Top 10 Handyman and Home Services Franchises in Australia
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Home maintenance and handyman services in present times are among the most lucrative businesses.
Especially with the rise of digital services delivery platforms, on-demand handymen and domestic services delivery have become one lucrative area for entrepreneurial pursuits.
If you have been wondering about the best franchises in the industry of home services which offer their customers a handyman for multiple maintenance services, you have arrived at the right place.
This blog is in follow-up to another popular franchise space in Australia – Top Cleaning Franchises in Australia.
In the blog, we will provide you with an in-depth list of Australia’s top 10 home handyman franchises.
The blog inclues – all handyman and home services franchises in Australia will be included in the list, including lawn and garden maintenance, appliance repair, pest control, and bathtub repair.
Per one in-depth study on the Australian home services industry is expected to grow at an impressive rate in the next five years. (Source: TechSciResearch)
And as you can imagine, the key factors responsible for their growth would be primarily due to the ideal conditions of rising e-commerce platforms.
The rise in e-commerce and digital services has had a two-fold impact on this market’s growth:
- Providing mass access and easing supply chain operations, among others
- Changing lifestyle patterns making home maintenance services a need rather than a luxury.
For these reasons, the growth in handyman services industries has been predicted to be rapid up until at least 2028.
The big giants will, however, lead the growth in this sector, and the new entrants may face challenges in scaling their business against stiff competition against them. (Source: CarePayCo)
Let’s now look at the list of the top 10 handyman and home maintenance franchises that are leaders in their niche services.
Coochie HydroGreen
Number of Franchises | 90+ |
Headquarters | Manuka, Australian Capital Territory |
Founded in | 1996 |
Franchise Cost | $110,000 + GST (Source: FranchiseBuyer) |
Revenue | $14.8 million (Source: Zoominfo) |
Specialist in lawn care, Coochie HydroGreen is a quintessential Australian home maintenance business franchise.
The Canberra-based company’s genesis came from an interesting debate among some friends.
They were arguing over the question as to why turf-managing services were not available to average folks in the homes.
That is how you now have a premium lawn and garden care company that promises a unique 6-in-1 treatment designed specifically for each lawn and time per the specific stages of growth throughout the year.
Quite a posh take on lawn maintenance, won’t you say?
But such premium service does not automatically translate into premium prices.
At least, that’s what the company claims.
They claim their programs and services are designed to be the most affordable, hassle-free and healthy in all seasons.
Coochie Hydrogreen is a family-owned business.
Apart from manicuring lawns and treating them for healthy growth, the company also provides many associated services, including.
- Weed Control
- Disease Control
- Pest & Grub Control
Company’s trusted services have given them a loyal custom pool of more than 26,000 strong.
For franchisees, among support and service, the company offers an assured income of no less than $55,000. Their FY-2021 report shows impressive growth rates, including a 36% increase in revenue generated by the franchisees and an increase of 43% in lead generation through the head office.
(Source: Official Website, YouTube, MoretonDaily)
VIP Lawn & Garden Maintenance
Number of Franchises | 1,100 |
Headquarters | Adelaide, South Australia |
Founded in | 1972 |
Franchise Cost | $12,900+ (Source: FranchiseDirect) |
Revenue | < $5 million (Source: Zoominfo) |
The next company on the list, V.I.P Lawn & Garden Maintenance has the unique honour of being the very first home services franchise company in Australia.
Yep. It was V.I.P that premiered home services in the country.
And not only that, it was only the 3rd company in Australia to start franchise operations.
Even for these unique sets of records, the company for sure qualifies to own such a name, “V.I.P”. 😉
You could have guessed by now that the company has old roots.
The Famous Adelaide-based company is a family-owned business that was established in 1979.
Since then, V.I.P has seen considerable success vindicated by multiple awards on its honour roll.
As with any great company that started as a pioneer and became a trendsetter. V.I.P Lawn & Garden Maintenance has got a unique and resilient DNA at its core.
The owner and founder of the company, Bill Vis, sold vacuum cleaners door to door.
One day, his keen eye for detail won him a small gig of mowing a lawn for a customer who was not interested in buying his vacuum.
