If you’re exploring franchise opportunities beyond the commercial cleaning space, you might have come across House Doctors Franchise. House Doctors is a well-known home improvement and handyman franchise that appeals to entrepreneurs who want to manage a property repair business. In this in-depth review, we’ll break down what the House Doctors franchise offers – from its background and costs to the nature of the home services industry – and then compare it to the commercial cleaning business franchise model. Is House Doctors the right opportunity for you, or is there a “cleaner” alternative with greater long-term benefits? Let’s dive in.
What Is the House Doctors Franchise Opportunity?
House Doctors is a franchise that lets you own and operate a home improvement and handyman services business. It’s part of the broader home services sector, serving homeowners (and some businesses) with repair, maintenance, and light remodeling needs. Below, we’ll provide an overview of the company and industry, what franchisees receive, and the startup costs and fees associated with a House Doctors franchise.
Company Overview and Industry
House Doctors has been operating for over two decades in the home improvement industry. The company was established in the late 1990s (founded around 1997 in Ohio) and began franchising nationwide around that time. Over the years, it has expanded steadily and today boasts roughly 85–88 franchise locations across the United States. Notably, House Doctors is now part of Premium Service Brands, a multi-brand franchisor that acquired House Doctors in 2021. Being under a larger franchise umbrella means House Doctors franchisees are connected to a network of over 1,100 home service locations (across all PSB brands) and benefit from shared resources and experience.
In terms of industry category, House Doctors operates in the home improvement and handyman services space. This is a home services franchise focusing on small to mid-sized projects for property owners. Unlike a retail or food franchise, a House Doctors business is typically run from a small office or even a home office, dispatching technicians to client sites. The handyman industry involves providing repair and maintenance services that homeowners either cannot do or prefer to outsource – a market often called the “do it for me” market, which has grown as people have become too busy (or not skilled enough) to tackle all their home repairs.
House Doctors has positioned itself as a trusted, professional handyman brand. It emphasizes qualities like reliability, excellent customer service, and professionalism – traits that homeowners look for when inviting someone into their home for repairs. The company’s reputation is reinforced by practices such as a one-year labor guarantee on all services, thoroughly vetted technicians (licensed, bonded, background-checked), and prompt, upfront pricing according to sharpsheets.io. In essence, House Doctors aims to bring a higher level of trust and consistency to the fragmented handyman market, where independent contractors vary widely in quality.
In summary, House Doctors operates in a large and growing home improvement industry. Home repair and remodeling is a multi-billion dollar market, driven by aging housing stock and homeowners’ desire to maintain and improve their properties. The franchise’s longevity (25+ years) and nationwide presence indicate it has a proven model in this sector.
What Franchisees Get
As a House Doctors franchisee, you won’t be personally swinging a hammer – instead, your role is to manage and grow a team of technicians who perform the work. The company’s model is built for an owner-manager approach: you coach and coordinate a crew of trained handymen to serve your territory’s customers, rather than doing repairs yourself. This makes the opportunity accessible even if you don’t have a construction or trades background. The ideal franchise owner is someone with general business or management skills who can focus on customer service, scheduling, and business growth, while hiring qualified technicians for the physical work.
Services Offered: House Doctors franchises offer a wide range of home improvement and repair services. This includes everything from small “handyman” fixes up to moderate renovation projects. For example, franchisees can generate revenue through quick repairs, furniture assembly, carpentry and drywall fixes, minor electrical and plumbing work, painting, and even larger remodeling projects. They also provide specialized services like aging-in-place home modifications (such as installing handrails or wheelchair ramps for seniors). This comprehensive service menu means franchisees can be a one-stop solution for homeowners, addressing many different needs with a single trusted provider. By offering diverse services, a House Doctors franchise can tap into multiple revenue streams – from small jobs that fill the schedule daily, to occasional big-ticket remodels.
Customer Base: The primary customers are residential homeowners, although House Doctors notes it can also serve businesses for light commercial handyman tasks. In practice, most of the revenue comes from homeowners who need help with maintenance or improvement projects around the house. The franchise markets itself to busy families, retirees, and any property owner who prefers to “hire a professional” rather than attempt DIY repairs. Because homeowners’ to-do lists are constant, there is repeat business potential – satisfied customers may call House Doctors again for future needs. However, it’s important to note that this business is generally project-based (one job at a time) rather than contractual recurring service. You build a customer base by earning trust on each job so that clients call you back for the next issue or refer you to friends.
