Buildingstars Franchise Overview
History and Scale of Buildingstars
Buildingstars is an established commercial cleaning franchise founded in 1994 and franchising since 2000. Over the past two decades, it has expanded across 16 U.S. regions with a network of over 1,200 franchise units nationwide. The company operates under its parent organization, Facility Brands Inc., providing franchisees with the backing of a larger corporate structure.
This extensive experience and support infrastructure have helped Buildingstars grow a substantial presence. In fact, the franchise’s success is reflected in an estimated annual revenue of about $59 million, underscoring its prominence in the industry. Such a track record signals stability and brand recognition, which can be reassuring for newcomers evaluating cleaning business franchises.
Buildingstars Franchise Benefits and Support
Buildingstars prides itself on offering a comprehensive support system for its franchise owners. New franchisees undergo thorough initial training covering operations and customer service, and they benefit from ongoing mentorship. Each regional office provides a “Rising Star” program that guides owners through three levels (Technician, On-Site Manager, Corporate) as their business grows. Importantly, Buildingstars helps franchisees start with clients in hand – franchise packages include a base of customer accounts generating $1,000–$5,000 in monthly revenue.
The company’s support team also handles billing, collections, marketing, and customer service on behalf of franchisees, allowing owners to focus on providing quality cleaning services. By avoiding challenging accounts (such as restaurants or nightclubs) and focusing on office buildings, Buildingstars helps franchise owners maintain consistent schedules and manageable workloads.
Overall, franchisees get a turnkey system with built-in clients and the ongoing backing of a corporate support center – a clear benefit for those new to business ownership.
Building Stars Franchise Startup Costs: Low Barrier to Entry
One of Buildingstars’ biggest appeals is its low startup cost, touted as “the lowest initial investment of any commercial cleaning franchise”.
A new Janitorial Franchise Owner can start with as little as $795 down. Below is a breakdown of the initial investment (Item 7) for the entry-level program:
| Type of Expenditure | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee (cash) | $995 | $1,295 |
| Travel & Living (training) | $0 | $1,000 |
| Equipment | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Insurance | $100 | $1,000 |
| Professional Fees (legal/accounting) | $250 | $1,000 |
| Opening Supplies | $100 | $500 |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $0 | $500 |
| Total Estimated Investment | $2,445 | $8,295 |
This modest investment range is a fraction of what many cleaning business franchises require, and it lowers the barrier for first-time entrepreneurs. Buildingstars even offers in-house financing to cover fees, equipment, and other startup costs, making it even easier to get started. For those looking to scale up, Buildingstars also features higher-level programs (On-Site Manager and Corporate) with larger territories and earning potential – these involve a higher initial franchise fee up to ~$47k and total investment up to ~$53k. Whether starting small or aiming big, prospective franchisees can choose a level that fits their budget and goals.
Buildingstars Franchise Ongoing Fees and Financial Commitments
As with any franchise, Buildingstars owners pay ongoing fees to the franchisor. The standard royalty fee is 10% of gross sales, which contributes to continued support and brand maintenance. In addition, Buildingstars’ unique tiered model comes with a management/administration fee that varies by program: entry-level (Technician) franchisees pay an additional 20% of gross sales as a management fee for the extra support they receive, while On-Site Manager franchisees pay 10%, and Corporate-level franchisees pay none. Franchisees also contribute to an advertising fund (often a small percentage of sales) to promote the brand system-wide, though Buildingstars emphasizes regional marketing support over large national ad spends.
Other regular costs include an insurance program fee to cover liability coverage and perhaps nominal account sales fees whenever the franchisor secures new cleaning contracts for the franchisee. All told, a Buildingstars operator might expect around 30% of their monthly revenue to go toward royalties and management/admin fees, plus any minor fees for insurance or new accounts. These fees fund the strong support structure franchisees enjoy, but they do impact profit margins. It’s important for candidates to factor them in when projecting their earnings. (Notably, Buildingstars discloses financial performance of its franchisees in Item 19 of the FDD, which can help investors gauge potential profits (vettedbiz.com).
Assett Franchise Overview
Background and Family-Owned Approach
Assett Franchise is a newer entrant in the commercial cleaning arena, distinguished by its family-owned, founder-led operation. Established in 2019 by CEO Matt Pencarinha in Asheville, NC, Assett began franchising in 2022. Unlike Buildingstars, which is part of a larger corporation, Assett is an independent, family-run business. This means franchisees often work directly with the founding team and benefit from a more personal, hands-on mentorship style. For example, new Assett owners receive personalized startup training with the founder & CEO to chart a clear path to success.
The company’s culture is built on close partnership – “supporting the achievement of our franchisees and their goals is our focus,” Assett emphasizes. This family-owned ethos can translate into attentive support and a tight-knit franchise community. While Assett is a younger brand with a smaller franchise network, its leadership’s vision is to grow alongside franchisees in a collaborative way. For entrepreneurs who value a franchise where you’re “more than just a number,” Assett’s approach as a family-owned franchise may be especially appealing.
