How much does a Sir Grout franchise cost?
The estimated initial investment is $128,175 to $198,520 for one U.S. Sir Grout business under the single home-based, mobile operating model disclosed in the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The range includes the $60,000 Initial Franchise Fee, a required Right Start Package, technology, training, insurance, launch marketing, at least one branded vehicle, three months of Business Center fees, and Additional Funds for the pre-opening period and first three months of operation.
Estimated Initial Investment. This is the official Item 7 range in the FDD issued April 10, 2026. The largest variable is the Vehicle and Vehicle Wrap category, which ranges from $9,500 to $56,000 depending principally on leasing versus purchasing. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 7, pp. 20–22. The current official Sir Grout investment page publishes the same total range.
- Legal franchisor
- Sir Grout Franchising, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Threshold Brands, LLC. The parent includes Sir Grout in its official brand portfolio.
- Disclosure basis
- U.S. FDD issued April 10, 2026; Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 17; one mobile, home-based Sir Grout business. FDD citations are shown by Item and page because no matching current FDD copy was verified on an official franchise-controlled public page.
- Official check
- Cost and qualification information checked July 21, 2026 against the official U.S. franchise website.
Sources: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Items 5–7, pp. 11–22; current official franchise cost and qualification FAQs. The official page states $70,000 in liquid capital and $300,000 in net worth; neither figure replaces the Item 7 total.
What is included in the $128,175 to $198,520 range?
The 2026 Item 7 total contains 13 categories. It is broader than the $60,000 Initial Franchise Fee and already includes several first-three-month obligations, so those amounts should not be added again when estimating opening capital.
| Contract, systems, and preparation | Estimated amount | Payment timing |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $60,000 | Upon execution of the Franchise Agreement |
| Right Start Package Fee | $11,725–$15,000 | Before opening; Item 5 says payment is due upon invoice |
| Computer System and Website | $2,800–$4,520 | Upon signing and as incurred |
| Training Costs | $9,500–$12,000 | As incurred |
| Insurance | $1,000–$2,500 | Before opening; estimate reflects three months paid in advance |
| Launch, vehicle, and working capital | Estimated amount | Payment timing |
|---|---|---|
| Local Advertising | $10,500–$12,000 | Monthly |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costs | $4,500–$9,600 | Before opening |
| Opening Promotional Expenses | $250–$750 | Before opening |
| Vehicle and Vehicle Wrap | $9,500–$56,000 | Before opening |
| Permits and Licenses | $200–$1,500 | Before opening |
| Credit Card Terminal | $50–$500 | Before opening |
| Business Center Fee | $4,500 | Monthly; three months included |
| Additional Funds — 3 months | $13,650–$19,650 | As incurred |
| Official Item 7 total | $128,175–$198,520 | One Sir Grout business |
Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 7, pp. 20–22. Miscellaneous Opening Costs include opening inventory outside the Right Start Package and professional fees; the FDD says the estimate does not include labor. Because the model does not require a retail store, Item 7 provides no signage estimate.
Major disclosed categories on a common $0 to $60,000 scale. Each bar shows the official low-to-high range.
Interpretation: the Initial Franchise Fee is the largest fixed category, while the vehicle decision creates the widest variable range. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 7, pp. 20–22.
Additional Funds are already inside the Item 7 total. They cover listed operating expenses before opening and through the first three months, including payroll-related costs, Royalty, Brand Fund Fees, advertising, workers’ compensation, rent, repairs, uniforms, deposits, and other items. The FDD does not clearly state that an owner’s personal living expenses are included, and its training note separately says training estimates exclude salary or wages that may be required during training. A buyer should obtain the franchisor’s exact payroll and owner-compensation assumptions before building a cash plan. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 7, pp. 21–22.
Why does the vehicle decision move the total so much?
The vehicle category ranges from $9,500 to $56,000 because the low estimate assumes wrapping a vehicle and leasing it for three months, while the high estimate assumes purchasing a new vehicle and wrapping it. Sir Grout requires at least one branded vehicle with stated wheelbase and payload specifications, a contractor bin package, and a hands-free phone device.
