How to Start a Re-Bath Franchise in 7 Steps: Checklist
OPENING PROCESS
How does the Re-Bath opening process work?
No single total disclosed
Inquiry-to-opening timeline
The verified path is milestone-based. Re-Bath publicly shows an eight-stage franchise-awarding process before signing, while the 2026 Franchise Agreement then imposes site, training, Soft Opening, and Grand Opening conditions. The contract requires the Grand Opening from an approved showroom within eight months after the Franchise Agreement effective date, but it does not disclose one complete duration from first inquiry to opening.
14 days
Federal FDD review floor
Calendar days before signing or paying the franchisor or an affiliate.
FTC Franchise Rule; 2026 FDD cover
60 days
Site and lease deadline
Secure an approved location and execute the lease after the effective date.
Franchise Agreement §5.2.5; Site Selection Addendum
30 days
Soft Opening notice
Written notice of the anticipated Soft Opening date is required in advance.
Franchise Agreement §5.3.1
8 months
Grand Opening deadline
Operate from the completed approved showroom by this contractual deadline.
Franchise Agreement §5.3.2
80%
Trainer certification score
Required score to be certified to train Re-Bath employees.
2026 FDD, Item 11
Legal franchisorReBath, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
Disclosure basis2026 U.S. FDD, issued July 6, 2026.
Formats coveredNew unit, related-business conversion, resale, and multiple separately contracted territories.
Timeline modeMilestone-only inquiry-to-opening roadmap; contract deadlines begin after signing.
Primary evidenceFDD Items 1, 5–12, 15–17 and 20; Franchise Agreement; Site Selection Addendum; Guarantee; Lease Rider.
What must you qualify for before Re-Bath awards a franchise?
Re-Bath’s current Ideal Candidate page lists $150,000 liquid capital and $300,000 net worth; its Investment page also lists a 690+ credit score. The 2026 FDD does not state these figures as Franchise Agreement covenants, so confirm how the current screening criteria apply to the applicant and ownership group.
The franchise FAQ says prior remodeling experience is not required. Licensing is separate: the FDD requires all applicable business, contractor, construction, plumbing, and similar licenses or permits before operations, and says required permits must be obtained before product orders begin.
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Operating leadershipAn Operating Owner generally must hold at least 20% equity; a full-time Manager handles daily supervision. One person may fill both roles if qualified and approved.
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Personal guaranteesEach Principal signs the Guarantee, Indemnification and Individual Covenants; ReBath may also require a spouse, domestic partner, or immediate family member.
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Territory availabilityThe initial call can confirm a market of interest, but the Protected Territory is finalized in the Franchise Agreement and remains subject to Item 12 reservations.
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Funding sourceFDD Item 10 says ReBath does not finance or guarantee the franchisee’s note, lease, or obligations. Any third-party financing is a separate dependency.
APPLICATION & SIGNING
What happens before you sign the Franchise Agreement?
The official Steps to Ownership sequence is: territory call, brand presentation, Request for Consideration, FDD review, validation with owners and executives, formal Franchise Ownership Application, Discovery Day in Phoenix, then a mutual decision on signing.
The federal disclosure period is not the application timeline. The FTC buyer guidance and Franchise Rule require at least 14 calendar days between FDD delivery and signing a binding agreement or paying the franchisor or an affiliate in connection with the sale.
DOCUMENT SEQUENCE
Signing may include the Franchise Agreement, Guarantee, and the then-current media-services addendum or agreement. If no showroom is approved, the Site Selection Addendum applies. A showroom lease must incorporate the Lease Rider, which also requires landlord participation.
VERIFIED ROADMAP
What is the Re-Bath process from inquiry to opening?
1
Initial inquiry and territory discussion
Action: Contact Re-Bath, identify the specific market of interest, and confirm whether the brand is actively considering that territory.
Actor: Applicant and franchise development team.
Timing: No contractual duration is disclosed for this pre-signing stage.
Next dependency: The process advances only if territory availability and preliminary mutual fit remain viable.
2
Brand presentation and Request for Consideration
Action: Review the brand presentation, discuss the operating model, and submit the Request for Consideration with information requested for initial qualification.
Actor: Applicant; Re-Bath reviews the submission.
Timing: No FDD deadline is stated for this review.
Blocker: Current screening criteria or an unavailable market can stop the process before formal application.
3
FDD review and validation
Action: Receive and review the FDD and agreements, speak with franchise owners and the executive team, and complete financial, legal, and operating due diligence.
Actor: Applicant leads diligence; Re-Bath provides disclosure and validation access.
