How Much Does a Stratus Building Solutions of San Jose Franchise Cost?

The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates $109,550 to $345,950 to establish a new U.S. Stratus Master Franchise. That is the verified range for the regional format offered by SBS Franchising, LLC—not a published purchase price for the existing San Jose office and not the cost of an individual janitorial franchise.

Key cost figures

The official total combines the territory-based initial fee, an approved business office, opening supplies, equipment and technology setup, licenses and deposits, insurance, training travel, and a six-month operating allowance. The FDD assumes a non-union market and warns that location, territory size, local codes, labor conditions, taxes, and material availability can change the result.

No. The 2026 disclosure prices a new regional territory primarily by population. The official San Jose regional page identifies an operating office serving Santa Clara and San Benito Counties. The document does not state a resale price for that regional business, and the current Master Franchise territory page does not list California among its available or hot markets as checked July 20, 2026.

The document’s Exhibit J also lists California’s state effective date as “Pending” as of issuance. The disclosed national range therefore should not be treated as proof that a new San Jose or other California territory is currently available for sale. A California buyer should verify a later effective date, exemption, or approved transfer through the California DFPI franchise resources and the current state addenda.

A buyer considering an existing-region transfer would face a separate negotiated purchase price that is not disclosed in Item 7. The regional agreement also requires franchisor approval, while Item 6 states a Transfer Fee equal to 10% of sale, transfer, or assignment proceeds, with a $25,000 minimum and $75,000 maximum, subject to the disclosed family-member and controlled-corporation exceptions.

The largest fixed payment is made at signing, while office, equipment, insurance, training, and working-capital payments occur as the opening develops. The FTC states that a prospective franchisee must receive the FDD at least 14 calendar days before signing a binding agreement or paying the franchisor or an affiliate; its Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Franchise explains that disclosure timing.

1. At the Master Franchise Agreement signingThe $75,000–$210,000 initial fee is due in one lump sum unless SBS approves Item 10 financing. It is fully earned when paid and non-refundable. The disclosure says no other fees for goods or services are paid to SBS or its affiliates before the regional business begins operating.
2. As the approved office is securedReal estate, fixtures, leasehold improvements, and utility deposits are paid as arranged. Home operation is not allowed. The FDD describes approximately 1,400–1,800 square feet of centrally located “B-Class” office space as the ideal configuration, not a fixed nationwide lease requirement.
3. Before openingEquipment and licenses or permits are due before opening. Insurance must be obtained within 10 days after the earlier of signing an office lease or hiring the first employee, and in every case at least 10 days before the Opening Date.
4. During pre-opening trainingSBS does not charge tuition for initial training, but the franchisee pays travel, lodging, meals, and related living costs. The Item 7 training estimate is $3,000–$6,000. The first training phase must be completed satisfactorily before opening; the official training page provides current supplemental program information.
5. During the first six monthsThe $25,000–$100,000 six-month allowance is retained by the franchisee and used as incurred for supplies, utilities, local advertising, and miscellaneous operating costs. It is already included in the disclosed total and must not be added a second time.

The main continuing charges are two scaled royalties and monthly technology charges. A reserved advertising-fund charge may also begin after written notice. The disclosure says fees may be collected through ACH and are generally payable to SBS, non-refundable, and uniformly imposed.

For the services royalty, “gross revenues” includes total receipts collected for services performed by the regional business or its local operators, without reducing the base for amounts payable to or retained by those operators. The unit-sale royalty applies to the down payment received for each unit-franchise sale, including deferred down payments and upgrades.

The sourcing disclosure makes the franchisor the only approved supplier of the Opus ERP application and requires specified business software and approved digital platforms. The technology section separately identifies QuickBooks Online at approximately $100–$500 per month and the CRM system at approximately $80 per user per month after a $1,000 start-up fee. Because the fee table describes current aggregate technology charges of approximately $200–$700 per month, the buyer should obtain a user-by-user technology quote showing which provider charges are included and which are additional.