Their grass needed mowing, and Bill immediately did that to the owner’s satisfaction. Upon discovering this niche business, Bill established a nationwide handyman franchise based on that chance occurrence.
The family business is run by Bill, his three kids, and his life partner and co-founder, Rose Vis.
V.I.P’s franchises have held some franchisees for more than 20 years. And their family business franchise has helped more than 4,000 people become part of this successful and sustainable franchise system.
(Sources: VIPHomeService, Official Website)
Jim’s Termite & Pest Control
Number of Franchises | 4000 |
Headquarters | Pingelly, Western Australia |
Founded in | 2000 |
Franchise Cost | $45,000 (Source: FranchiseDirect) |
Revenue | <5 million (Source: Zoominfo) |
Probably the most recognisable name on our list is Jim’s Termite & Pest Control company.
Established over two decades ago, Jim’s is a household name in Australia.
Its termite & pest control is one of more than 50 different divisions that the brand owns within the home services and handyman services industry.
These divisions are a combination of a lot of small business owners.
It may be a pleasant surprise to learn that all of Jim’s pest experts live locally and service their neighbourhoods.
We bring this fact up to highlight one of the key dividends of owning Jim’s Termite & Pest Control.
If you decide to own one of Jim’s Termite & Pest Control franchises, you’d be dealing with a local-to-you customer base with the backing of a well-known and national-level business franchise.
As a franchisee, you would be expected to provide pest services ranging from domestic treatments to commercial business premises.
The brand will enable you to perform vital services such as termite inspections, treatments, general pest services, and a wide range of animal control.
The pest control services offered by the company are guaranteed to give their customers 100% satisfaction. And this guarantee is not just a marketing slogan!
They do actually return to fix all issues if you are unsatisfied with their services on the first go.
(Sources: Jim’sOfficialWebsite, PestAdvice, Agni)
Graham’s Franchise Group
Number of Franchises | TBC |
Headquarters | Loganholme, QLD |
Founded in | 1992 |
Franchise Cost | $4,900 – $24,900 (Source: FranchiseDirect) |
Graham’s Franchise Group is among one of the most experienced and trusted names in the services sector.
Graham’s is a consortium of franchises that provides home maintenance and cleaning services, including garden, home and car cleaning care.
Established in 1992 in Brisbane, Graham’s Franchise Group prides itself on more than 30-year experience in the home services industry.
Because it is built on the idea of running the business as a successful group of franchises, the Graham Group affords key importance to its franchisees.
Therefore, they call their franchise networking not just ‘selling franchises’ but also creating partnerships with new franchise owners.
The foremost benefit to its prospective franchisees is the right to operate an exclusive territory.
In addition to securing a dedicated business area, the exclusive territory right will help your business expand across a wider area by using “nominated” areas.
And this will come with the continued support of the head office in the form of regular training, coaching, and necessary mentoring.
One of the most positive things the group advertises to its franchisees is its unique take on work-life balance.
The brand explicitly makes it known that they do not require their franchisees to ‘set new records’ for the number of hours worked per week or even for the number of clients serviced.
Rather than demanding a performance measured in record working hours, the brand allows franchisees to design their business around their lifestyle requirements and goals.
But this may sound too good to believe, isn’t it?
Well, this is not just a marketing claim but has resulted in the practical manifestation of remarkable feats of work-life balance.
Like some of their franchisees work “as little as three days per week”.
Not just that, these owners also find time to do school pick-ups, attend school functions, engage in extracurricular activities, and fit in life admins.
One of the reasons owners work so flexibly is the absence of any KPIs set by the owners. So, it is just like running your own home-based business, but with the added benefit of the marketing strength of a renowned brand.
Due to their tiered cost structure, their franchises are affordable to own. Franchises that provide cleaning services and come with rudimentary equipment start at $9,900.
How much is the franchising fee to the head office?
You’ll need to pay a nominal weekly amount to contribute towards job lead generation and marketing activities.
(Sources: BusinessForSale, Graham’sGroup, LinkedIn)
Lounge Repair Guys
Number of Franchises | 10+ |
Headquarters | Paradise Point, QLD |
Founded in | 2009 |
Franchise Cost | $80,000 (Source: FranchiseDirect) |
Revenue | $6.7 million (Source: Zoominfo) |
The next company on the list is a handyman company dedicated to a niche service – lounge furniture repairs.
Lounge Repairs Guys (a pretty straightforward name ;)) started in 2009.
But the company claims its roots to be deeper in time than that year.
The company’s owner, Mark Watkins, joined his family’s upholstery business in the mid-’90s in the UK.
Despite being a family business, it was not at all a casual affair for the younger members of the family who joined the company as their first job.
Mark had to undergo numerous leather training courses to develop skills and interests in leather and leather repairs.
But Mark’s stint in his family business proved to be only temporary. In 2004, he left the family business and emigrated to Australia.
Here, he worked as a service technician for one of Australia’s leading furniture retailers.
Meanwhile, he had also developed a close relationship with the company’s other owner Craig Lowman.
Later, Craig also joined the same leather retailer in which Mark has been working.
After a year, Mark started working part-time and servicing his and his retailer’s customers.
This journey finally turned into the launch of a full-fledged company named Lounge Repairs Guys in 2009.
So, you see, the company does have deeper roots in the form of its owner’s expertise!
But don’t let their simple name deceive you for the limits of their services expertise level.
The company does offer commercial repair services for establishments such as pubs, offices, hotels, cafes, bars, gyms, theatres, and outdoor facilities.
Their speciality is, however, focused on upholstery and leather works.
(Sources: LoungeRepairs, YouTube, IPPartnership)
Arrive on Time (Appliance Repairs)
Number of Franchises | 10+ |
Headquarters | Melbourne, VIC |
Founded in | 2000 |
Franchise Cost | $75,000 (Source: FranchiseDirect) |
Arrive on Time is another not-so-subtle name for an appliance repairs service company.
Arrive on Time was launched in 2000 by its founder and current owner, Paul Anstis.
Paul made an exciting change of career to launch this company.
He was a very successful air traffic controller but decided to retire early to launch his own business.
Arrive on Time arrives on time due to their van-based franchise model. The company has a fleet of vans ready to serve on demand.
The current fleet consists of 10 such vans that carry all the equipment required for appliance repairs.
Their services require repair facilities for all brands of domestic dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, electric ovens, and cooktops.
The company can repair brands including AEG, Asko, Belling, Blanco, Bosch, Electrolux, Miele, Westinghouse, and Samsung
(Source: ArrivOnTime, NextDoor, ProductReview)
Gutter Knight Australia
Number of Franchises | 18 |
Headquarters | Brisbane, QLD |
Founded in | 2012 |
Franchise Cost | $50,000 (Source: FranchiseDirect) |
The next company on the list is a Brisbane-based home services business that specialises in gutter protection.
Gutter Knight (cool name, ain’t?) prides itself on “old-fashioned work ethics” – a mantra that emphasises strict quality control in both materials used and processes adopted.
But that is what every company promises, right?!
Well, here’s how Gutter Knight (or knights? ;)) fulfils this promise: the actual owner of the franchise personally meets the customer on-site, on time and listens to their requirements.
This approach removes any communication gaps that might lead to an unsatisfactory job or the usual bush-beating by the service providers.
Their gutter protection system is installed by the in-house trained staff (it may be the owner himself) to ensure the highest possible standards.
And to finish the job, they not only promise the best quality of the equipment installed but their quality is also guaranteed.
You get a manufacturer 12-year product warranty and an even longer 20-year workmanship guarantee.
The after-sales service includes a revisit by their rep within 48 hours of your call and free-of-cost repairs within seven days.
Luckily the company’s strong suit of offering guaranteed services is valid for its franchisees.
The group is now assisted by the business coaching and marketing consultancy group ‘Better Business Now’, which has helped hundreds of Australian businesses from being start-ups through to national franchises for more than a decade.
So, powered by their consultancy firm’s support, Gutter Knight offers proven scripts, systems, lead generation strategies, ongoing training, and much more.