Timing: At least 14 calendar days must pass before binding signing or covered payment.
Next dependency: Continued mutual interest and completion of the formal application.
4
Formal application, Discovery Day, and award decision
Action: Complete the Franchise Ownership Application and attend Discovery Day at Re-Bath’s Phoenix corporate office as part of the mutual evaluation process.
Actor: Applicant and Re-Bath.
Timing: The FDD does not disclose a fixed approval or award period.
Blocker: Meeting stated screening criteria does not guarantee an award; both sides must decide to proceed.
5
Execute the franchise documents
Action: Sign the Franchise Agreement and applicable related documents, identify required Principals and guarantors, and pay the Initial Franchise Fee when the Franchise Agreement is signed.
Actor: Franchisee, ReBath, LLC, guarantors, and landlord where lease documents apply.
Timing: Only after the federal disclosure period.
Next dependency: Post-signing site, licensing, training, staffing, systems, and opening-readiness obligations begin.
6
Secure the showroom site and lease
Action: Submit a complete site package, obtain Re-Bath’s approval, and execute a lease or purchase agreement for the approved showroom. If no site was approved at signing, the Site Selection Addendum governs this search.
Blocker: Missing the deadline can trigger default or termination consequences.
7
Build the operating infrastructure
Action: Obtain applicable zoning, permits, licenses, insurance, contractor services, office and warehouse space, vehicles, required technology, approved suppliers, and showroom construction. Brand specifications must be adapted to the actual premises and local requirements.
Actor: Franchisee plus authorities, contractor, insurer, landlord, and suppliers.
Timing: Controlled by contract milestones and third-party timing.
Blocker: Missing approvals or systems can block written opening authorization.
8
Complete training and train the team
Action: Complete Business Plan, Sales, Installation, Trainer, and Additional System Training as assigned, then train employees to Re-Bath standards.
Actor: Operating Owner, Manager, designated employees, and Re-Bath trainers.
Timing: Business Plan Training usually starts within 30 days after signing; other modules are staged before opening.
Blocker: Required trainees must complete assigned training to Re-Bath’s satisfaction, and sufficient staff must be trained.
9
Obtain written approval for Soft Opening
Action: Provide advance written notice, complete required training, establish an operational office and warehouse, make substantial showroom progress, staff the business, and submit any readiness evidence Re-Bath requests.
Timing: The Franchise Agreement specifically requires 30 days’ notice of the anticipated Soft Opening.
Blocker: No lead response or sales appointments may begin until written approval is issued.
10
Complete and receive approval for Grand Opening
Action: Finish, furnish, and equip the approved showroom to current standards, submit requested evidence, obtain written approval, and conduct the required Grand Opening Campaign during the preceding 30 days.
Actor: Franchisee performs the work; Re-Bath controls showroom operating approval.
Timing: Grand Opening must occur within 8 months after the Effective Date.
Blocker: Incomplete buildout, unresolved permits, unpaid amounts, or withheld approval can prevent opening.
SITE APPROVAL
How do territory, site approval, lease approval, and buildout differ?
The Protected Territory is defined in the Franchise Agreement, generally by county or ZIP codes, and is not exclusive against every channel reserved in FDD Item 12. The showroom, warehouse, and office must be inside the territory; only the showroom location requires advance Re-Bath approval.
Showroom site approval and lease approval are separate. Re-Bath evaluates the site package, while the lease must include its Lease Rider and obtain landlord consent. Re-Bath’s lease review is limited to the rider provisions, not the commercial merits of the lease.
Protected Territory
Fixed in the Franchise Agreement; Item 12 reservations still apply.
Showroom site
Must be inside the territory and approved in writing.
Site package
May include site plan, financial information, LOI or option, and requested materials.
Lease or purchase
Complete within the site deadline; showroom lease must include the Lease Rider.
Design and permits
Franchisee adapts specifications and secures zoning, permits, certifications, and contractor services.
Buildout
Construct, furnish, equip, sign, and display the showroom to current standards.
Soft Opening
Possible before completion only after training, office/warehouse readiness, substantial progress, and written approval.
Grand Opening
Operate from the completed approved showroom only after written approval.
2026 FDD, Items 8, 11 and 12; Franchise Agreement §§5.2–5.4; Site Selection Addendum; Lease Rider. See also Re-Bath’s showroom planning guidance; the contract and Manual control.
TRAINING
What training must be completed before Re-Bath lets the business open?
Initial onboarding is mandatory for new franchisees, including resales. The Operating Owner, full-time Manager, and designated employees must complete assigned training. Business Plan Training usually starts within 30 days after signing; Sales Training is typically 4–6 weeks before opening and Installation Training 2–4 weeks before opening.