Fees triggered by a later event or non-compliance

• Transfer Fee10% of sale, transfer, or assignment proceeds; minimum $25,000 and maximum $75,000. Due upon transfer.
• Conference non-attendance$2,500 multiplied by the number of annual conferences missed, absent extraordinary circumstances. Due upon invoice.
• In-depth consultation after 12 months$350 per day plus actual and reasonable expenses when requested. Due upon invoice.
• Late Payment FeeThe greater of 5% of the delinquent payment or the maximum late fee allowed by applicable state law.
• Late Reporting Fee$50 per day when a required report is not received by the tenth day of the month in which it is due.
• Penalty for Non-Compliance$500 per day for failure to return required materials after purported termination or non-renewal.
• Attorney Fees and CostsActual legal fees and other expenses incurred because of a breach of the regional agreement.
• Audit cost shiftSBS generally pays for an audit, but the franchisee must pay when missing records necessitate it or a report is wrong by more than 5%, along with unpaid amounts, late charges, and related corrections. FDD Exhibit D, § X.D, agreement pp. 15–16.

The 15-year regional agreement permits renewal if the stated conditions are satisfied. The agreement says a renewing owner signs the then-current form but does not pay the franchise fee then charged to new regional owners. Other renewal compliance, training, legal, and operational costs are not reduced to a single stated renewal amount. FDD Item 17, pp. 25–28; Exhibit D, § III.B.4, agreement p. 3.

The current official investment page states $125,000–$150,000 in required liquid capital and a $250,000+ net worth requirement. Those screening figures are separate from the disclosed startup range: liquid capital is accessible funding, while net worth includes assets minus liabilities and is not the same as cash available to invest.

What financing does the FDD disclose?

The franchisor may, at its sole option, finance up to 20% of the initial fee. If approved, the buyer provides an 80% down payment and signs a promissory note typically amortized over three years at 12% annual interest or the maximum lawful rate, whichever is lower. The note is secured by franchise assets, entity owners must personally guarantee it, and there is no prepayment penalty. Financing applies only to that territory fee—not the office, equipment, permits, insurance, training, or Additional Funds. Approval is not guaranteed. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 10, pp. 12–13.

The official investment page also states that qualifying veterans receive a 10% discount on the Initial Franchise Fee. The 2026 document does not describe that incentive, so a veteran should obtain written confirmation of eligibility, the fee base, current availability, and whether the discount can be combined with SBS financing before relying on it.

The official range is not a San Jose-specific construction or operating budget. Several material obligations remain dependent on the territory, office lease, staffing plan, technology users, and local law, while some costs are expressly excluded.

• Exact territory population and density adjustment: obtain the proposed territory map, population basis, and written Initial Franchise Fee before comparing the FDD range with available capital.
• California or San Jose availability: the current territory page does not list California. Confirm whether the inquiry concerns a new territory, an approved transfer, or a Unit Franchise from the existing regional office.
• Union-market and local-cost exposure: the FDD estimates a non-union market and warns that union labor, local codes, taxes, material availability, and labor rates may increase cost.
• Pre-opening occupancy costs: financing charges, inflation, compensation for the buyer’s time or labor, and rent or interest payable before opening are excluded from Item 7.
• Owner living expenses: living expenses are not included in the six-month operating allowance. The six-month allowance covers business operating expenses, not personal household costs.
• Technology configuration: computer cost is per user, provider charges may change, and SBS may require upgrades or replacements at the franchisee’s expense.
• Insurance specifications: the FDD requires a $50,000 Commercial Cleaning Service Bond, $2,000,000 Comprehensive General Liability coverage, and Worker’s Compensation at the greater of $1,000,000 or statutory benefits, with SBS able to raise limits or add coverage.
• Latest disclosure status: request the current disclosure, quarterly updates, state addenda, proposed Master Franchise Agreement, and a written fee schedule before signing. The California DFPI franchise resources explain state filing and registration oversight.