Support and Tools Provided: House Doctors provides franchise owners with a proven business model and ongoing support network. New franchisees go through comprehensive initial training, learning how to run the business, use the systems, and market services. The franchisor also offers continued coaching and a “dedicated support team,” so you’re not on your own when challenges arise. Key support features include:
- Marketing and Advertising Support: House Doctors contributes national marketing efforts and guidance on local marketing. Franchisees pay into a marketing fund (more on fees below), which is used to promote the brand and generate leads. The brand’s marketing materials, website, and advertising campaigns are made available to owners, helping you attract customers in your territory.
- Proprietary Software Systems: Efficient operations are enabled by House Doctors’ software platform for scheduling, estimates, and business management. This technology helps track jobs, manage appointments, and ensure smooth communication with clients. There is also a centralized Contact Center that handles customer inquiries and booking calls on behalf of franchisees (funded by a small fee), so you don’t miss leads and can focus on running the business.
- Ongoing Training and Networking: The franchisor hosts ongoing training programs, webinars, and an annual conference to keep franchisees updated on best practices and new services. Being part of the Premium Service Brands family may also offer cross-brand franchisee networks for referral opportunities and shared learning.
- Brand Credibility: As part of a known franchise, you have branding elements like the House Doctors name, logo, and even a one-year workmanship guarantee policy to offer customers. The company highlights its professional image (uniformed techs, marked vehicles, etc.) and quality standards to differentiate from independent handymen. This can help you win customers who value reliability and backing by a national brand.
In essence, a House Doctors franchisee gets a turnkey framework to start a home repair business – including training, marketing tools, business processes, and ongoing support. You supply the leadership and local effort to build your client base, while the franchisor provides the playbook and resources to help you succeed in your territory.
Startup Costs and Ongoing Fees
Like any franchise, investing in a House Doctors franchise requires an upfront investment and ongoing fees. House Doctors positions itself as a relatively low-cost home improvement franchise within the services sector, with an emphasis on accessibility for first-time business owners. Here’s a breakdown of the financials:
- Initial Investment: The total initial investment for a House Doctors franchise ranges from about $120,000 up to $191,000. This range covers all the costs to get the business started. It includes a one-time franchise fee of $65,000 (which secures your territory and the rights to use the brand), plus the expenses for equipment, initial marketing, training, insurance, and some working capital. According to the Franchise Disclosure Document, a new owner should budget roughly $120K–$145K for the business setup itself, plus additional working capital if planning for a more comfortable cushion. The company recommends having at least $50,000 in liquid capital and a net worth of $150,000 to qualify – this ensures you can cover startup costs and sustain the business in the early months.
- Cost Breakdown: Because it’s a home-based/mobile service business, real estate costs are minimal (you can often start from home with $0 in leasehold improvements). Required equipment and supplies are also modest – about $1,250 to $4,500 for tools and materials to outfit your handyman technicians according to franchisechatter.com. Many franchisees will invest in a service vehicle (van or truck) with branding, estimated $1,500 to $5,000 (possibly for wrapping an existing vehicle or a down payment on one). Other cost components include insurance, a technology package, signage, initial training travel, licensing, and a grand opening marketing budget (around $2,500–$5,000). House Doctors also suggests having 3–6 months of operating cash ($25K–$40K) on hand to cover expenses until the business breaks even. All of these add up to the total initial investment figure.
- Franchise Fee: $65,000 (one-time, included in the above initial investment). This is on the higher side for service franchises, reflecting the value of the established brand and systems. (Note: Veterans can often get a 10% discount on the franchise fee, as House Doctors participates in VetFran programs).
- Royalty Fee: Ongoing royalties are 6% of gross sales. This means each month you’ll pay 6% of your revenue to the franchisor. There is a minimum royalty floor of $150 per week in case sales are very low initially. In return, you get continued use of the brand, support, and system updates.
- Marketing/Brand Fund: 2% of gross sales goes toward the national marketing fund. The franchisor uses this to drive brand awareness and lead generation through advertising, digital marketing, etc., benefiting all franchisees. Additionally, franchisees may be expected to spend a certain amount on local marketing (sometimes this is structured as a required minimum or cooperative fund). In House Doctors’ case, the FDD indicates there’s an Advertising Cooperative Fee of up to 2% of sales or $10,000 per year (whichever is greater) if a regional co-op is established.
