Chem-Dry franchise unit economics
Chem-Dry franchisees run carpet and upholstery cleaning vans that bill customers by the job across a territory measured in households.
Chem-Dry franchise at a glance
Item 19 of Chem-Dry’s 2026 FDD, issued 30 March 2026, gives a projection for one Chem-Dry van, $218,400 a year from 624 jobs at $350, and no reported sales figure for a Chem-Dry franchise. Chem-Dry charges a royalty of 7% of sales and a 3% brand fund contribution.
- A Chem-Dry franchise costs $92,150 to $249,500 to open, including a $36,000 initial franchise fee, according to the brand's 2026 FDD.
- Chem-Dry reported 941 franchised outlets under its legacy model and 22 under its household model at the end of 2025, 963 in all.
- Work out Chem-Dry's fees at your own sales with the minimum fee calculator.
These figures come from Chem-Dry's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, as the brand reported them, and were read by Averan Advisors.
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Talk to Averan → Move your books and accounting to Averan →- A van is projected at 624 jobs and $218,400.That is three jobs a day, four days a week, 52 weeks, at $350 each *, the whole model in four numbers.
- The minimum royalty overtakes the rate from month 25.7% of the projection is $1,274 a month against a $1,700 minimum *, rising to $3,100 by month 61.
- At the projection, the effective royalty reaches 17.0% by year six.That is $37,200 on $218,400 *, two and a half times the headline rate.
- The minimum sales requirement is 4.58 times the projection.That is $83,300 a month, or $999,600 a year, against the $218,400 the brand projects *.
- A household costs 20 cents and is projected to produce $1.75 a year *.So extra territory pays for itself in 1.4 months at projected rates *.
How much does a Chem-Dry franchise make?
Chem-Dry publishes no sales for its locations. Item 19 of the 2026 FDD is a projection instead: $218,400 a year from one van in a standard territory. The brand’s disclosure document discloses revenue and not profit, so what an owner keeps depends on the cost structure set out below. Fees come off the top first, across royalty, brand fund and the rest of the stack. Revenue is not income. Rent, wages, cost of goods and the franchise fees all come out before an owner is paid. The figures for the highest-selling and lowest-selling businesses are below.
Top performers
What separates the top Chem-Dry performers
Chem-Dry publishes no sales for its locations, only a projection of $218,400 for one van. The gap between its highest-selling and lowest-selling locations is not in the filing.
Decided before you open
- Territory.This model sells from a territory quoted at 150,000 households, with no storefront. Population density sets how much driving sits between jobs.
- Opening cost range.Opening costs $92,150 to $249,500, a 2.7× range inside one brand.
- Fees and the minimum.A minimum fee applies, so lower-selling locations pay a higher effective rate. Work out the sales level where the percentage overtakes the minimum.
Live operating levers
- Routes.Each van costs the same per day. Track stops per van and the distance between them.
Context you underwrite around
- What the filing does not include.Item 19 publishes no profit or cost data for franchised locations, no median, no performance bands, no attainment figure. Ask the franchisor or current owners for cost and profit figures.
- Sales spread in the category.Across 66 Home Services brands in this library, the top group sells 8.9× the bottom at the typical brand, and a median 35% of locations reach their own average *. Ask the franchisor for this brand’s spread.
Discounts available
- Chem-Dry takes $5,400 (Standard) or $2,700 (Small) off each additional territory bought at the same time as the first franchise.
- Chem-Dry takes 20% off the first franchise's initial fee for honorably discharged veterans under the IFA VetFran program.
- Chem-Dry takes 10% off the first territory's initial fee for first responders (police, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics); not combinable with the veteran discount.
- Chem-Dry takes 25% off for existing franchisees of its franchising affiliates (Related Franchisees), limited to two franchises bought at once.
From Item 5 of the Chem-Dry 2026 FDD. The costs on this page use the full initial franchise fee for one unit, before any discount.
The projected van
Projected revenue for one van
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Territory | 125,000 households |
| Jobs a day | 3 |
| Days a week | 4 |
| Average income a job | $350 |
| Weekly revenue | $4,200 |
| Annual revenue | $218,400 |
| Jobs a year * | 624 |
Every figure is as the brand reported it as an unaudited projection for a franchisee operating one van for 52 weeks. We multiplied three jobs by four days by 52 weeks to get the job count, marked *.
This is a forward projection. Costs, expenses and profit are absent from it, so $218,400 is a top line before wages, fuel, chemicals and franchise fees.
Adding a fifth working day would lift it to $273,000. * That is 156 more jobs a year on the same van and the same territory.
