1 Tom Plumber^®

Home & Commercial Services • Year: 2025

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What Is 1 Tom Plumber?

1 Tom Plumber is a franchise in the Home & Commercial Services category offering drain cleaning and full-service plumbing. Franchisees operate from a single central office in light industrial space (brick-and-mortar) serving a defined zip-code Operating Area and dispatch outfitted service trucks to perform on-site work. It serves both residential and commercial customers (B2C and B2B), focusing on emergency drain cleaning and repairs, and requires key assets such as hydrojetters and at least three fully stocked, 1-Tom-Plumber outfitted service trucks.

1 Tom Plumber Franchise: Pros and Cons

Strong territorial protection score of 66, well above Home & Commercial Services peers, gives franchisees unusually solid local exclusivity, but high startup costs — Item 7 totals range from $515,719 to $2,796,495 with assets up to $1,859,313 and reserves up to $800,000 — significantly raise cash and financing needs.

Pros

Territory protection score of 66 is well above typical for Home & Commercial Services, giving you stronger local exclusivity than most peers.

No disclosed lawsuits, no franchisor enforcement actions, no government penalties and no franchisee-initiated judgments or settlements — all well below industry norms — indicating a clean legal and regulatory record.

Zero outlet non‑renewals (bottom 5% for the sector) suggests franchisees are renewing agreements at a higher-than-typical rate, which supports system stability.

Cons

Estimated startup costs are capital‑intensive: Item 7 totals range from $515,719 (min) to $2,796,495 (max), with high asset and reserve requirements (assets max $1,859,313; reserves max $800,000) — all well above Home & Commercial Services peers, increasing your cash and financing needs.

There are 22 signed-but-not-open units, well above typical for this sector, which may indicate the franchisor is selling faster than it can support openings or that site approvals/buildouts are experiencing delays.

Outlet terminations count of 5 is well above typical for all industries (top 10%) and suggests some operators have exited the system earlier than expected.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

100

Excellent

The franchise reported no material legal proceedings.

Territory Protection

66/100

Excellent

Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units. The franchisor retains the right to acquire and convert locations, to operate under different trademarks and alternative distribution channels, and to develop additional units in the surrounding market; the franchisee retains site-specific relocation rights.

Training & Support

57/100

NORMAL

The brand provides a robust 114-hour training curriculum designed to prepare franchise personnel for launch and ongoing operational responsibilities, with no trainees included in the initial franchise fee. The program includes on-site launch support for operational readiness; travel and lodging expenses are the responsibility of the franchisee, and on-site support may involve additional fees.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a 1 Tom Plumber Franchise?

Opening a 1 Tom Plumber franchise requires a total initial investment of $515,719 to $2,796,495, according to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. This range covers the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and initial working capital needed to launch and operate through the early months.

Minimum Investment

$515,719

Franchise Fee

Real Estate

Equipment & Assets

Reserves

Training

Other

Maximum Investment

$2,796,495

Minimum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$50,000

Real Estate$500

Equipment & Assets$339,519

Reserves$100,000

Training$6,950

Other$18,750

Maximum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$50,000

Real Estate$17,250

Equipment & Assets$1,859,313

Reserves$800,000

Training$25,182

Other$44,750

Investment Analysis

This investment analysis is coming soon. Have ideas for other analyses you'd like us to add? Get in touch.

The initial investment amounts shown are estimates only. Actual costs may vary based on location size, business model, and multi-unit ownership arrangements. We recommend reviewing the full Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.

How Much Do 1 Tom Plumber Franchise Owners Make?

Average Gross Sales:

N/A

Median Gross Sales:

N/A

High Gross Sales:

$3,776,306

Low Gross Sales:

$542,627

Sample Size:

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: Corporate locations include at least one location (Cincinnati) with substantially higher annual total sales than any franchised location, while franchised locations peak at $3,776,306, indicating some corporate outlets outperform the franchised sample on revenue.

Performance Variability Analysis: Franchised annual total sales vary materially across the 19 units (range roughly $542,627 to $3,776,306), showing significant variability in revenue between territories and outlets.

Data Scope and Limitations: The Item 19 data are unaudited, present only 2024 results for 19 franchised units, do not include aggregate averages or medians across the sample, and contain no expense/P&L data, limiting profitability analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to open a 1 Tom Plumber franchise?

The total initial investment for a 1 Tom Plumber franchise ranges from $515,719 to $2,796,495, according to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and working capital.

What is the 1 Tom Plumber initial franchise fee?

The initial franchise fee for 1 Tom Plumber is $50,000, as stated in the 2025 FDD. This fee is paid upon signing the Franchise Agreement.

Does 1 Tom Plumber have any franchise lawsuits or legal issues?

1 Tom Plumber received a legal risk score of 100 out of 100 in the 2025 FDD analysis. The franchise reported no material legal proceedings.

Does 1 Tom Plumber offer exclusive franchise territories?

1 Tom Plumber received a territory protection score of 66 out of 100. Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units.

What training does 1 Tom Plumber provide to new franchisees?

1 Tom Plumber received a training and support score of 57 out of 100. The brand provides a robust 114-hour training curriculum designed to prepare franchise personnel for launch and ongoing operational responsibilities, with no trainees included in the initial franchise fee.

How many 1 Tom Plumber franchise locations are there?

1 Tom Plumber had 43 total locations as of the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document.

What type of business is 1 Tom Plumber?

1 Tom Plumber is a franchise in the Home & Commercial Services category offering drain cleaning and full-service plumbing.

Interested in 1 Tom Plumber?

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