11 averaged $671,434.56 and the lower tier of 11 averaged $166,015.41. Across all 27 the average was $1,042,239 and the median $543,431.33, both Averan calculations. The FDD publishes gross profit for the affiliate only and no net profit.
What does a 1-800-Plumber technician bring in?
Revenue a month per technician was $33,957.65 in the top tier, $20,346.50 in the middle tier and $13,895.93 in the lower tier. The tiers averaged 9.3, 2.8 and 1.7 technicians a month.
What is the 1-800-Plumber revenue minimum?
From the seventh full month, each service area must reach Minimum Monthly Gross Revenues of $50 per 1,000 people, rising to $100 from month 13 and $150 from month 25. For a 350,000-person area that is $52,500 a month from month 25, an Averan calculation. Fees are charged on the minimum when revenue falls short, and a 12-month shortfall allows the franchisor to terminate.
How many 1-800-Plumber locations are there?
At the end of 2025 there were 59 franchised outlets and 4 affiliate-owned outlets, where each outlet is a service area. In 2025, 21 franchised outlets opened, 8 were terminated and 4 ceased operating. 35 signed agreements had not opened at year end.
Questions worth putting to 1-800-Plumber
These are questions the filing leaves open. An owner or a buyer can put them to the franchisor directly.
- Is the revenue in Item 19 gross sales or collected revenue, and how many locations sit below the average?
- Which factors does 1-800-Plumber see in its highest-selling locations, such as territory, years open and staffing?
- How long does a new location take to reach the average you publish, and what does the build-up look like month by month?
- At what level of sales do the minimum charges stop applying and the percentage take over?
- How many 1-800-Plumber locations closed, were sold, or changed hands last year, and why?
Run your own numbers.
The Franchise Numbers Check runs the same checks on your own numbers. It scores where you stand and compares you with Item 19 of your brand’s FDD. It works out what one location earns and spends, and builds a 13-week cash forecast. It also checks whether you are ready to open another one. It is free and it runs in your browser.
Launch the diagnostic →Reporting for a 1-800-Plumber owner
We review your unit economics and cash forecast and build your monthly reporting around the figures on this page.
Talk to Averanthe franchise library, all 431 brands · how franchise unit economics work · running the books across several locations · what Averan does for franchise owners
Other brands in the Mechanical Trades guide:
Questions owners ask next
The figures above raise these, and each one is answered on its own page.
- At what level of sales does a minimum fee stop costing me more than the percentage?It works out the sales level where a minimum fee stops applying.
- How much cash do I fund before a new location covers its own costs?It builds a 13-week forecast for the months before break-even.
- What does this location earn on the money I put into it?It works out the payback period and cash-on-cash return for one unit.
- How much of Item 19 can I rely on?It explains what an Item 19 financial performance representation tells you and what it leaves out.
Where these figures come from
Every figure here comes from 1-800-Services, LLC’s 2026 FDD and is unaudited by us. We are unaffiliated with the brand. Calculations of our own are labeled where they appear. The figures describe past performance at other businesses and are not a projection of yours. This page is an educational summary. It is not an offer to sell a franchise, and it is not financial, legal or tax advice. 1-800-Plumber is a trademark of its owner. How Averan reads a Franchise Disclosure Document.
These figures come from the brand's disclosure. They are not a forecast, an offer to sell a franchise or advice. Source: 1-800-Services, LLC, 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued 15 May 2026.