Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2021), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it C.
What their own earnings claim actually says
2025 data: 86 franchisees, 373 territories. Top 25% avg $1.7M revenue; median $610K systemwide. 72 franchisees showed 8.9% YoY growth. Limited low-performer detail.
What a Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $43,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Total initial investment | $143,273 – $286,702 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
Maryland: initial fees deferred pending pre-opening obligations completion per guarantor financial condition requirement.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 409 |
| Ceased operations | 15 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 3 |
| Transferred to new owners | 3 |
| Closure rate | 3.7% of outlets |
15 ceased ops in 2025; 11 total ceased during year. Low terminations (3) suggest retention.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2021. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is Benjamin Franklin Plumbing worth it? — how it compares to 85 similar franchises
| Startup cost | from $143,273 | pricier than 65% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade C | less honest than most of the category |
| Closure rate | 3.7% 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 Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
The franchisor's framing: 2025 data: 86 franchisees, 373 territories. Top 25% avg $1.7M revenue; median $610K system… 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
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $143,273–$286,702, including a $43,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise owners make?
- 2025 data: 86 franchisees, 373 territories. Top 25% avg $1.7M revenue; median $610K systemwide. 72 franchisees showed 8.9% YoY growth. Limited low-performer detail. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
- What are the Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise fees?
- Benjamin Franklin Plumbing's FDD discloses a $43,000 initial franchise fee. Maryland: initial fees deferred pending pre-opening obligations completion per guarantor financial condition requirement.
- What is the Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise profit margin?
- Benjamin Franklin Plumbing does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: 2025 data: 86 franchisees, 373 territories. Top 25% avg $1.7M revenue; median $610K systemwide. 72 franchisees showed 8.9% YoY growth. Limited low-performer detail. Recurring fees alone take about a fixed cut 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 Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise failure rate?
- 15 ceased ops in 2025; 11 total ceased during year. Low terminations (3) suggest retention.
- How many Benjamin Franklin Plumbing locations are there?
- Benjamin Franklin Plumbing's FDD reports 409 total outlets, with 15 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 3 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does Benjamin Franklin Plumbing have complaints or lawsuits?
- Benjamin Franklin Plumbing 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 Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing scores C on disclosure honesty, and discloses 2 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2021). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.