The real numbers on owning a CertaPro Painters franchise
Painting Services - Residential & Commercial · FDD 2026 · from public state filings
BDisclosure honesty
This franchisor discloses earnings (Item 19) — but read how.
★★★★☆FranchiseValidate transparency rating: 4/5
Investment
$171,000–$320,500
Total fees
18% of sales
Outlets
304
Closure signals
7 ceased, 6 terminated
Lawsuits
2
Is CertaPro Painters worth it? How it compares to 47 similar franchises
Ongoing fees
18% of sales
steeper than 93% of home & trade services franchises
Startup cost
from $171,000
pricier than 83% of peers
Disclosure honesty
Grade B
more honest than 81% of home & trade services franchises
Closure rate
2.3% of outlets
about average
Disclosed lawsuits
2
more litigious than 60% of peers
Benchmarked against every home & trade services franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Discloses 2025 gross sales for 291 franchisees (median $1.29M, average $2.10M). Shows performance by cohort (Year 1-3+). 32% at/above average. Includes detailed financial data from 74 Flight Program participants showing 45.9% gross profit, 9.3% EBITDA.
Failure & turnover reality (Item 20)
4-year net decline of 26 outlets (-7.8%). 2024 saw 21 net closures. Recent terminations modest but steady.
Legal history (Item 3)
2 matters disclosed.
Get the full CertaPro Painters validation report — $149
The franchisor won't put real owner profit in writing. We do — reconstructed from their own FDD.
Franchisor's framing: Discloses 2025 gross sales for 291 franchisees (median $1.29M, average $2.10M). Shows performan…
🔒 Real estimated owner take-home (low / median / high) — unlocked in the report
Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI on your investment
Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
Decoded real failure / closure rate
How it ranks vs comparable franchises
Validation-call playbook — who to call + the exact questions
The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $171,000–$320,500, including a $65,000 initial franchise fee.
How much do CertaPro Painters franchise owners make?
Discloses 2025 gross sales for 291 franchisees (median $1.29M, average $2.10M). Shows performance by cohort (Year 1-3+). 32% at/above average. Includes detailed financial data from 74 Flight Program participants showing 45.9% gross profit, 9.3% EBITDA. We grade this disclosure B for honesty.
What is the CertaPro Painters franchise failure rate?
4-year net decline of 26 outlets (-7.8%). 2024 saw 21 net closures. Recent terminations modest but steady.
Is a CertaPro Painters franchise worth it?
It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. CertaPro Painters scores B on disclosure honesty, carries about 18% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 2 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with CertaPro Painters or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.