- Call Center Fee: A unique aspect is the Contact Center Fee of 2% of gross sales. House Doctors runs a centralized call center that fields customer calls and inquiries for franchisees, helping convert leads into booked jobs. The 2% fee supports this service. Essentially, you’re outsourcing your receptionist and some customer service duties to the franchisor’s call center – which can be valuable in ensuring every customer call is answered professionally and promptly.
- Other Ongoing Costs: Beyond franchise fees, you’ll have typical business expenses like paying your technicians’ wages, fuel/vehicle maintenance, insurance renewals, and supplies replenishment. There may be tech fees or software subscriptions, but House Doctors’ itemized initial fees included a one-time technology fee of $5,000 which likely covers the system setup. Always review the latest Franchise Disclosure Document for any additional fees (for example, some franchises have audit fees, renewal fees after 5-10 years, etc., though those are infrequent costs).
In summary, to start a House Doctors franchise you’re looking at roughly a $120K–$190K investment upfront, and around 8–10% of your revenue going to ongoing fees (royalties + marketing + call center). Compared to many brick-and-mortar franchises, the costs are relatively low – there’s no expensive real estate or heavy equipment required, and you can scale up as business grows by adding more technicians. The financial model is typical for a service franchise: moderate initial investment, and ongoing fees that fund the support and branding that ideally help you generate more revenue.
To evaluate the opportunity, you’ll also want to know how franchisees are performing financially. While results vary, House Doctors does provide some earnings data. According to its franchise materials, the average annual revenue for a House Doctors unit is about $461,000 per year. Top performers achieve significantly more – the top quartile of franchisees average about $1.36 million in annual gross sales. This suggests that, once established, a House Doctors franchise can scale to seven-figure revenue by capturing a large customer base in a good territory. However, not every franchisee reaches that level, and many will be around the half-million-dollar range in yearly sales. It’s important to consider factors like your local market demand, how effectively you market services, and your ability to build a team, as these will influence your actual earnings. The franchisor’s Item 19 financial disclosures (available in the FDD) can provide more insight into average, median, and range of franchisee sales. Overall, the earnings potential in the handyman business is solid but tends to correlate with the effort in building client relationships and the scale of operations you develop.
How the Industry Itself Compares
When considering House Doctors, you’re not just evaluating one franchise – you’re also implicitly choosing the handyman/home improvement industry as your playing field. It’s important to compare that industry to others you might invest in. Many prospective franchisees who look at House Doctors might also consider opportunities in commercial cleaning, since both appeal to entrepreneurs seeking a service business with relatively low overhead.
In this section, we’ll compare the home improvement/handyman industry (House Doctors’ domain) with the commercial cleaning industry (Assett Franchise’s domain). We’ll be honest about the pros and cons of each, while ultimately showing why commercial cleaning can be the better opportunity for long-term stability, scalability, and profitability for many first-time business owners.
House Doctors’ Industry Advantages
The home improvement and handyman services industry does offer some compelling advantages to franchise owners:
- High Demand from Homeowners: Houses don’t fix themselves. There is constant demand for repair and maintenance services among homeowners, especially as the general population becomes less DIY-oriented. Many people have a long “to-do list” of minor fixes or upgrades but lack the time, tools, or skills to do it on their own. House Doctors explicitly targets this growing “do it for me” market of busy or less-handy homeowners. This means a well-run handyman business can stay busy year-round with a stream of projects, from fixing leaky faucets to installing new light fixtures. The aging housing stock in the U.S. also drives demand – as homes built decades ago now require updates and repairs, professional handymen are in greater need.
- Diversified Services = Multiple Revenue Streams: Unlike a specialized business, a handyman franchise can earn money from many different services. House Doctors franchisees can take on “quick repairs to full-room renovations,” giving them the ability to capture both small jobs and larger projects. This diversity means you aren’t reliant on a single line of work – if one type of job (say, deck building) is seasonal or slows down, you can fill the schedule with other jobs (like indoor painting or appliance installations). Cross-selling opportunities abound: a customer who calls you to repair some drywall could later hire you for a bathroom remodel. This flexibility can lead to a broader customer base and resilience against market fluctuations in any one service category.
