Stanley Steemer franchise unit economics
Stanley Steemer franchisees run truck-mounted cleaning and restoration businesses that sell carpet, hard floor, upholstery, tile, air duct and dryer vent cleaning, plus water, fire, smoke and mold mitigation, across one or more counties.
Stanley Steemer franchise at a glance
Stanley Steemer’s Item 19 reports 2025 gross sales for 208 franchisees nationwide and by region, with the average, median and number reaching the average.
Stanley Steemer franchisees averaged $1,742,025 of sales in 2025, with a median of $1,179,370, according to Item 19 of Stanley Steemer’s 2026 FDD, issued 31 March 2026. The 208 in that group are 99%* of Stanley Steemer’s 210 locations. Fees paid to Stanley Steemer come to about 11%* of sales. A Stanley Steemer franchise costs $175,685 to $509,745 to open.
- A Stanley Steemer franchise costs $175,685 to $509,745 to open, including a $20,000 initial franchise fee, according to the brand's 2026 FDD.
- Stanley Steemer charges a royalty of 7% of sales and a 4% brand fund contribution.
- Stanley Steemer reported 210 franchised locations in its 2026 FDD.
- 30.8% of reporting Stanley Steemer locations reached the average.
- Work out Stanley Steemer's fees at your own sales with the minimum fee calculator.
These figures come from Stanley Steemer'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 →- Advertising must reach 10% of gross sales, with the brand’s own fee inside it.At the average Stanley Steemer franchisee, that requirement comes to $174,202 a year *. The national fee of up to 4% and any cooperative contribution count toward the 10%, so the whole marketing obligation is one number.
- In the media areas the brand controls, the cooperative alone runs 4% to 12%.Up to $209,043 at the average franchisee *, which at the top of that range exceeds the entire 10% requirement, in Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia and Seattle among others.
- The nationwide average is $1,742,025 and the median $1,179,370.64 of 208 franchisees reach the average, which is 30.8%, and the median is 67.7% of it *, so a high-selling minority carries the mean.
- Regional averages run 5.65 times apart.The Southeast at $3,789,863 against the Northwestern states at $670,678 *, and on medians the gap is 4.83 times, Mid-Atlantic $2,252,511 against Great Plains $465,939.
- Exclusivity covers only the service categories you keep active.A category stays yours while you continuously maintain it as active. The minimum annual royalty is negotiated before signing with no figure or formula stated. So two owners can have very different minimums.
How much does a Stanley Steemer franchise make?
The average Stanley Steemer unit reported $1,742,025 of revenue in the 2026 FDD, and the median reported $1,179,370. 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, at about 11% of sales 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 Stanley Steemer performers
Stanley Steemer splits its locations into groups instead of publishing one average. The top group averaged $3,789,863 a year. The lowest averaged $670,678. Both run the same brand, on the same agreement, paying the same fees. The middle location sold $1,179,370. The average was $1,742,025. More than half the system is below the number the brand quotes.
Decided before you open
- Site and trade area.A 5.7× gap between bands, and 305.9× between the highest-selling and lowest-selling single location, is too wide for operations alone to explain. Catchment, daytime population and what sits next door set the ceiling before the first customer arrives.
- Capacity.Capacity is the number of vans, times the hours they run, times how full their schedules are. The build sets how much you can sell.
- Territory.This model sells from a territory quoted at 500,000 people, with no storefront. Population density sets how much driving sits between jobs.
- Opening cost range.Opening costs $175,685 to $509,745, a 2.9× range inside one brand.
- Fees and the minimum.Fees run about 11.0% of sales. A minimum fee also applies, so lower-selling locations pay a higher effective rate. Work out the sales level where the percentage overtakes the minimum.
Live operating levers
- Claims.The work is done first and the carrier pays later, so you fund wages and materials until the claim is paid. Track days to collect.
- Gift cards.Gift cards are sold before the service is delivered, and sales peak around the holidays. A gift card is deferred revenue until it is redeemed, so cash and earned revenue arrive in different periods.
Context you underwrite around
- Locations included.These figures cover 208 of 210 locations. Locations open less than the full year, brand-owned, or not meeting the reporting criteria are excluded.