Derived calculation: the vehicle range is $46,500 wide, while the entire Item 7 range is $70,345 wide. Vehicle choice therefore explains about 66% of the disclosed low-to-high spread. This is arithmetic from Item 7, not a separate franchisor forecast. A wrap must also be replaced when it reaches five years of age, creating a later replacement obligation. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 7, pp. 21–22.
The official Sir Grout franchise model description confirms that the operation is mobile and home-based rather than dependent on a retail storefront. Item 11 likewise says a franchisee may operate from a home office and is not required to obtain a site. That removes a mandatory store build-out from Item 7, but it does not remove vehicle, insurance, home-office, storage, or locally variable operating costs.
When is the money paid?
Cash is not paid in one installment. The Initial Franchise Fee is generally due at signing, while equipment, technology, training travel, insurance, the vehicle, launch materials, and operating expenses are paid before opening or during the first three months.
- Disclosure review before payment. Under the FTC Franchise Rule, the current disclosure document generally must be furnished at least 14 calendar days before a prospect signs a binding agreement or pays the franchisor or an affiliate. The FTC Franchise Rule governs that disclosure timing.
- Franchise Agreement signing. The $60,000 Initial Franchise Fee is due in a lump sum when the Franchise Agreement is signed, unless Sir Grout approves a disclosed discount, refund program, or Item 10 financing. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 5, pp. 11–12.
- Pre-opening invoices and purchases. The $11,725 to $15,000 Right Start Package is due upon invoice; the $499 basic or $599 advanced Website Set-up Fee is due before opening; insurance, vehicle and wrap, permits, terminal, opening inventory, and promotional materials are paid before opening or as incurred. Source: 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 7, pp. 13, 20–22.
- Training period. Travel, lodging, meals, and related costs are paid as incurred. Tuition for each stone-training attendee is currently $2,245 and is due one week before that training; additional Initial Training attendees beyond two cost $500 per person per day, due at least one week before the program. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 6, pp. 14, 17–18.
- Opening and first three months. Royalty, Brand Fund, Business Center, Website, and local-advertising obligations begin on their disclosed schedules. Item 7 includes three months of Business Center fees, local advertising, and Additional Funds that include Royalty and Brand Fund Fees. Source: 2026 FDD, Items 6 and 7, pp. 13–22.
The FTC’s consumer guide to buying a franchise explains why Items 5, 6, and 7 should be reviewed together rather than treating the franchise fee as the full startup cost.
Which fees continue after opening?
Sir Grout has several mandatory monthly obligations: Royalty, Brand Fund Fee, Local Advertising during the initial required period, Business Center Fee, and Website Fee. Some amounts are per Territory, and the Royalty formula changes after the first three months.
Fixed disclosed amounts, excluding the $49 to $59 Website Fee and any optional services.
Interpretation: Local Advertising is the largest fixed monthly requirement at opening. Do not add these first-three-month amounts to Item 7 without checking for overlap: Item 7 separately includes three months of Local Advertising and Business Center fees, while Additional Funds include Royalty and Brand Fund Fees. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Items 6 and 7, pp. 13–22.
| Required ongoing obligation | Amount or basis | Timing and condition |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty | $600 per month for first 3 months; then greater of 6% of Gross Revenues or $1,250 per month | Monthly on the 15th; inside-Territory services |
| Outside-Territory Royalty | 8% of Gross Revenues | For services rendered outside the Territory; does not count toward the minimum monthly amount |
| Brand Fund Fee | $500 per month | Monthly on the 15th; charged for each Territory |
| Local Advertising | $3,500 per month | First 2 years or until Gross Revenues reach at least $240,000 for 12 consecutive months; placement and administration costs do not count toward the minimum |
| Business Center Fee | $1,500 per month | Monthly on the 15th; a waiver may apply to every second contiguous Territory under the disclosed conditions |
| Website Fee | $49–$59 per month | Monthly; collected for the designated vendor |
Gross Revenues is broadly defined in the Franchise Agreement and generally does not permit deductions for operating expenses, marketing expenses, or taxes other than collected sales tax actually remitted to the taxing authority. The royalty basis should therefore be read from the contract, not treated as profit or net income. If monthly Local Advertising spending is below the required amount, Sir Grout may require the shortfall to be contributed to the Brand Fund. Item 6 fees are nonrefundable and generally collected through electronic funds transfer; the payment schedule may be changed on 30 days’ notice. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 6, pp. 16–17.
