Start a RooterMan Franchise in 2026

2026 Franchise 500 Rank: #298 Ranked #231 last year

Initial investment: $45K - $82K

Units as of 2025: 581 22% over 3 years

Are you looking to open a plumbing, drain, and sewer cleaning franchise? Then Rooter-Man may be for you. The company offers various commercial and residential plumbing services. Services range from leak detection, troubleshooting, repairs, pipe location, drain cleaning, and septic works. They have patented drain cleaning equipment that they believe is superior to their competition.

Founded by Donald MacDonald in 1970, Rooter-Man is a plumbing services company that's been around for decades. Rooter-Man, which now boasts more than 50 years of operation, began franchising in 1981.

There are over 650 Rooter-Man franchises in the U.S., with another few dozen in Canada.

Why You May Want to Start a Rooter-Man Franchise

Rooter-Man offers an excellent opportunity to run a home-based plumbing business for anyone with plumbing knowledge and experience. Although multiple franchise locations are not required, a good amount of franchisees own multiple units that are run by approximately four employees.

If you're looking to expand your business, you may want to try starting this plumbing franchise. As a franchisee, you'll receive equity in the franchisor's national brand, and owning the brand's trademark may go a long way in expanding your operational territory. It is possible to receive support through each stage, with information and expertise to be provided upon request.

What Might Make a Rooter-Man Franchise a Good Choice?

To be part of the Rooter-Man team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. You should also be prepared for ongoing fees including advertising, royalty, and renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements. It may be a good idea to speak with an attorney or financial advisor to ensure that you have the financial stability necessary to open a Rooter-Man franchise.

What may make opening a Rooter-Man franchise a good choice is the brand's proven franchising system built around a registered trademark in local areas. You get access to a training program on management skills, a local advertisement plan, and a pool of information from professionals in the field. Additionally, Rooter-Man has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 and Fastest-Growing Franchises many times in the past several decades. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

How to Open a Rooter-Man Franchise

As you decide if opening a Rooter-Man franchise is the right decision for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Rooter-Man franchise would do well in your community. If there are multiple other plumbing companies available in your area, then you may want to reconsider your location.

It's relatively easy to start this national plumbing and drain cleaning franchise. To become one of the Rooter-Man franchisees, you have to submit an inquiry form. If you are seen as a good fit, a franchise representative may reach out to you to begin the initial franchising process.

Don't let your future slip down the drain—ask about opening your Rooter-Man franchise

Company Overview

About RooterMan

Industry	Maintenance
Related Categories	Plumbing , Miscellaneous Maintenance Businesses
Founded	1970
Parent Company	Premium Service Brands
Leadership	Paul Flick, CEO
Corporate Address	126 Garrett, #J Charlottesville, VA 22902
Social	Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1981 (45 years)
# of employees at HQ	43
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Canada
# of Units	581 (as of 2025)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a RooterMan franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$4,975
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$45,075 - $82,475
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$25,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$10,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	10% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	Varies
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	Varies
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	RooterMan has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	28 hours
Classroom Training	62.5 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	Yes
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	Yes
# of employees required to run	3-5
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes