What Is the Restoration 1 Franchise Opportunity?
Company Overview and Industry: Restoration 1 is a property-restoration franchise specializing in emergency mitigation and reconstruction services. Founded in 2008 and franchising since 2010, the Dallas-based brand (with corporate offices in Texas/Florida) offers cleanup and rebuilding for properties damaged by water, fire, smoke, mold, storms, and other disasters. Restoration 1 operates in a very large ($60–210 billion) restoration services industry. The network has grown rapidly – as of 2025 there are roughly 298 Restoration 1 territories across 40+ states (with more in development). It has become one of the largest independent restoration franchise systems in the U.S.. The company highlights a recession-resistant, insurance-driven business model, and has received recognition (Franchise 500, industry awards) for its support and growth.
What Franchisees Get: Restoration 1 franchisees serve both residential and commercial clients, providing vital cleanup after disasters. Typical services include 24/7 emergency water extraction, flood and sewage cleanup, smoke/fire and mold damage restoration, storm and microbial remediation, and rebuilding/reconstruction work. Franchisees receive extensive training and support. New owners (and their technicians) must earn IICRC (and IAQA) certifications, which Restoration 1 helps provide during the onboarding process. The franchise offers a structured training program covering all aspects of the business – from managing operations to sales, marketing and technical procedures. Ongoing, franchisees tap into national marketing materials, vetted vendor partners, sales training and support teams for digital lead generationg. Owners also gain access to Restoration 1’s systems and technology stack for jobs and customer management. In short, Restoration 1 promises a turnkey operation: a proven service model plus field and office training so first-time entrepreneurs can “follow the system” without prior restoration experience.
Startup Costs and Ongoing Fees: Restoration 1 requires a moderate initial investment. The franchise fee is about $59,900 for a standard territory (with additional area fees for very large markets) according to franchisechatter.com. The total estimated startup cost ranges roughly from $126,000 to $309,000. This includes the franchise fee, training travel, vehicles, tools and equipment, initial supplies, insurance, licenses, and several months of working capital. For example, the FDD estimates up to $62,000 for specialty restoration tools and up to $60,000 for a work vehicle, plus smaller line items (uniforms, office setup, etc.). A technology/onboarding fee (~$525/month) and other small fees may apply.
Ongoing fees are a 7% royalty on gross revenues. Restoration 1 currently does not charge a required national advertising fee (the FDD allows up to 2% in the future). The brand fund contribution is not currently charged. There is a 7% continuing royalty (and a smaller 2% fee on construction/rebuild revenue). Veterans receive a $9,000 discount on the initial fee. In summary, Restoration 1 has upfront franchise fees around $60K, total initial cash to invest in the low six-figures, and a standard 7% royalty thereafter.
How the Industry Itself Compares
Restoration 1 Industry Advantages: The restoration industry has many strengths. Disasters (floods, fires, storms, etc.) happen every year, and cleanup/restoration is a truly essential service. As one franchise consultant notes, Restoration 1 has “hundreds of locations open or in development” and is poised to lead a multi-billion-dollar restoration services market. Demand tends to be counter-cyclical to the economy – homes and businesses must be fixed after damage regardless of market conditions – and much work is paid by insurance, enabling high-value contracts. Restoration franchisees can capture a wide range of revenue streams: emergency mitigation (water removal, board-ups), mold remediation, and reconstruction/build-out. The average restoration job can be large (often $10K–50K or more), so even moderate volume can drive significant revenue. In Franchise 19 reporting, Restoration 1 territories saw median annual gross revenues in the mid-six-figures, with top territories exceeding $2–6 million. Seasonality for restoration is generally low: weather events are unpredictable, and damage can occur any time of year. Overall, Restoration 1 offers franchisees an established national brand with proven systems in a high-demand industry that survived past recessions.
Compared to the Commercial Cleaning Industry: By contrast, the commercial cleaning industry (Assett’s arena) is massive and very stable. It’s often cited as a “$100+ billion” B2B market in the U.S.. Every office building, school, medical clinic, warehouse and retail location needs cleaning on a regular schedule – cleaning services are truly essential for health and safety. Because of this, commercial cleaning is considered one of the most recession-resistant businesses. Cleaning companies typically secure long-term contracts with businesses, generating a predictable, recurring revenue stream. The overhead is relatively low: no expensive inventory of restoration equipment is required, and most operations are home- or small-office-based. An owner can often cover a few accounts with a small crew of 3–5 people, meaning a commercial cleaning franchise scales by adding accounts, not by buying heavy equipment. Most cleaning jobs use readily available supplies and light equipment (vacuum, mop, chemicals), which keeps startup costs and risk modest.