High-Income Potential – A Million-Dollar Model
Assett positions itself as a franchise for entrepreneurs aiming for larger business growth. The company bluntly states, “We’re not in this to be janitors”, underscoring that an Assett franchise is designed to operate as a sizable professional cleaning company rather than a solo gig.
In fact, Assett touts a proven $1,000,000+ annual gross sales model for its franchisees.
In other words, under Assett’s plan, a single franchise territory has the potential to generate over one million dollars in yearly revenue (as demonstrated by their corporate-run location or top franchisees). This high ceiling stands in contrast to Buildingstars’ typical starting point for new owners, which often begins as a side business with ~$12k–$60k in initial annual revenue from assigned accounts.
Assett franchisees are encouraged to think like executives, scaling up by securing larger clients and multiple contracts under one operation. The Assett Office Cleaning Franchise System is built for “high-speed growth”, capable of handling “large amounts of commercial cleaning revenue under one owner.”
For franchisees, this means the opportunity to build a substantial enterprise (with multiple crews and managers) rather than doing all the cleaning themselves. If your goal is to grow a robust cleaning business that could exceed seven figures in sales, Assett provides a roadmap to get there, backed by its own track record and coaching.
Innovative Proprietary Hiring and Business Systems
A standout advantage Assett offers is its use of cutting-edge systems to streamline operations. Most notably, Assett provides franchisees with a proprietary Automated Hiring System.
This technology automates much of the recruiting and onboarding of cleaning staff, which is a significant pain point in the janitorial industry. By automating hiring, Assett helps owners scale their team quickly without spending countless hours on recruitment, thereby saving time and money as the business grows. In addition, Assett equips its franchises with professional management software for scheduling, client management, and real-time data tracking
Franchise owners also get customized accounting systems and sales tools like online quote calculators and marketing email templates
These enterprise-level systems are usually found in large corporations, but Assett makes them available to every franchisee from day one. The result is that even a first-time business owner can manage operations efficiently and deliver services on par with much larger companies. Assett’s emphasis on technology and innovation means franchisees can focus on strategic growth – such as landing new contracts and managing client relationships – while automation handles much of the routine administrative work. In contrast, a Buildingstars franchise relies more on the regional support center for things like billing and finding accounts, and individual franchisees may still need to manually recruit cleaners or supervisors as they expand. Assett’s unique approach gives franchise owners a modern toolkit to build a scalable cleaning business franchise faster and with fewer growing pains.
Investment and Requirements
While Assett doesn’t market itself as an “ultra low-cost” franchise, it still aims to be accessible relative to the earnings potential. The initial franchise fee and startup costs for Assett are moderate, falling in the typical range for a larger territory cleaning franchise (precise figures are disclosed in their FDD). Prospective owners should have a net worth of $100,000+ and access to $50,000 in liquid capital.
This suggests that the total initial investment likely falls somewhere in that range. Essentially, Assett expects franchisees to invest more up front than the bare-bones Buildingstars entry ($8K or less), because Assett franchises launch at a bigger scale. This investment covers an exclusive territory license, intensive training, and all the advanced systems mentioned above. Notably, Assett does not require industry experience – it is ideal for first-time business owners with drive and leadership skills.
However, it does require full-time dedication, especially in the first year, to fully capitalize on the business’s million-dollar potential.
In terms of ongoing fees, Assett’s model is straightforward; franchisees can expect a competitive royalty and marketing fee structure that aligns with industry norms (often around 7–3% royalty, plus a 0.05% marketing fund contribution). The difference is that Assett’s franchisee receives very high-touch support and sophisticated tools in return. When evaluating the cost, one should weigh the higher upfront investment against Assett’s unlimited income potential and reduced operational headaches thanks to its automated systems. For entrepreneurs who can meet the requirements, Assett represents an opportunity to build a larger cleaning company from the start, rather than incrementally inching upward.
Comparing The Buildingstars Franchise and Assett: Key Differences
Ownership: Corporate Parent vs. Family-Owned
When it comes to leadership and company culture, Buildingstars and Assett have fundamentally different ownership structures. Buildingstars is part of a parent corporation (Facility Brands Inc.) according to entrepreneur.com.
