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$143,000–$287,000 to open, a $43,000 franchise fee, then 6% royalty + 1.5% brand fund + a required 6% local marketing spend. Same Authority Brands fee stack as One Hour. Here's the real math.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is one of the largest plumbing franchise brands in the United States, with more than 300 locations. Like its sister brands One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning and Mister Sparky Electric, it's part of Authority Brands — a platform that encourages cross-selling between trades. The brand's core promise is punctuality: "If there's any delay, it's you we pay."
The fee structure mirrors Authority Brands' other concepts: a 6% royalty, a 1.5% brand fund, and a required 6% local marketing minimum — totaling 13.5% of gross revenue. For a plumbing operation doing $1 million, that's $135,000 per year flowing out before you pay a plumber. It's the same triple-stack that makes Authority Brands franchises among the most expensive in home services on a percentage basis.
This article breaks down what a Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise actually costs, what you get from the Authority Brands ecosystem, and how the economics compare to building an independent plumbing business.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is a residential and commercial plumbing franchise founded in 2000, now owned by Authority Brands and headquartered in Columbia, Maryland. The franchise specializes in plumbing repair, installation, drain cleaning, and water heater services, using a flat-rate pricing model and a punctuality guarantee. It operates more than 300 franchise locations and is designed to cross-sell with One Hour Heating & Air and Mister Sparky Electric.
The estimated total initial investment ranges from $143,000 to $287,000. This covers the franchise fee, service vehicles, tools and equipment, initial marketing, insurance, and working capital. Plumbing businesses require specialized equipment and properly outfitted service vehicles, which drives the floor higher than lighter trades.
The initial franchise fee is $43,000.
| Category | Benjamin Franklin Plumbing | HomePro Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Initial investment | $143,000–$287,000 | $0 (just $79/mo) |
| Franchise fee | $43,000 | $0 |
| Ongoing royalty | 6% of gross — forever | $0 — flat $79/mo |
| Brand fund | 1.5% of gross | $0 |
| Required marketing | 6% of gross (minimum) | No minimums |
| Combined fee rate | 13.5% of gross revenue | $79/mo flat |
| 5-year total fees @ $1M rev | ~$718,000 | $4,740 |
| Exit | Franchisor approval required | Your business — sell anytime |
Plumbing is a licensed trade with genuine barriers to entry — and those barriers protect independent operators who clear them. State licensing, master plumber requirements, and bonding/insurance create a floor that keeps unqualified competitors out. Once licensed, an independent plumber with professional business systems can match or exceed franchise revenue without the 13.5% drag.
What a franchise really provides is the business side — flat-rate pricing, dispatch systems, marketing, hiring, and follow-up. Those are exactly the systems HomePro delivers for $79/month: franchise-grade playbooks, pricing frameworks, hiring systems, and Sage AI coaching. No royalty, no brand fund, no mandatory marketing minimums.
See the Mr. Rooter franchise cost comparison for the other major plumbing franchise.
HomePro gives you the systems, playbooks, and AI coaching that brands like Benjamin Franklin Plumbing charge six figures for. $79/mo. No franchise fee. No royalties. Your brand.
Get Started — $79/mo → See How It WorksPer the Benjamin Franklin Plumbing 2026 FDD, the total initial investment ranges from $143,000 to $287,000, including a franchise fee of $43,000. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is part of Authority Brands, alongside One Hour Heating & Air and Mister Sparky Electric. The franchise operates over 300 locations across the U.S. Always request the current FDD before investing.
Per Item 6 of the FDD, franchisees pay a 6% royalty on gross revenue, plus a 1.5% brand fund contribution, plus a required 6% minimum local marketing spend. The combined fee obligation is 13.5% of gross revenue. At $1 million in annual revenue, that is $135,000 per year in fees and required marketing spend.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing does not disclose a single median revenue figure in Item 19 of its FDD, but performance varies significantly by market. Top-performing franchisees report gross revenue exceeding $2 million annually. Revenue is gross, not profit, and is reduced by the 13.5% combined fee obligation, plus technician labor, parts, vehicles, insurance, and overhead.
The main alternative is building an independent plumbing business — getting licensed in your state, building direct customer relationships, and running the business with professional systems. HomePro Systems provides franchise-grade business systems, pricing playbooks, hiring frameworks, and AI coaching for $79/mo — no franchise fee, no royalties, no required marketing minimums.
Sources: Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). Figures are estimates from the most recent publicly available FDD; always request the current FDD directly from the franchisor before making any investment decision. HomePro Systems is not affiliated with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing or Authority Brands.
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