By comparison, Restoration 1’s model has challenges. It is reactive and project-based – you must wait for accidents or disasters to occur. Revenue can spike after storms, but can be slow at other times. Owners often work in emergency mode, taking calls at any hour to minimize property loss. This can make scheduling and work-life balance more difficult. The restoration space is also crowded with many local independents, making lead generation competitive. Finally, clients in crisis (homeowners or businesses with damage) may take longer to pay (insurance claims) and have emotional buying cycles. In short, while both industries serve critical needs, commercial cleaning offers more steady, routine demand, fixed monthly billing and semi-absentee operation, whereas restoration is more episodic and hands-on.
- Commercial Cleaning Industry Advantages: Stable $100B+ B2B market; contracts with offices, schools and facilities that run year-round; essential service (health, appearance); predictable, recurring revenue from repeat contracts; low startup overhead (basic supplies, no build-out); largely insulated from recessions; and scalability via more contracts rather than costly assets.
- Restoration Industry Challenges: Business depends on unpredictable events (storms, floods, etc.) rather than regular schedules; heavier equipment needs (water extractors, dehumidifiers, PPE); often lengthy insurance claims processes; and a competitive field of local restoration providers. Clients are typically in emergency mode, which can make every job urgent but also stressful.
How the Assett Franchise Compares
Simpler Systems, Bigger Potential: Assett Franchise is built on the commercial cleaning model, which is simpler and more accessible. Assett was founded in 2019 by Matt Pencarinha (owner of a successful cleaning company) and began franchising in 2022 as stated in bizbuysell. Assett’s model is designed so owners “work on” the business, not get bogged down in every cleaning job. Franchisees get a proven, step-by-step business plan and state-of-the-art support. For example, Assett’s website emphasizes using a “proven business plan to launch your business and win customers”. Owners do not need cleaning experience – Assett provides training on operations, sales and management, just like Restoration 1 does for restorers. But Assett targets larger scale from day one. Assett explicitly promotes a “Proven $1,000,000+ Cleaning Franchise Model” and encourages franchisees to secure big commercial contracts (whole office buildings, medical centers, etc.) and build a full team. In other words, the franchise blueprint is tuned for exponential growth to the million-dollar range, whereas some cleaning brands only expect owners to run a small route. If you want to build a sizable, semi-absentee cleaning enterprise, Assett’s systems are geared for that high income potential. And because Assett has already dialed in marketing and operations (from its own company history), it skips the costly trial-and-error stage – you start with the methods that “worked and how to apply it in your city”.
Automated Hiring = Time and Money Saved: One standout feature of Assett is its proprietary automated hiring system. Finding and keeping workers is famously the #1 challenge in service businesses, but Assett built technology to solve it. This system continuously recruits, screens, and schedules cleaning staff automatically. In practice, this means franchisees do not spend 20–30 hours per week on hiring tasks. Instead, the platform keeps a steady pipeline of vetted, motivated candidates. As Assett explains, the system “filters applicants based on key success indicators” and “uses automated follow-ups and scheduling to reduce no-shows”. This ensures that your commercial cleaning routes are fully staffed even as you grow – no more scrambling to cover shifts or paying for a full-time recruiter. Franchisees get the time and peace of mind to focus on winning contracts and serving clients. In short, Assett’s hiring automation turns what is usually a staffing headache into a competitive advantage.
Personalized and Founder-Led: Assett’s leadership structure is very different from most big franchisors. It remains a family-owned, founder-led franchise. Matt Pencarinha (CEO and founder) remains deeply involved in the system and in training every new owner. As one Assett comparison notes, “franchisees are essentially joining a family business environment, where the success of each owner is a top priority for the founder”. This means you have direct access to the executive team for guidance – for example, private coaching sessions with the CEO and ongoing mentorship. Assett even connects its owners into a close community for peer support (via workshops and one-on-one coaching). The company’s core values (partnership, people, innovation, professionalism) highlight how much emphasis is placed on helping franchisees succeed. Because the leadership hasn’t been sold off to private equity, Assett tends to be more nimble and mission-driven. Owners often remark that the support is very personal – it’s like being part of a tight-knit team rather than a cog in a huge corporate machine. In sum, Assett offers the kind of “hands-on” franchise experience that appeals to first-time owners: a proven system wrapped in founder-level support.
Final Thoughts: Restoration 1 is undeniably a strong franchise in an essential industry. Its service is needed whenever disasters strike, and it has built a robust support network to help franchisees capture that demand. For someone drawn to emergency response work and willing to be on-call for property crises, Restoration 1 can be an attractive opportunity. However, for a prospective franchisee seeking stability, scalability and simplicity, Assett’s commercial cleaning model often has the edge. Commercial cleaning contracts are predictable and recurring, and owners can manage them with a small, stable team. Assett’s franchise is built to scale to seven figures with minimal complexity: it avoids the high cost and drama of big equipment or insurance claims, and it provides unique tools (automated hiring, modern software, founder mentorship) that streamline operations. For a buyer who wants a recession-resistant, low-overhead business with predictable income and executive-level freedom, Assett Franchise delivers more advantages. Its modern approach – family-led support, fully documented playbook, and technology-driven systems – lets an owner work on the business, not just in it.
“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.”