The franchisees will get their personal business coach to help them get the franchise up and running.
(Sources: GutterKnight, FranchiseDirect, LinkedIn, BusinessBuyInvest)
Fenceology
Number of Franchises | 9+ |
Headquarters | Craigieburn, VIC |
Founded in | 2020 |
Franchise Cost | $30,000 (Source: FranchiseDirect) |
Although only a couple of years in existence, Fenceology is older than it appears.
The company is a family-owned business that was launched after cobbling together 20 years of experience in fencing among the family members.
Based in Melbourne, Fenceology has now spread to more than 9 locations. It is currently leading in this niche category of the home services market in the region.
The combination of an experienced team with the new foundations of the company makes it the right company for the kind of services it offers.
While the team members’ experience is a must-have to ensure work quality, the newer outlook of the company makes it a forward-looking outfit that is always in step with the latest trends of the customers and the market.
The team’s past life was in the form of Colorbond ® and paling fence contractors.
Fenceology is huge on using modern yet high-quality products.
Their services are not just limited to residential customers but are available for government and commercial clients.
Fenceology’s approach to the layout and design is truly artistic and capitalised on the richness and authenticity of the natural-looking materials.
Their services include Timber Fencing, Colorbond Fencing, and Pool Fencing.
(Sources: Fenceology Official Website)
KomboGrass
Number of Franchises | TBC |
Headquarters | Kunda Park, QLD |
Founded in | 2013 |
Franchise Cost | $50,000+ (Source: KomboGrass) |
Revenue | <$5 million (Source: Zoominfo) |
KomboGrass is a home maintenance and commercial lawn services company that installs no-sand infill grasses and accessories.
The company is not just a direct-to-customer services company but its grass and accessory products are available from a number of retail shops.
Another form of their operation is direct collaboration with builders and commercial developers.
In business since 2013, KomboGrass specialises in a variety of grass types including
- Gold putting grass
- Tee grass
- Tennis grass
- Lawn bowls
- Cricket grass
- No infill soccer grass (to be launched)
In this unique niche, KomboGrass is a big name in Australia.
It has partnered with some of the world’s largest artificial grass manufacturers to produce its exclusive range of no-infill grass suited to Australian conditions.
Owing mostly to the strength of its unique product, the company offers a 12-month installation warranty.
For the franchisees, the company offers full access to their product range, installation and sales methodology, and online systems.
Their state-of-the-art IT system allows franchise owners to electronically record sites and plans and generate quotes using a simple checklist.
One of the premium services offered by the company is a fully managed franchise run by the company’s provided staff. The staff manages all the client services, and you can keep tabs on all the operations through their advanced IT system.
(Sources: KomboGrass, FranchiseDirect, HiPages)
Tubway (Bathtub Modification)
|
Number of Franchises |
TBC |
|
Headquarters |
Sydney, NSW |
|
Founded in |
2007 |
|
Franchise Cost |
$65,000 (Source: FranchiseDitect) |
To conclude, we have the most unique entry on the list.
Tubway is a magic company that modifies your existing tubs with a spell so profound that you’d be left amazed at the perfection of their work.
Just kidding. 🙂 Obviously, they are not at all a magic company and have nothing to do with spells of any kind.
However, the other part of the statement is entirely correct.
Tubway is a tub modifying company that modifies your installed bathtubs to carve out easy access into them.
The job is mostly required for the elderly house members, for whom getting in and out of the tub requires extra effort and may be even hazardous in most cases.
With this only speciality at hand, Tubway is a living example of running a successful business in an extremely narrow business niche.
But that narrow business niche does come with its own privileges.
Tubway is the only company in Australia that provides safe access to bathtubs of any shape and any curved part of the bathtub.
The company was launched in 2007 after identifying this special home maintenance business and has become a resounding success.
To train franchisees in bathtub modification, the company provides practical training. It then continues to provide ongoing technical support throughout your franchise operation.
(Source: Tubway Official Website)
With this unique home maintenance franchise entry, we come to the end of the list of top handyman and home services in Australia.
We hope you have identified some companies to turn your dream of owning a business into reality. 🙂
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