Trainer Training requires the Operating Owner and at least one additional Manager, with an 80% certification score. The FDD and Franchise Agreement control required attendance and completion; Re-Bath also describes its program on the Training & Support page.
Maximum disclosed curriculum hours by training program
Classroom/remote hours and on-the-job hours shown separately. Values are “up to” amounts from the 2026 FDD curriculum tables.
Classroom, remote, or self-study hours
On-the-job hours
Interpretation: The curriculum is substantial but these bars do not form an opening timeline. Trainer Training encompasses required component programs, so its hours should not be added to the standalone Business Plan, Sales, and Installation totals as if they were separate sequential stages.
Source: 2026 Re-Bath FDD, Item 11, training curriculum tables, pp. 45–46. The Franchise Agreement requires designated trainees to complete assigned training to Re-Bath’s satisfaction before opening.
OPENING READINESS
What must be ready for Soft Opening and Grand Opening?
Soft Opening means beginning to contact prospects and set sales appointments; it requires advance notice, required training, operational office and warehouse space, substantial showroom progress, sufficient trained staff, amounts then due paid, and Re-Bath’s written approval. Grand Opening means operating from the completed approved showroom and also requires written approval plus the required 30-day Grand Opening Campaign with at least $25,000 in approved local marketing activity.
Readiness item
Soft Opening
Grand Opening
Primary evidence
Written Re-Bath approval
Required
Required
Franchise Agreement §§5.3–5.4
Operational office and warehouse
Required
Already operating
FDD Item 11; §5.3.1
Showroom status
Substantial progress may suffice
Completed, furnished, equipped, approved
§5.3.1–5.3.2
Training and staffing
Required training complete; sufficient trained staff
Continues as operating requirement
§5.4.3; Item 11
Opening notice / campaign
30-day anticipated-date notice
30-day Grand Opening Campaign
§5.3.1; §10.4.2
BUYER VERIFICATION
What deadline conflicts in the 2026 documents should you verify?
The 2026 FDD summaries are inconsistent. Item 7 references five months after lease execution for buildout and six months after signing for Grand Opening. Item 8, Item 11, and Franchise Agreement §5.3.2 instead use six months after acquiring the approved showroom for buildout and eight months after the Effective Date for Grand Opening.
CONTRACTUAL DEADLINE — VERIFY THE EXECUTION COPY
The attached Franchise Agreement uses the six-month buildout / eight-month Grand Opening framework. The Site Selection Addendum states a 10-day site-review period, then refers to deemed approval after “said thirty (30) days”; Items 8 and 11 use 10 days. If no site is secured during the 60-day Search Period, Re-Bath may terminate; the addendum also allows franchisee termination on 30 days’ notice with the Initial Franchise Fee refunded less $5,000. Confirm the final execution language in writing.
Opening notice provisions also overlap: §5.3.1 requires 30 days’ notice of anticipated Soft Opening, while §5.4.1 requires at least 14 days’ notice of the proposed first opening date. The documents should be read together and confirmed with Re-Bath before scheduling the event.
FINAL CHECKLIST
What should a buyer verify before committing to the Re-Bath opening process?
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Candidate thresholdsConfirm how current liquid-capital, net-worth, and credit screening applies to the applicant and ownership group.
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Territory and site deadlinesVerify final territory boundaries, the 60-day search period, site-review timing, and Site Selection Addendum termination/refund language.
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Lease RiderConfirm the landlord will accept the required rider before the site deadline.
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Local approvalsIdentify the exact licenses, permits, zoning, contractor credentials, inspections, and insurance required in the location.
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Training and opening evidenceConfirm mandatory trainees and the photos, permits, certificates, staffing proof, payment status, and other evidence needed for written approval.
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Conversion or resaleConfirm reusable assets, replacement requirements, and any resale training fee or conversion-specific specification.
SYNTHESIS
What is the practical bottom line for opening a Re-Bath franchise?
The path is qualification and FDD review, award and signing, then site and lease completion, licensing and buildout, training and staffing, written Soft Opening approval, and Grand Opening from the approved showroom. No complete inquiry-to-opening duration is disclosed; the clearest contractual endpoint is Grand Opening within eight months after the Effective Date.
The main applicant dependency is coordinating site, permits, landlord, contractor, office/warehouse, staffing, and training inside the contract windows. External dependencies are Re-Bath’s written approvals and third-party timing. Before signing, reconcile the conflicting buildout, Grand Opening, and site-review periods.