- Additional email licenses: $15 per month per license beyond the one included branded email address.
- Optional digital marketing: $595 per month per Territory; an optional marketing-intelligence tool is $49 per month; paid lead generation is 20% of advertising spend or $100 per month, whichever is greater.
- Optional email and postcard marketing: $169 per month for up to 5,000 emails; $199 per month for up to 120 postcards, plus $1.65 for each additional postcard.
- Optional phone and messaging: $34.99 per month per user, plus the FDD’s printed charge of “$0.012 cents per text message.” Because that wording mixes dollars and cents, the exact per-message unit should be confirmed in writing before relying on it.
- Annual increases: many required fees may be increased no more than once per calendar year and generally by no more than 10% of the then-current amount, subject to cumulative adjustments; the cap does not apply to optional services or certain third-party charges.
Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 6, pp. 14–20.
How do capital requirements, discounts, and financing change the cash need?
The official franchise site currently states a minimum of $70,000 in liquid capital and $300,000 in net worth. Those are screening qualifications, not substitutes for the $128,175 to $198,520 Item 7 investment. The FDD does not state a separate non-borrowed-funds threshold.
- Franchise Option Program. Sir Grout may refund the $60,000 Initial Franchise Fee within 10 days after opening if the disclosed conditions are met, but the Royalty rises from 6% to 10% for the 10-year Franchise Agreement term. Item 5 describes the increase using “Gross Consumer Sales,” while Item 6 describes the program as 10% of Gross Revenues; the controlling agreement definition should be confirmed in writing. This is a cost shift, not a reduction of every startup expense. Source: 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 6, pp. 11–12, 16–17.
- Military and first-responder reduction. Eligible military members, honorably discharged veterans, police officers, firefighters, and paramedics or emergency medical technicians may receive a 20% reduction of the Initial Franchise Fee on the first business. The official veteran program page also states a 20% veteran discount. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 5, p. 12.
- Hard-to-serve or underserved market reduction. Sir Grout may offer up to 10% off the Initial Franchise Fee for an approved market. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 5, p. 12.
- Multi-unit reduction. A buyer purchasing at least three franchises in one transaction may receive 25% off the Initial Franchise Fee for the second and each additional Territory. Using the disclosed formula, three $60,000 fees would become $150,000 in aggregate franchise fees after two $15,000 reductions; this is a derived calculation and not a three-unit Item 7 total. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 5, p. 12.
- Franchisor financing. Sir Grout may finance up to the full Initial Franchise Fee for qualified prospects, with monthly EFT installments over as many as 24 months at 12% annual interest and no prepayment penalty. It does not offer disclosed financing for the other Item 7 categories and does not guarantee outside loans, leases, or obligations. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 10, pp. 28–29.
Discounts, waivers, refunds, and financing are discretionary or qualification-dependent. Do not assume programs can be combined. Ask for a written schedule showing the Initial Franchise Fee actually due, the Royalty rate that will apply, payment dates, Territory count, and any state-specific amendment before comparing cash alternatives.
For multi-territory ownership, each Territory has a separate Franchise Agreement. The Brand Fund Fee is charged per Territory; the Business Center Fee may be waived for every second contiguous Territory under the FDD’s conditions; and delayed openings under a Multi-Territory Development Addendum can trigger the applicable minimum monthly Royalty from the original commencement date. These obligations mean a multi-unit discount on franchise fees does not create a complete multi-unit investment estimate. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Items 5 and 6, pp. 12, 16–18.
Item 10 also requires owners to guarantee amounts owed under the Promissory Note. The FDD’s special-risk page states that a spouse must sign a guarantee covering financial obligations under the Franchise Agreement, subject to applicable state law and addenda. This can expose personal or marital assets and should be reviewed as a capital-risk term, not merely a payment schedule. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, special-risk page v and Item 10, p. 29.
Which fees arise only after a trigger or contract event?