- Personal Satisfaction and Community Impact: Many owners find it rewarding to help homeowners maintain and improve their most important investment – their home. You’re solving real problems (a door that won’t close, a kitchen that needs updating) and often develop friendly relationships with clients. A handyman business is tangible and local; your work is visible in the community and often appreciated by customers who truly needed the help. For franchisees who enjoy home improvement themselves or like a job where every day is a bit different, this industry can be quite fulfilling. You’re not stuck behind a desk or confined to one location – you’re out in the community making a difference in people’s lives by improving their homes.
- Growing Market and Trends: The home services market is massive. Home improvement expenditures in the U.S. are in the hundreds of billions of dollars annually. While exact figures vary, House Doctors cites that the home improvement industry is a “billion-dollar market” continuing to grow. Trends such as an aging population (needing age-in-place modifications), increasing home values (people invest in upgrades), and more dual-income families (with less time for DIY) all fuel demand for professional handyman services. Even during economic downturns, certain repairs can’t be postponed when something vital breaks. There’s also a trend of homeowners preferring one trusted company for a variety of needs, rather than juggling different contractors – this “one-call-does-it-all” convenience works in favor of franchise brands that can market themselves as reliable general fix-it solution providers.
Despite these advantages, it’s worth noting that the handyman industry also comes with challenges. It can be highly localized and fragmented, with competition from independent handymen, local remodelers, and other franchises. Customer acquisition is often job-by-job – you have to continuously win new projects, since work isn’t typically recurring on a fixed schedule. Also, coordinating a variety of services means you need technicians skilled in different trades (or multi-skilled), which can make hiring a critical challenge. Seasonality can have an effect too; for instance, exterior projects like gutter repairs or painting are weather-dependent, and you might see business spikes in spring/summer versus slower winters. Lastly, residential customers can be particular – when working in someone’s home, you must deliver great service to earn positive reviews and referrals, as homeowners’ expectations are high for their personal space. These factors make the handyman business rewarding but also operationally involved.
Compared to the Commercial Cleaning Industry
Now, let’s contrast the above with the commercial cleaning industry, where Assett Franchise operates. Commercial cleaning (janitorial services for offices, schools, medical facilities, etc.) offers a different dynamic that, for many entrepreneurs, can translate into greater long-term stability and scalability. Here are some key advantages of commercial cleaning relative to a home repair business:
- $100+ Billion Market Serving Businesses (Not Just Homes): The U.S. commercial cleaning services industry is enormous – roughly a $100 billion market annually. It’s comparable in size to the entire home improvement sector and continues to grow post-pandemic. The critical difference is who the customers are: commercial cleaning focuses on businesses and organizations rather than individual homeowners. Every office building, school, hospital, retail store, or warehouse needs cleaning. This means the pool of potential clients is vast and diverse, and you’re tapping into B2B demand (business-to-business) which tends to be more consistent and driven by necessity. There are over 1.2 million commercial cleaning businesses in the U.S. meeting this demand, indicating strong overall opportunities (and also a fragmented market that a well-run franchise can stand out in).
- Essential and Recession-Resistant Service: Cleaning is not a luxury – it’s essential. A dirty office or unsanitary medical clinic is not acceptable, regardless of the economy. Commercial cleaning is required in all economic climates and even more so in a post-COVID world where hygiene is a top priority for businesses. While homeowners might postpone a kitchen remodel during a recession, a company is unlikely to cancel its cleaning contract if it wants to keep operating normally. This makes commercial cleaning relatively recession-resistant. In fact, economic downturns can sometimes benefit cleaning companies, as businesses outsource cleaning to save internal costs or emphasize cleanliness to protect employee health. The steady, essential nature of janitorial services provides a stability that project-based home improvement may lack.
- Recurring Revenue Contracts: Perhaps the biggest advantage: commercial cleaning typically runs on recurring contracts, whereas handyman work is usually one-off projects. In a cleaning franchise, you secure contracts to clean a facility on a set schedule – e.g., an office might contract for cleaning 5 nights a week for 12 months. This means once you sign a client, you have locked-in recurring revenue and a predictable service schedule. Long-term B2B contracts create a compounding effect: each new client adds a stable revenue stream on top of the last. Over time, you can build a sizable book of business that generates consistent monthly income. In contrast, a handyman business largely resets to zero each month and must continuously book new jobs. The recurring revenue model in cleaning smooths out the income volatility and makes it easier to forecast growth. It also enhances the value of the business should you ever resell it, because a base of contracts is attractive to buyers.