- What the filing does not include.Item 19 publishes no profit or cost data for franchised locations. The only margin figures in the document come from the brand’s own locations.
Ten regions
Gross sales by region, 2025
| Region | Franchisees | Average | Median | Lowest | Highest | Reaching the average * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast | 25 | $3,789,863 | $2,107,209 | $559,037 | $13,374,991 | 8, 32.0% |
| Mid-Atlantic | 21 | $2,562,268 | $2,252,511 | $369,913 | $7,346,681 | 9, 42.9% |
| Pacific Coast | 27 | $1,729,485 | $993,605 | $88,329 | $11,101,163 | 6, 22.2% |
| Mid-South | 29 | $1,674,071 | $1,437,812 | $64,470 | $4,437,974 | 13, 44.8% |
| New England | 8 | $1,650,746 | $1,236,511 | $382,696 | $4,405,725 | 2, 25.0% |
| Southern | 12 | $1,425,152 | $1,099,875 | $198,669 | $4,270,793 | 5, 41.7% |
| Southwest | 17 | $1,192,790 | $943,296 | $106,006 | $5,744,755 | 6, 35.3% |
| Great Lakes | 47 | $1,115,067 | $704,006 | $43,724 | $4,732,661 | 15, 31.9% |
| Great Plains | 19 | $712,501 | $465,939 | $174,471 | $1,600,713 | 8, 42.1% |
| Northwestern | 3 | $670,678 | $931,680 | $75,914 | $1,004,440 | 2, 66.7% |
| Nationwide | 208 | $1,742,025 | $1,179,370 | $43,724 | $13,374,992 | 64, 30.8% |
Every dollar figure and attainment count is as the brand reported it and the attainment percentages are marked. The figures cover Stanley Steemer franchisees in operation for all of 2025.
The ten regional averages weight back to $1,742,025 exactly. Across 208 franchisees *, so these regions are the whole population, and the nationwide figure is the sum of them.
The Great Lakes holds 47 franchisees, the most of any region, at the third-lowest average. $1,115,067 with a median of $704,006, 63.1% of its own average *, so the largest block of the system is also one of its lower-selling halves.
The Mid-Atlantic median is 87.9% of its average. $2,252,511 against $2,562,268 *, the most evenly spread Stanley Steemer region in the table, which makes its average the most usable number on this page for planning.
The Southeast median is 55.6% of its average. $2,107,209 against $3,789,863 *, the widest gap of any region, and it contains the system’s largest franchisee at $13,374,991.
The lowest-selling franchisees billed $43,724 and the highest-selling $13,374,992. A range of 306 times *, and both sit under the same 10% advertising obligation, which is $4,372 for one and $1,337,499 for the other.
The ten percent
Fees at three revenue levels
| Charge | Rate | Median, $1,179,370 | Average, $1,742,025 | Southeast average, $3,789,863 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty, core services | 7% of gross sales | $82,556 | $121,942 | $265,290 |
| Royalty, related services | 3% of gross sales | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Advertising requirement | 10% of gross sales | $117,937 | $174,202 | $378,986 |
| of which national fee | up to 4%, credited | up to $47,175 | up to $69,681 | up to $151,595 |
| of which cooperative | 4% to 12% where the brand controls, credited | $47,175 to $141,524 | $69,681 to $209,043 | $151,595 to $454,784 |
| Paid to the brand: 7% royalty and the full 4% national fee | n/a | $129,731, 11.0% | $191,623, 11.0% | $416,885, 11.0% |
Every rate is as the brand reported it and each dollar figure is marked. The royalty is shown at the core-services rate because the mix between core and related work stays undisclosed.
Fees paid to the brand are 11% of gross sales at the core rate. 7% royalty plus a national advertising fee of up to 4% *, so above any negotiated minimum annual royalty it costs the same share at $43,724 as at $13,374,992. The franchisee spends the rest of the 10% advertising requirement.
Related services are charged at 3% instead of 7%. Flooring sales and installation, subcontracted work and reconstruction after fire, smoke, mold or water damage. So a franchisee’s effective royalty rate is decided by its own service mix.