Several Item 6 fees are not part of ordinary monthly operation but can become payable after a late payment, transfer, audit, renewal, training choice, supplier request, default, or exit from the system.
| Trigger | Disclosed charge | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Late payment or late required information | $100 per violation plus 12% annual interest, or legal maximum | As incurred |
| Transfer request | $5,000 | Upon application to transfer |
| Audit showing at least 5% understatement | Audit cost plus interest at 12% or legal maximum | After qualifying audit result |
| Unapproved product, service, or supplier review | $200–$1,000 | When approval review is requested |
| More than two Initial Training attendees | $500 per person per day | At least one week before training |
| Stone Training | $2,245 per attendee | One week before training; required before offering stone restoration services |
| Renewal | $2,500 | Upon approved renewal |
| Failure to de-identify after exit | Generally $1,000–$2,500 | If Sir Grout performs the work |
- Convention: registration may cost up to $1,500, plus transportation, lodging, meals, and living expenses.
- Additional training: currently $500 per attendee, with the franchisee also responsible for attendance expenses.
- Legal and enforcement costs: attorneys’ fees and expenses can be charged after nonpayment or noncompliance.
- Deficiency cure: Sir Grout may charge its costs and expenses if an operating deficiency remains uncured after notice and it corrects the deficiency.
- Indemnification: the amount varies with claims, liabilities, or losses arising from the Franchised Business.
- Transfer upgrades and training: Item 17 requires an approved transferee to meet current standards and attend at least four days of training, creating costs beyond the $5,000 Transfer Fee.
Sources: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 6, pp. 14–19; Item 17, pp. 44–49.
Which cost obligations remain variable because of suppliers and standards?
Item 8 requires specified products, software, technology, payment processing, marketing materials, and other operating inputs to meet Sir Grout standards or come from approved or sole suppliers. SG LLC is the sole supplier for grout sealers, cleaners, and certain cleaning equipment, while designated providers control other required systems.
- Confirm the exact Right Start Package. The required package is $11,725 to $15,000, but the package selected determines the amount and later replenishment purchases are separate.
- Price required software and processing. Item 8 requires designated field-service, customer-management, financial-management, accounting, bookkeeping, and payment-processing systems; not every later charge is quantified in Item 7.
- Obtain current supplier pricing. The FDD says the franchisor and affiliates may profit from required purchases and may receive supplier benefits; negotiated pricing and continued supply are not guaranteed.
- Budget replacements and specification changes. Equipment, vehicle graphics, technology, inventory, and other assets must be maintained and replaced to current standards at the franchisee’s expense.
- Separate official ranges from local quotes. Insurance, permits, professional fees, vehicle financing, opening inventory, and training travel vary by location and circumstance; the 2026 FDD does not provide a local market budget.
Item 8 estimates that specification-compliant purchases represent approximately 40% of total purchases needed to begin operations and approximately 85% of annual expenses after opening. Those percentages describe purchasing restrictions, not an Item 7 allocation and not an annual dollar forecast. Source: 2026 Sir Grout FDD, Item 8, pp. 23–25.
What should a prospective Sir Grout franchisee verify before signing?
The verified starting point is $128,175 to $198,520 for one business, with a separate current qualification of $70,000 in liquid capital and $300,000 in net worth. The most important cost variables are the vehicle decision, training and travel, professional fees, insurance, inventory, and the exact fee program selected at signing.
- Reconcile the payment calendar. Identify which Item 7 amounts are due at signing, upon invoice, before opening, during training, and during the first three months.
- Prevent double counting. Confirm that three months of Business Center fees and Local Advertising, plus Royalty and Brand Fund amounts inside Additional Funds, are not added twice.
- Document the vehicle assumption. Obtain quotes for a compliant lease-and-wrap plan and a purchase-and-wrap plan because this category explains most of the disclosed range spread.
- Get all fee-program terms in writing. State the actual Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty rate, Territory count, discount or refund conditions, financing terms, guarantees, and whether programs can be combined.
- Request the most current disclosure and updates. Compare the FDD, Franchise Agreement, Promissory Note, Multi-Territory Development Addendum, and state addenda before payment.
The cost decision is not simply whether the buyer can pay a $60,000 franchise fee. It is whether the buyer can fund the full Item 7 range, satisfy the separate liquidity and net-worth screens, carry the disclosed monthly obligations, and absorb supplier, vehicle, training, renewal, transfer, and enforcement costs that arise outside the opening total.