- Lower Operational Complexity: Running a cleaning business can be operationally simpler than a home repair business. The scope of work – janitorial cleaning tasks – is more standardized and routine, versus the wide variety of tasks in handyman services. Cleaning crews perform fairly repetitive duties (vacuuming, trash removal, restroom sanitization, etc.) following a checklist, which is easier to systematize. In a handyman franchise, every day’s schedule might involve completely different types of jobs, tools, and skills (fixing a deck in the morning, repairing drywall at noon, installing light fixtures in the afternoon, for example). That variety is interesting but means more operational oversight and expertise is required to ensure each job is done correctly. With commercial cleaning, you can train staff more quickly and manage quality through standard operating procedures. There’s also less risk involved in cleaning – an employee is far less likely to, say, burst a pipe or cause property damage when cleaning, whereas a handyman doing electrical work or heavy repairs carries more liability and skill risk. Fewer technical variables make the cleaning business easier to scale without needing highly specialized employees.
- Easier to Scale with Labor – No Expensive Equipment or Facilities Needed: Both handyman and cleaning businesses are human-powered, but scaling a cleaning franchise generally just means hiring more cleaners and adding shifts, not buying lots of equipment or opening new locations. Cleaning doesn’t require heavy machinery; basic cleaning tools and supplies are inexpensive and often provided by the client or covered in your contract. You also typically don’t need a prime commercial storefront – many cleaning company owners work from a small office or home office and use a garage or storage unit for supplies. In contrast, some home improvement franchises eventually require a warehouse for tools/materials or a showroom for remodeling samples if they expand into larger projects. Commercial cleaning has a low asset footprint: you won’t invest in costly equipment or vehicles beyond perhaps a van or two for transporting crews. This lean model means more of your revenue can go toward marketing and hiring, rather than fixed costs. It’s one reason why a commercial cleaning franchise often touts “low cost of entry with high income potential,” as you can start relatively small but grow to service many contracts without a proportional increase in overhead.
- Semi-Absentee Ownership Potential: If your goal is to work on the business rather than in it, commercial cleaning is well-suited for that. Because of the standardized nature of the work and recurring schedule, an owner can put a manager or team leader in place to handle day-to-day supervision of cleaning crews. Many cleaning franchise owners operate in a semi-absentee capacity, sometimes putting in as little as 5-10 hours per week once the business is up and running smoothly. Assett Franchise, for example, is built to allow owners to oversee strategy and growth while a small staff handles operations. In a handyman franchise, semi-absentee ownership can be trickier – the business often relies on the owner’s oversight for scheduling varied jobs, doing quality checks (since each project is unique), and handling client consultations/estimates which can be time-intensive. While you can hire a general manager for any business, the predictability and night-time schedule of commercial cleaning (often done after business hours) make it inherently easier for an owner not to be on-site constantly. This flexibility and work-life balance angle is a big draw for cleaning businesses.
- Recession and Seasonality Resilience: We touched on recession resistance, but also consider seasonality. Many home service businesses have seasonal swings – e.g. landscaping peaks in summer, certain repairs happen in spring/fall, etc. Commercial cleaning is largely steady throughout the year; offices need cleaning whether it’s January or July. There might be slight slowdowns around holidays or year-end budget times, but nothing like the seasonal shutdowns some home improvement companies face (for instance, exterior painting basically halts in winter in cold climates). So, you get a more even revenue stream year-round.
- Customer Relationships are Business-Oriented: Dealing with businesses can often be more straightforward than dealing with homeowners. B2B clients usually care about reliable service and cost-effectiveness. Decisions are made based on budgets and outcomes, not emotion. In residential settings, a homeowner might cancel a project due to personal budget cuts or get very emotional about the color of paint or the timing of a repair. Commercial clients, by contrast, just want the job done consistently so they can focus on their own business. This can mean fewer sudden cancellations and a more professional, long-term relationship. As long as you perform well, businesses tend to renew contracts year after year. In short, commercial clients equal more predictable, professional engagements, whereas residential customers can have more unpredictable “emotional” buying cycles (tied to personal finances and preferences).
In highlighting these advantages, it’s clear that the commercial cleaning industry offers a pathway to building a scalable, stable business with recurring income. That’s not to say it’s without challenges – for example, commercial cleaning can be competitive and labor-intensive as well, and you must maintain quality to retain contracts. However, many of the structural challenges of the handyman industry (job variability, skilled labor dependency, one-and-done jobs, etc.) are inherently solved by the cleaning model’s focus on recurring service and simpler scope of work.
To boil it down: House Doctors’ home improvement industry is solid and can be profitable, but a commercial cleaning franchise offers more predictability and potentially higher long-term scalability. Next, let’s see how Assett Franchise leverages these industry advantages and how it compares directly to House Doctors.
How the Assett Franchise Compares
Assett Franchise is a commercial cleaning business franchise led by founder Matt Pencarinha according to bizbuysell.com. Since Assett operates in the commercial cleaning industry we just discussed, it already starts with the benefits of that space – essential services, recurring B2B revenue, and a huge market. But Assett goes further by designing its model specifically for entrepreneurs who want a simpler, high-potential business that fits their life. Let’s compare Assett’s approach to what we learned about House Doctors:
Simpler Systems, Bigger Potential
Assett Franchise is built around the idea of maximizing revenue with minimal complexity. In contrast to a handyman franchise, where owners juggle many service types and on-the-fly project management, Assett’s focus (commercial cleaning) allows for streamlined systems. As an Assett franchisee, you benefit from a proven model with straightforward operations. You’ll be cleaning commercial facilities – a service that can be standardized and repeated. The franchise provides a full business playbook, so even if you have no industry experience, you can hit the ground running with established procedures for training cleaners, quality checking sites, and winning contracts.
The simplicity of the model doesn’t limit the income – in fact, Assett’s structure is designed for scalability to $1M+ in recurring revenue per year, similar to the top end of House Doctors but with far less unpredictability. Because revenue is built client-by-client (contract-by-contract) rather than tiny job by job, you can scale up by steadily adding commercial accounts. Assett emphasizes working on the business, not in it. That means as an owner you focus on high-level tasks: building client relationships, ensuring customer satisfaction, and managing your team, rather than personally doing cleaning or constantly troubleshooting unique repair jobs. For first-time entrepreneurs, this straightforward, B2B-focused model is often easier to learn and execute successfully. It’s an ideal entry path for someone transitioning from a corporate career to business ownership – you leverage your professional skills (communication, management, customer service) in a simple service context with big potential.
In short, Assett offers a simpler operational playbook and a business model already situated in a high-demand, $100B industry. You get the benefit of recurring revenue and an essential service, which together create a larger long-term upside with fewer moving parts to manage daily.
Automated Hiring = Time and Money Saved
One of the biggest headaches in any service business (whether cleaning or handyman or otherwise) is hiring and retaining good employees. Assett Franchise recognized this and turned it into one of its standout advantages: an automated hiring system that continually sources and filters cleaning staff for you. This is a game-changer. Consider House Doctors or similar franchises – as the owner, you’d have to spend significant time recruiting skilled technicians, vetting their qualifications, and dealing with turnover. Given the skilled labor shortage in trades, that can eat up 20+ hours a week or force you to hire a recruiter/manager, adding cost. House Doctors franchisees often cite hiring of reliable handymen as a primary challenge, since each tech needs a broad skill set and good customer manner.
Assett flips this script by providing technology and processes that automate much of the hiring pipeline. For example, Assett’s system might use smart online ads, screening questionnaires, and scheduled interview prompts to keep a steady flow of applicants, so you’re never short-staffed for cleaning contracts. The result is that Assett owners can save 20–30 hours per week in management time that would otherwise be spent on HR tasks. It’s like having an HR manager working in the background at a fraction of the cost. This not only saves time but also ensures you have a consistently high-quality workforce at scale. When a new contract comes on, you can quickly onboard pre-vetted cleaning staff to service it, rather than turning down business due to labor shortages.
The automated hiring system ultimately means time and money saved for Assett franchisees. You avoid the scenario of having to pay a full-time recruiter or manager to find and train employees. And by maintaining a larger pool of qualified cleaners ready to work, you can take on more contracts confidently. It’s a form of operational efficiency that directly impacts your bottom line and growth potential. In comparison, a House Doctors owner might spend a lot of their energy juggling technician schedules, interviewing candidates with trade experience, and worrying about an employee leaving to start their own independent handyman gig. Assett’s model relieves that pain point significantly, so you can focus on growing the business (or enjoy a more hands-off ownership role).
Personalized and Founder-Led
Another area where Assett stands out is its culture and leadership structure. Assett is a family-owned franchise company led by its founder, Matt Pencarinha. This means when you join Assett, you’re getting a personalized, founder-led experience – something that can be quite different from joining a franchise that’s part of a large private equity-owned portfolio (like House Doctors under Premium Service Brands).
Why does this matter? For one, franchisees at Assett have direct access to leadership and guidance. Matt and the leadership team are closely involved in supporting franchise owners. Your training, weekly calls, and strategy sessions might be directly with the people who developed the system and genuinely care about each franchisee’s success. In a big multi-brand franchisor, support can still be good, but it’s often more corporate – you might be dealing with hired franchise business consultants who juggle dozens of brands, and the CEO is several layers removed. Assett offers a tight-knit community feel, where every franchisee is known by name. This can translate to more attentive support, faster responses to issues, and the ability to influence the franchise system’s evolution (your feedback goes straight to the top).
Assett Franchise also prides itself on a clear mission and community-focused model. Being founder-led means the company’s original vision – helping entrepreneurs build a business that fits their life while delivering excellent service – remains front and center. It’s not diluted by investor demands or rapid-fire expansion goals. For franchisees, this often results in a more collaborative culture: you’re joining a family business of sorts, where the success of each owner is a priority to the franchisor, not just numbers on a spreadsheet. House Doctors, while a strong brand, is now one of many brands in a larger corporation’s portfolio. The tone and focus there may lean more towards hitting growth targets and standardizing across brands, as is common with private equity-owned franchisors.
To put it simply, Assett offers a level of personal touch and authenticity that can be very appealing if you value close mentorship and a mission-driven approach. The founder’s involvement can make you feel like part of a small family rather than just another franchise location. This is an intangible but important factor for many new franchise owners who want to be part of something where they can make an impact and receive genuine support.
Final Thoughts
Both House Doctors and Assett Franchise offer viable paths to business ownership, but they cater to different preferences and goals. House Doctors franchise could be a great fit for someone passionate about home improvement – an owner who doesn’t mind the hands-on coordination of varied projects and who finds satisfaction in fixing up homes. It has a respectable brand history, a growing presence, and a place in a robust home services market. For the right type of buyer – perhaps a person with some construction background or a strong interest in residential remodeling – House Doctors provides a chance to build a local reputation as the go-to home repair business. You’ll get the backing of a known name and the fulfillment of helping homeowners with tangible projects.
That said, Assett Franchise offers more advantages for someone who prioritizes scalability, simplicity, and stable income. If your goal is to build a scalable, stable business with low operational complexity and predictable recurring revenue, the commercial cleaning model shines. Assett layers on top of that a modern, tech-enabled approach (like automated hiring) and a supportive, founder-led culture, which reduce risk and speed up your path to profitability. You’re not dealing with the unpredictability of homeowner whims or one-off jobs; instead, you’re securing contracts that generate steady cash flow. The minimal risk and faster ROI of a cleaning business franchise come from that repeatable formula and essential service nature – you don’t have to bet on big one-time projects to pay off, you accumulate many small wins that add up. It’s also a business built for executive ownership – meaning you can operate at a higher level, possibly even semi-absentee, which appeals if you seek flexibility or want to keep your day job initially.
In conclusion, House Doctors has its strengths for those who love the idea of a home improvement enterprise. But if you’re an entrepreneur leaving a corporate career and you want a franchise that can deliver long-term income, flexibility, and control without the headaches of complex operations, Assett Franchise is likely the cleaner alternative and smarter choice.
If you’re exploring franchise opportunities and want a model that can deliver long-term income, flexibility, and control — we’d love to show you how Assett Franchise can help you build a business that works for your life. Visit https://assettfranchise.com to connect with our team and learn more.