Raising the average job by $50 is worth $31,200. * That is more than half the entire franchise fees at the projected level.
A second van doubles the revenue and the royalty base. One van is required for each territory, so capacity and territory move together.
The projection assumes a territory of 125,000 households. The midpoint of the 100,000 to 150,000 standard range, so the figures scale with the territory you actually buy.
The minimum beats the rate
Minimum royalty schedule against the projection
| Months in operation | Minimum monthly royalty | 7% of the projection a month * | Paid * | Effective rate * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 to 24 | $900 | $1,274 | $1,274 | 7.00% |
| 25 to 36 | $1,700 | $1,274 | $1,700 | 9.34% |
| 37 to 48 | $2,300 | $1,274 | $2,300 | 12.64% |
| 49 to 60 | $3,000 | $1,274 | $3,000 | 16.48% |
| 61 and beyond | $3,100 | $1,274 | $3,100 | 17.03% |
The minimum royalty schedule is as the brand reported it and the comparison applies 7% to the brand's own projected annual revenue of $218,400, marked *.
A van performing exactly to the projection pays 17.0% by year six *. That is because the minimum rises on a schedule while the projection stays flat.
7% exceeds the month-61 minimum at $531,429 of annual sales *. That is two and a half times the projection, and the point where 7% finally exceeds $3,100 a month.
Add 3% of sales to the brand marketing fund from month 13. It has a $150 monthly minimum and comes to $6,552 at the projected level *.
Local advertising must run at 5% of sales a year. $10,920 at the projection *, and that obligation sits outside the fee table entirely.
The share of sales paid to the brand depends on sales. The minimum royalty is a fixed $37,200 a year from month 61, so it is a larger share of sales at lower sales.
Households and what it costs to open
Territory and opening costs
| Measure | Standard territory | Small territory |
|---|---|---|
| Households | 100,000 to 150,000 | About 75,000 |
| Initial franchise fee | $36,000 | $18,000 |
| Fee a household * | 24¢ to 36¢ | 24¢ |
| Extra households | 20¢ each, to a 180,000 ceiling | |
| Initial package fee | $44,000 to $78,000 | |
| Total investment | $92,150 to $249,500 | $74,150 to $231,500 |
Every figure is as the brand reported it and the per-household row divides the franchise fee by the household range, marked *.
Extra households cost 20 cents against 24 to 36 cents in the base fee *. So expanding an existing territory is cheaper ground than the territory you started with.
The equipment package costs more than the franchise fee. $44,000 to $78,000 against $36,000, and it is where most of the opening money goes.
The van alone can cost $75,000. Installation adds $600 to $6,000, and at least one van is required for each territory.
Veterans get 20% off the fee and first responders 10%. That is $7,200 and $3,600 on a standard territory *, with 25% available to owners already holding an affiliated brand.
Working from home is permitted for 24 months. After that, a commercial or industrial space inside the territory is required, so rent arrives in year three.
Two systems at once
Franchised outlets under both models, 2023 to 2025
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Ceased, other | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023, legacy model | 1,437 | 25 | 100 | 70 | 9 | 1,283 |
| 2024, legacy model | 1,283 | 15 | 99 | 93 | 6 | 1,100 |
| 2025, legacy model | 1,100 | 1 | 70 | 50 | 40 | 941 |
| 2025, household model | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
Every figure is as the brand reported it, with the household-based model holding zero outlets until 2025 and the legacy population-based model running alongside it.
The legacy system fell 34.5% in three years. That is 1,437 to 941 *, with 269 terminations and 213 non-renewals against 41 openings.
Openings under the legacy model fell to one. In 2025, 22 opened under the new household model in Alabama, Indiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah, so the brand has switched which franchise it sells.
Zero Chem-Dry franchisees have traded a full year under the household model. So the performance figures are a projection.
Territory is a list of zip codes measured in households. It is expressly non-exclusive, with national and regional accounts, internet, catalog and direct mail all reserved to the brand.
Working outside the territory is prohibited. Services and advertising both, so growth means buying households.
Questions we get asked
Questions an owner asks
How much does a Chem-Dry franchise make?
Item 19 of Chem-Dry’s 2026 FDD, issued 30 March 2026, gives a projection for one Chem-Dry van, $218,400 a year from 624 jobs at $350, and no reported sales figure for a Chem-Dry franchise. Chem-Dry charges a royalty of 7% of sales and a 3% brand fund contribution.
What does a van earn at Chem-Dry?
The brand projects $218,400 a year from one van in a standard territory. That rests on three jobs a day, four days a week, 52 weeks, at an average of $350 a job. On our reading that is 624 jobs. It is a projection, and it excludes every cost.
