Ace Handyman Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a Ace Handyman franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
Ace Handyman discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it B.
What their own earnings claim actually says
309 territories (2025) reported. Single territories averaged $250K-$775K revenue; multi-territory operators $332K-$1.5M. Owner discretionary income $3K-$223K. 26 territories closed in 2025.
What a Ace Handyman franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $70,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Advertising fund | 2% of gross sales | Item 6 — brand marketing, spent at the franchisor's discretion |
| Total recurring fees | 8% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $97,200 – $226,000 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
6% royalty + 2% national brand fee. Software $599/mo (up to $1,200). Marketing $30K-$50K annually. Transfer $10K ($3.5K family).
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
Ace Handyman system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 401 |
| Ceased operations | 14 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 10 |
| Transferred to new owners | 19 |
| Closure rate | 3.5% of outlets |
26 closures in 2025; 10 terminations; 14 ceased operations indicates elevated exit rate.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is Ace Handyman worth it? — how it compares to 85 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 8% of sales | lower than most (median 8%) |
| Startup cost | from $97,200 | cheaper than most (median $119,850) |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade B | more honest than 79% of home & trade services franchises |
| Closure rate | 3.5% of outlets | about average |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 2 | more litigious than 69% of peers |
Benchmarked against every home & trade services franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a Ace Handyman
The franchisor's framing: 309 territories (2025) reported. Single territories averaged $250K-$775K revenue; multi-te… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
See a full sample report → · 30-day guarantee
Ace Handyman franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a Ace Handyman franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $97,200–$226,000, including a $70,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do Ace Handyman franchise owners make?
- 309 territories (2025) reported. Single territories averaged $250K-$775K revenue; multi-territory operators $332K-$1.5M. Owner discretionary income $3K-$223K. 26 territories closed in 2025. We grade this disclosure B for honesty.
- What are the Ace Handyman franchise fees?
- Ace Handyman's FDD discloses a $70,000 initial franchise fee, a 6% royalty on gross sales, a 2% advertising-fund contribution, for roughly 8% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. 6% royalty + 2% national brand fee. Software $599/mo (up to $1,200). Marketing $30K-$50K annually. Transfer $10K ($3.5K family).
- What is the Ace Handyman franchise profit margin?
- Ace Handyman does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: 309 territories (2025) reported. Single territories averaged $250K-$775K revenue; multi-territory operators $332K-$1.5M. Owner discretionary income $3K-$223K. 26 territories closed in 2025. Recurring fees alone take about 8% of gross sales, before rent, labor, food or debt service. Margin has to be reconstructed from the disclosure, not read off it.
- What is the Ace Handyman franchise failure rate?
- 26 closures in 2025; 10 terminations; 14 ceased operations indicates elevated exit rate.
- How many Ace Handyman locations are there?
- Ace Handyman's FDD reports 401 total outlets, with 14 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 19 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does Ace Handyman have complaints or lawsuits?
- Ace Handyman discloses 2 legal matters in Item 3 of its FDD. Item 3 covers the franchisor's litigation history, which is the closest thing to a public record of how it treats franchisees — read the case descriptions, not just the count.
- Is a Ace Handyman franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Ace Handyman scores B on disclosure honesty, carries about 8% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 2 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Compare Ace Handyman to similar franchises
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Source: MN CARDS 36833-202606-01 (Clean FDD 2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Ace Handyman or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.