A cooperative at the top of its range exceeds the whole advertising requirement. 12% against 10% *, and in Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia and Seattle the brand controls the cooperative vote. So the media budget is set by someone else and simply appears.
Falling short of the 10% is payable to the national fund. The shortfall becomes a cash payment once a catch-up period expires. So the obligation is to spend 10% or to hand 10% over, which makes it a fee.
Deferring part of the initial fee costs up to 3% more royalty. Running until the deferred amount and imputed interest are paid, at the average franchisee that is up to $52,261 a year * on top of the 11% paid to the brand.
Active categories
Territory cost and coverage
| Measure | As the brand reported it | What it implies * |
|---|---|---|
| Initial fee pricing | About $20,000 for each 100,000 of population | $0.20 a head |
| Typical fee range | $20,000 to $100,000 | 100,000 to 500,000 people |
| Fees actually charged in 2025 | $10,000 to $127,267 | 50,000 to about 636,000 people |
| Franchised area | Generally one or more counties | n/a |
| Exclusivity | Only for active service categories | n/a |
| Minimum annual royalty | Negotiated before signing, left unstated | n/a |
| Total investment | $175,685 to $509,745 | 10% to 29% of average sales |
Every left-hand figure is as the brand reported it and the implied population and investment shares are marked *.
Exclusivity is granted service category by service category. A category is protected while it stays continuously active. That means carpet, ducts, water restoration and flooring each have to be kept running to stay yours. A category allowed to lapse can be given to someone else.
The territory is priced at 20 cents a head. $20,000 for each 100,000 of population *, and fees actually charged in 2025 ran from $10,000 to $127,267, implying areas of roughly 50,000 to 636,000 people.
The schedule states no amount for the minimum annual royalty. Negotiated before signing on area size, demographics, competition and existing sales, with no amount, schedule or formula stated. So an owner should treat it as the single most negotiable number in the agreement.
The minimum continues even if the brand appoints another provider in the area. It also continues where the brand suspends the franchisee’s rights in a service category, and a shortfall is payable within 30 days of the year end, with a deferral available on request.
Each service category needs its own equipment. Stanley Steemer's equipment includes a cleaning platform at $29,000 to $68,000, a service vehicle at $54,000 to $61,000, a water restoration kit at $10,000 to $40,000 and air duct equipment at $8,000 to $135,000. So adding a service category means buying into it before earning from it.
A flat system
Outlet counts, 2023 to 2025
| Year | Franchised at start | Opened | Terminations | Reacquired | Franchised at end | Company owned at end | Total * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 215 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 212 | 57 | 269 |
| 2024 | 212 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 210 | 57 | 267 |
| 2025 | 210 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 210 | 54 | 264 |
Every figure is as the brand reported it and the total column is marked *, with disclosed consolidations of existing businesses sitting outside the movement columns.
The brand runs 54 of the 264 outlets itself. 20.5% of the system *, an unusually large company estate, and one that gives the franchisor its own read on the same unit economics a franchisee is buying into.
Seven franchised outlets opened in three years and five left. A system that has moved from 215 to 210 *. This is a mature, closed network where growth comes from buying an existing area.
The company estate shrank by three in 2025. 57 to 54, and the disclosures record a 2025 transfer in which two existing franchised businesses were consolidated into one location. So the count moves through consolidation as much as through openings.
Franchisees work from homes or office warehouses, and the brand says it makes little difference. Office location showed little effect on gross sales, so the fixed cost that matters here is the truck and the equipment.
One franchisee left in each of the three years. Against a nationwide median of $1,179,370, departures at that rate on a 210-outlet system put the annual exit rate under half a percent *.
Questions we get asked
Questions an owner asks
How much does a Stanley Steemer franchise make?
Stanley Steemer franchisees averaged $1,742,025 of sales in 2025, with a median of $1,179,370, according to Item 19 of Stanley Steemer’s 2026 FDD, issued 31 March 2026. The 208 in that group are 99%* of Stanley Steemer’s 210 locations. Fees paid to Stanley Steemer come to about 11%* of sales. A Stanley Steemer franchise costs $175,685 to $509,745 to open.
What does a Stanley Steemer franchisee bill?