What fees does Chem-Dry charge?
Chem-Dry charges a royalty on a sliding scale, 7% on the first $500,000 of annual sales in a standard territory, 6% to $1,000,000, 5% to $1,500,000 and 4% above. From month 13 a minimum monthly royalty applies, rising from $900 to $3,100 by month 61.
When does the minimum bite at Chem-Dry?
The Chem-Dry minimum royalty overtakes the 7% rate from month 25, for a van performing at the projection. 7% of $218,400 is $1,274 a month on our reading. Chem-Dry sets a $1,700 minimum at months 25 to 36 and $3,100 from month 61, an effective 17.0% by year six.
What is the total load at Chem-Dry?
Chem-Dry charges a 7% royalty with a monthly minimum that reaches $3,100 from month 61, or $37,200 a year, and a 3% brand marketing fund with a $150 monthly minimum, $6,552 at the projection. Local advertising of 5% of sales a year, $10,920 at the projection, is spent by the owner. Because the minimum royalty is fixed, the share of sales paid to the brand depends on sales.
What is the minimum sales requirement at Chem-Dry?
It rises alongside the minimum royalty, reaching $83,300 a month ($999,600 a year) from month 61 in a standard territory. On our reading that is 4.58 times the brand's own projection for a single van.
How much does a Chem-Dry franchise cost to open?
A Chem-Dry franchise costs $92,150 to $249,500 to open for a standard territory and $74,150 to $231,500 for a small one. The franchise fee is $36,000 or $18,000, and the equipment package at $44,000 to $78,000 is the larger figure. A van can reach $75,000.
How is territory defined at Chem-Dry?
Chem-Dry defines territories by zip codes measured in households, 100,000 to 150,000 for a standard territory and about 75,000 for a small one. Extra households cost 20 cents each up to a 180,000 ceiling. On our reading the base fee works out at 24 to 36 cents a household, so expansion is the cheaper ground.
Which two numbers should run monthly at Chem-Dry?
Track jobs completed against 52 a month, because 624 a year is the projection the whole model rests on. Then track average revenue a job against $350, because $50 on the ticket is worth $31,200 a year.
- The filing gives no median. No average is published either: Item 19 is a projection for one van, not the sales of existing locations.
- The filing gives no profit figure. The filing reports sales and not earnings, so what an owner keeps is not disclosed.
- The filing breaks out no cost lines. Wages, rent and cost of goods are not broken out, so margin cannot be rebuilt from the document.
- The filing gives no range. The filing does not show the highest and lowest locations, so the spread inside the system is unknown.
- The filing gives no attainment figure. With no location sales in the filing, there is no count of locations that reach the projection.
- The filing shows no ramp. The filing does not show how a new location builds up, so the first-year curve has to be assumed.
Questions worth putting to Chem-Dry
The filing answers what it answers. These are the gaps an owner or a buyer should close directly.
- What do locations at the median spend on wages and rent as a share of sales? The filing reports sales only.
- What did the highest and lowest locations sell last year, and what explains the gap?
- How long does a new van take to reach the $218,400 you project, 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 Chem-Dry 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 checks whether you are ready to open another one. It is free and it runs in your browser.
Launch the diagnostic →How many jobs did your van run this month?
We review your unit economics and cash forecast and build your reporting around 624 projected jobs at $350, a minimum royalty that climbs to $3,100 a month, and a sales requirement 4.58 times the projection.
Talk to Averanthe franchise library, all 447 brands · how franchise unit economics work · running the books across several locations · what Averan does for franchise owners
Chem-Dry reads against the rest of the carpet and floor care group: AdvantaClean · Garage Force · Garage Living · Oxi Fresh · PremierGarage · Stanley Steemer. The carpet and floor care guide compares all of them on the same figures.
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.
- My payroll percentage keeps climbing. Is that a payroll problem?It shows how to tell whether payroll is rising or revenue is falling.
- What should I be looking at every week?It lists the handful of numbers that move before the P&L does.
- Do I need a bookkeeper, a controller, or a CFO?It explains what each role owns and when the next hire pays for itself.
Where these figures come from.
Every figure here comes from Chem-Dry, Inc.’s 2026 FDD and is unaudited by us, we are unaffiliated with the brand, calculations of our own are marked with an asterisk where they appear, the figures include an unaudited forward projection prepared by the franchisor. This page is an educational summary and is not legal or tax advice. Chem-Dry® is a registered 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: Chem-Dry, Inc., 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued 30 March 2026.