This means franchisees join a large network with established corporate policies and a long track record. The tone is professional and proven, though it can feel bureaucratic to some. In contrast, Assett Franchise is a family-owned business run by its founder and a close-knit team. Franchisees here may find a more personal touch – direct access to the CEO, mentorship from someone who’s built the business from scratch, and a sense of being part of a family rather than a faceless system. Neither model is inherently better: Buildingstars’ corporate backing can provide extensive resources and stability, while Assett’s family ownership can offer agility and individualized attention. For franchisees, the decision might hinge on whether you prefer the structure of an established franchise giant or the collaborative spirit of a growing family enterprise. Assett’s owners are deeply invested in each franchisee’s success (they wear multiple hats to support you), whereas Buildingstars has layered regional managers and departments to assist you. Both franchises have strong support, but the style of support and relationship to leadership will differ. Those who value a tight community and direct, empathetic support may lean toward Assett, whereas those who appreciate big-brand prestige and systems might favor Buildingstars.
Franchise Structure: Small Start vs. Executive Model
Another major difference is the scale at which franchisees operate from the outset. Buildingstars is structured to let franchisees start small and gradually scale. You can begin as essentially an owner-operator (the Technician level) with minimal investment, and over time you can progress to running a larger operation (Corporate level) once you gain experience and capital. This stair-step approach is great if you want to start part-time or with a lower financial risk, and build your way up. On the other hand, Assett Franchise is designed as an “executive” business from Day One. From the outset, Assett expects you to run a full-time operation, focusing on acquiring clients and managing teams rather than doing the cleaning yourself.
The initial investment is higher, but so is the immediate earning potential. In essence, Buildingstars targets smaller franchisees – someone content with, say, a $50K-$100K per year side business initially – whereas Assett is ideal for owners aiming for a $1M+ enterprise who are ready to “be the boss” full-time and scale up rapidly.
If you prefer to crawl-walk-run in business, Buildingstars offers that pathway with incremental levels. If you’d rather dive into a sizable business with the infrastructure to support quick growth, Assett’s model will set you up that way. This also means that Assett may reach profitability on a larger scale sooner (because you start with larger goals), while Buildingstars lets you learn the ropes on a smaller scale before expanding. Your personal goals and risk tolerancewill determine which structure fits best.
Income Potential and Growth
Directly tied to franchise structure is the question of income potential. Simply put, Assett’s model offers a higher ceiling on revenue in a given territory, whereas Buildingstars often starts with a lower revenue base that can grow over time. Assett openly advertises that each franchise territory is capable of “$1,000,000+” in gross annual sales when fully developed. They have engineered their program (training, systems, support) specifically for achieving big numbers under one franchise owner. Buildingstars franchisees can also grow substantially, especially if they advance to the Corporate level and even become regional Master Franchisees. In fact, Buildingstars does give ambitious owners the chance to become Master Franchisees who recruit and support unit franchisees in their area.
However, the typical new Buildingstars franchisee will start with a handful of accounts and may only reach that million-dollar mark after adding many accounts or upgrading programs over several years. Assett essentially fast-tracks you to go after large contracts and multiple accounts from the start, shortening the timeline to high revenues (assuming one executes well on sales and hiring). For someone evaluating these opportunities, ask yourself: Do you want a business that can potentially rival a mid-size cleaning company in a few years (Assett), or are you satisfied growing a smaller operation gradually (Buildingstars)? Both franchises can be lucrative, but Assett is structured to chase bigger clients (think corporate facilities, multi-site contracts) under one franchise, whereas a new Buildingstars owner might focus on smaller offices and add them one by one. It’s also worth noting that with greater revenue comes greater responsibility – running a million-dollar enterprise means managing more employees and complexity. Buildingstars’ gradual growth model might suit those who prefer to learn and scale at a comfortable pace, while Assett’s high-growth model suits those who are driven to build a large business quickly and have the bandwidth to manage it.
Technology and Operations
When comparing the two, Assett Franchise holds a distinct edge in technology and automation, while Buildingstars relies on more traditional (yet proven) methods. Buildingstars certainly provides modern marketing support (SEO, social media, email campaigns) and an intranet platform for franchisees.
However, much of the day-to-day operational heavy lifting (scheduling cleaners, training staff, etc.) falls to the franchisee or the regional office’s guidance. In contrast, Assett equips its franchisees with advanced tools: the automated hiring system, custom software, and a protected knowledge base of best practices.
These tools effectively systematize major parts of the business that typically consume an owner’s time. For example, instead of manually posting job ads and interviewing dozens of janitors, an Assett owner can rely on the automated system to keep a steady pipeline of vetted cleaners ready to hire. This can dramatically reduce the time to staff new contracts. Buildingstars franchisees may lean on their region’s support center to help find workers or subcontractors, but they do not advertise an equivalent automated platform – it’s a more hands-on process. Additionally, Assett’s use of data and management software means owners can monitor KPIs (key performance indicators) like monthly recurring revenue, client retention, or employee performance in real-time. This tech-driven approach appeals to entrepreneurs who want to leverage efficiency and data-driven decision making in running their franchise. On the other hand, entrepreneurs who are less tech-savvy or who prefer a simpler setup might find Buildingstars’ approach sufficient for their needs (especially in the early stages when the business is smaller). Ultimately, Assett’s unique selling proposition is that these enterprise-level systems give their franchisees a competitive advantage and save money in the long run (for instance, reducing turnover through better hiring means fewer training cycles and more consistent service quality). If you value innovation and are comfortable adopting new technology, Assett checks that box in a way Buildingstars doesn’t. If you feel that the personal support from a regional director and your own management abilities are enough to handle hiring and operations, Buildingstars provides the necessary fundamentals too – just in a more conventional manner.
