Home Improvement Franchise Due Diligence
A home improvement franchise lets you open under an established name, but the name only matters if the paperwork behind it holds up.
Thrush & Son® has offered its roofing franchise since 2017, and the offer is still open. Federal rules give every buyer the same tools: a disclosure document, a waiting period and owners to call.
Illustrative chart only · not a financial performance representation
Get the Franchise Disclosure Document at least 14 calendar days before you sign or pay. Read Items 5, 7, 19, 20 and 21 first, call current and former owners, and have an attorney and accountant review everything.
Inside This Deck
Appendix: Home improvement franchise FAQ
What a Home Improvement Franchise Actually Sells
Strip away the logo and a home improvement franchise is a license to run someone else’s system in your market. You pay for the name, training and a way of working, and agree to rules on how jobs are sold, built and backed.
So judge a home improvement franchise by its system more than its trade. Roofing, siding and windows all reward consistent estimates, clean job sites, clear communication and a warranty process customers trust. Ask how each one is taught, and whether owners use it.
The FTC Rule Behind Every Franchise Sale
The Federal Trade Commission’s Franchise Rule requires a Franchise Disclosure Document, or FDD, before any home improvement franchise deal moves. Under 16 CFR 436.3, you must receive it at least 14 calendar days before you sign a binding agreement or pay the franchisor or an affiliate.
The FTC describes 23 required items. Fourteen days goes fast when you are also calling owners and booking an attorney, so plan the window before it opens.
- Day 0 · Receive the FDDNote the date it arrived.
- Days 1–4 · Read the money itemsItems 5, 6, 7, 19 and 21.
- Days 5–10 · Call ownersCurrent and former, from Item 20.
- Days 11–14 · Professional reviewAttorney and accountant.
- After day 14 · DecideWith answers in writing.
Pressure is a signal. If a seller pushes you to sign or send a deposit before the 14 days are up, stop.
The FDD, Item by Item
Item numbers are the same in every FDD, so you can compare two brands side by side. These answer the biggest questions for a home improvement franchise buyer.
| Item | Covers | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Item 1 | The franchisor | Parents, affiliates, years in business, special licenses. |
| Item 3 | Litigation | Lawsuits involving owners or customers. |
| Item 5 | Initial fees | Franchise fee, deposits, nonrefundable parts. |
| Item 6 | Other fees | Royalties, advertising contributions, other recurring charges. |
| Item 7 | Estimated initial investment | Total start-up estimate, including Item 5 fees. |
| Item 11 | Assistance and training | Pre-opening and ongoing help, manuals, training. |
| Item 12 | Territory | What market protection, if any, you get. |
| Item 17 | Renewal, termination, transfer, disputes | How the agreement renews, ends or transfers. |
| Item 19 | Financial performance | Earnings claims, if any. Optional. |
| Item 20 | Outlets and franchisees | Growth, turnover, owner contacts. |
| Item 21 | Financial statements | The franchisor’s audited finances. |
Try the FDD Decoder
Pick an item to decode it before your home improvement franchise decision. Descriptions follow the FTC’s Franchise Rule Compliance Guide.
Item 1 · The Franchisor
The franchisor, its parents and affiliates, and industry-specific regulations.
How long have you franchised this business, and which licenses will I need?
Item 5 · Initial Fees
Fees paid before opening, plus refund and installment terms.
Which fees are nonrefundable, and when is each due?
Item 7 · Initial Investment
The estimated total cost to open.
What did your newest owners actually spend?
Item 11 · Assistance & Training
Pre-opening and continuing help, advertising, manuals and training.
May I review the training materials? The FTC says a refusal could signal a concern.
Item 19 · Financial Performance
Optional earnings claims. If a claim is not here, sellers generally cannot make it.
What are these figures based on, and how many outlets?
Item 20 · Outlets
Outlet tables on growth and closures, plus owner contacts.
Why did former owners leave?
Item 21 · Financial Statements
Audited financial statements; the FTC suggests an accountant review them.
Can my accountant review these with your team?
Home Improvement Franchise Checklist
Questions to Ask Existing Owners
The FTC calls talking to franchisees “perhaps the most reliable way” to check a franchisor’s claims. Before any home improvement franchise purchase, call owners from the Item 20 list, including former ones.
- What did you really spend to open?
- Did the training match what the FDD describes?
- How fast does support respond when a job goes sideways?
- Does the advertising fund bring leads?
- How are warranty claims handled?
- Knowing what you know now, would you buy this home improvement franchise again?
Side noteFormer owners often speak more freely. Ask why they left.
What a 60-Plus-Year Family Brand Brings
A home improvement franchise borrows its reputation from the name on the truck, so look at how that name was earned. Wilbur Thrush started the business in 1960, his son W. Allen bought it in 1989, and Corey is the third generation. Read the full family roofing company history.
Thrush & Son® is a GAF President’s Club Contractor and BBB Accredited A+, with Best of Dayton recognition: Best of Dayton 2024 Winner · 2025 and 2026 Finalist.
According to Thrush & Son®, its program centers on training, operational guidance, brand standards and marketing, built on the five systems the company runs at home: sales, production, purchasing, communication and warranty. Fees and terms are spelled out in the company’s FDD, which you can request at thrushandsonfranchise.com or by calling (937) 833-5136.
Look past the logo. Ask how the system is written down and taught.
Ohio Rules and Your Next Move
Ohio’s Business Opportunity Plans Act, Chapter 1334 of the Ohio Revised Code, covers certain business opportunity sales. The Ohio Attorney General explains that sellers who fully comply with the federal FTC rule do not also need to comply with Ohio’s Act.
Where the Act applies, sellers must provide a written disclosure 10 business days before purchase, and buyers get five business days to cancel in writing. Ask your attorney which rules cover your deal.
Then run every home improvement franchise you consider through the same deck: identical items, questions and calls.
The Takeaway Worth Sharing
A home improvement franchise is only as solid as its FDD. Take the full 14 days, call the owners and let the documents do the talking.
Share this with the friend who wants to run a business someday.
Curious About Our System? Let’s Talk
Thrush & Son®: family-owned exterior pros since 1960.
Read the Thrush & Son® story behind its roofing franchise opportunity, then ask about our home improvement franchise documents.
➡️ Schedule in Dayton➡️ View All ServicesCall (937) 833-5136 · 115 Jefferson St, Brookville, OH 45309
- GAF President’s Club Contractor
- Best of Dayton 2024 Winner · 2025 and 2026 Finalist
- BBB Accredited A+
- Since 1960
Further Reading
Official sources: the FTC, 16 CFR 436.3, the FTC Franchise Rule Compliance Guide, the Ohio Attorney General and the Ohio Revised Code.
Home Improvement Franchise FAQ
What is a home improvement franchise?
A license to run an established contractor’s brand and system in your market, in exchange for fees and following its standards.
When must I receive the Franchise Disclosure Document?
Under the FTC Franchise Rule, at least 14 calendar days before you sign a binding agreement or pay the franchisor or an affiliate.
Does every franchisor share earnings figures?
No. Item 19 is optional. Financial performance claims belong in Item 19, so treat any claim made outside it with caution.
Who should I talk to before buying?
Current and former owners listed in Item 20 of the FDD, plus an independent franchise attorney and an accountant.
Is Thrush & Son offering franchises?
Yes. Thrush & Son® offers a roofing franchise. Request details at thrushandsonfranchise.com or call (937) 833-5136.
Written by Corey Thrush, Vice President and third generation of Thrush & Son®.
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