Across 208 franchisees trading all of 2025, the nationwide average was $1,742,025 of gross sales and the median $1,179,370. The highest-selling Stanley Steemer franchisee reported $13,374,992 of gross sales in 2025, and the lowest reported $43,724. 64 franchisees reached the average. Regional averages ran from $3,789,863 in the Southeast to $670,678 in the Northwestern states.
What fees does Stanley Steemer charge?
Stanley Steemer's royalty is 7% of gross sales from core business and 3% from related business. Separately, advertising must reach 10% of annual gross sales, and the national advertising fee of up to 4% and any cooperative contribution count toward that 10%. On our reading the fees paid to the brand are 11% of gross sales at the core rate, the 7% royalty and the national fee at its 4% maximum, with no dollar minimums anywhere in the stack.
What is core and what is related at Stanley Steemer?
Core covers cleaning, mitigation and restoration, floors, upholstery, fabrics, ducts and HVAC, pressure washing, janitorial, and fire, smoke, mold and water work including insurance-paid jobs, plus product sales. Related covers flooring sales, installation and repair, subcontracted work outside core, and reconstruction services such as electrical, plumbing, carpentry, roofing, drywall and painting after damage. The rate you pay follows your mix.
How does the advertising cooperative work at Stanley Steemer?
Where the franchisor controls the media area (Baltimore, Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia and Seattle among them) the cooperative runs roughly 4% to 12% of the aggregate gross sales of all Stanley Steemer businesses in that media area. Contributions count toward the 10% requirement. At the top of that range the cooperative alone exceeds the whole obligation.
What happens if advertising falls short of 10% at Stanley Steemer?
The shortfall becomes payable to the national advertising fund once a catch-up period expires, or within 15 days after a timely challenge is resolved. So the requirement is to spend the money or to hand it over.
What does a Stanley Steemer territory cost?
About $20,000 for each 100,000 of population in the franchised area, which is generally one or more counties, or part of a county in dense markets. The typical range is $20,000 to $100,000, and fees actually charged in 2025 ran from $10,000 to $127,267. Part of the fee can be deferred over six months to five years, at the cost of up to 3% of extra royalty until it is repaid.
How much does a Stanley Steemer franchise cost to open?
A Stanley Steemer franchise costs $175,685 to $509,745 to open, excluding real estate. That covers the franchise fee, a cleaning platform at $29,000 to $68,000, a service vehicle at $54,000 to $61,000, water restoration equipment at $10,000 to $40,000, air duct equipment at $8,000 to $135,000, three months of inventory and a year of liability insurance at $12,000 to $18,000.
Which two numbers should run monthly at Stanley Steemer?
Track advertising spend as a share of gross sales against 10%, because a shortfall converts to cash owed. Then track the split between core and related revenue, because it sets your effective royalty rate between 3% and 7%.
- 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.
Questions worth putting to Stanley Steemer
These are questions the Stanley Steemer filing leaves open. An owner or a buyer can put them to Stanley Steemer directly.
- What do locations at the median spend on wages and rent as a share of sales? The filing reports sales only.
- Which factors does Stanley Steemer see in its highest-selling locations, such as trade area, years open and size?
- 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 Stanley Steemer 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. Checks whether you are ready to open another one. It is free and it runs in your browser.
Launch the diagnostic →Is your 10% buying anything?
We review your unit economics and cash forecast and build your reporting around the advertising obligation, the split between core and related revenue that sets your royalty rate, and revenue for each truck day.
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
Stanley Steemer reads against the rest of the carpet and floor care group: AdvantaClean · Chem-Dry · Garage Force · Garage Living · Oxi Fresh · PremierGarage. 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.
- Money arrives before the service does. How should that be booked?It explains deferred revenue and why the bank balance and the profit line disagree.
- 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.
- At what point do spreadsheets stop coping?It explains what changes at around ten units and why lenders care.
- I run several locations. Which ones actually make money?It shows each location's contribution to profit and the reporting it takes to see it.
Where these figures come from.
Every figure here comes from Stanley Steemer International, Inc.’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. Stanley Steemer® 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: Stanley Steemer International, Inc., 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued 31 March 2026.