Buildingstars Franchise vs Assett Franchise Costs and Fees Comparison
Both franchises require an investment, but their cost structures differ in line with their models. Below is a side-by-side comparison of key costs and fees:
| Cost & Fees | Buildingstars Franchise | Assett Franchise |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $795 – $46,995 (tiers) ifpg.org $795 gets you started at the Technician level, while higher levels cost more.* | Territory License Fee (Exact fee disclosed in FDD) In line with $30K–$80K for a protected territory |
| Total Startup Investment | $2,245 – $53,200 ifpg.org Low end for small program; high end if scaling to Corporate level. | Approx. $50,000 – $120,000 (including working capital) assettfranchise.com Assett expects a larger up-front investment to support a bigger launch. |
| Royalty on Gross Sales | 10% of gross revenues ifpg.org. | 7-3% (typical, exact % in FDD). Comparable royalty, invested back into franchise support. |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | Varies by region (often a small percent or flat fee). | National Branding Fee of 0.05% |
| Admin/Management Fees | Yes – up to 20% for entry program vettedbiz.com. Technician franchises pay an additional 20% for admin/management support; this fee drops at higher levels. | No Extra Management Fee. Assett’s support is covered by the royalty; no separate admin surcharge. |
| New Account Sales Fee | Yes (fee when franchisor provides you a new client account). Ensures franchisor and master share in account acquisition success. | No separate Account Fee. Assett helps you land clients as part of support; growth is incentivized by royalty alone. |
| Financing Options | In-house financing available for initial fee & equipment entrepreneur.com. | Third-party financing available |
In summary, Buildingstars is the lower-cost option to start, making it one of the best cleaning franchises for entrepreneurs on a tight budget. You can begin for under $10,000 total, which is remarkably affordable.
Assett requires a more significant investment, more in line with launching a full-fledged business with employees and systems from the get-go. However, Assett also does not tack on numerous extra fees beyond the standard royalty, whereas a Buildingstars franchisee, especially at the entry level, will see various fees (royalty + admin + account fees) that collectively reduce their net margins. Over time, Assett’s higher initial cost could be offset by its higher earning potential and possibly more owner-friendly fee structure. Prospective franchisees should weigh immediate affordability against long-term income opportunity. If you have limited capital, Buildingstars offers a way to get in the game and expand later. If you have more to invest and want to maximize returns and efficiency, Assett may deliver better value through its streamlined fees and robust systems.
Which Franchise to Choose? The Buildingstars Franchise or Assett?
Both Buildingstars and Assett are reputable commercial cleaning franchise opportunities, but they cater to different types of entrepreneurs. The Buildingstars Franchise is ideal for those who seek a lower-cost start and gradual path in the cleaning industry – it’s backed by a major parent company, offers low entry costs, and provides solid support for operating a smaller franchise unit. Buildingstars deserves respect for its longevity, large network, and the success stories of franchisees who have grown from part-time operators to multi-unit or master franchise owners. On the other hand, Assett Franchise positions itself as the innovative up-and-comer, appealing to ambitious individuals who want to build a larger cleaning business franchise with cutting-edge tools. Assett’s family-owned, personalized approach, its promise of million-dollar revenue potential, and its automated systems for hiring and management give it a persuasive edge for entrepreneurs who desire rapid growth and efficiency.
In a persuasive lens, if your goal is to maximize your income and build a sizeable enterprise in the cleaning sector, Assett Franchise offers a compelling advantage. It combines the mentorship of a family business with the sophistication of a big corporation’s technology. Assett owners can save time and money thanks to the automated hiring system and be confident that they’re working toward a high revenue target under a supportive, hands-on leadership team.
That said, choosing a franchise is a highly individual decision. You should consider your financial situation, lifestyle goals, and management style. If you prefer to start small, keep overhead low, or perhaps maintain another job while growing your franchise (Buildingstars even allows semi-absentee ownership), then Buildingstars is a professional and well-regarded choice. If you’re ready to commit full-time and aim high, Assett’s model, with its modern approach and larger-scale orientation, might just give you the edge to build a thriving, executive-level cleaning business. Both companies ultimately help businesses keep their workplaces clean and healthy – how you want to get there (step-by-step with Buildingstars or all-in with Assett) is up to you. Evaluate what franchise ownership experience you envision, and you’ll make the right decision for your future.
