Ace Hardware Painting Services Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $89K – $153K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Under 10 loans (2)
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Ace Hardware Painting Services is a home services franchise providing residential and commercial painting under the Ace Hardware brand. Franchisees run local operations, managing sales, crews, and customer accounts.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Ace Hardware Painting Services franchise requires a total initial investment of $89K – $153K, including a $50K – $80K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored4 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $89K – $153K
- 26th pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 21st pct Home Services
- Units
- 11
- 19th pct Home Services
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Home Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Home Services median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $89K – $153K including a $50K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 53/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +8 franchised outlets in the latest year (8 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Ace Painting Franchising, LLC
- Parent company
- Ace Services Holdings LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 8 of the 2025 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Ace Hardware Corporation
- FDD Item 1, page 8 of the 2025 FDD
- Predecessor
- Mountain Skyline Painting, LLC (MSP)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Andy Bell
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 390 Union Boulevard, Suite 520, Lakewood, Colorado 80228
- Auditor
- Ernst & Young LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $9.5B
- vs $9.1B prior year
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 8
1 other brand on this site name Ace Hardware Corporation as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2025 FDD). Spelling variants of the same group may be listed apart; a brand is never grouped with an owner its filing does not name.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Andy Bell
- Headquarters
- Colorado
- Founded
- 2021
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 3
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 28% below the typical home services franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $15K | $25K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $24K | $78K |
| Total initial investment | $89K | $153K |
Source: Ace Hardware Painting Services 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $89K – $153K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $15K – $25K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $80K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $640 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $6K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Ace Hardware Painting Services makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Ace Hardware Painting Services unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 8.0% (near the Home Services median).
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Home Services medians
How Ace Hardware Painting Services Compares
Category median of published Home Services brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 11
- Opened
- 8
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 3
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 73%
- vs corporate-owned
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 6
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 3 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
3
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 2 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 2
- Loan volume
- $750K
- Median loan
- $375K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- Under 10 loans (2)
- Insufficient SBA coverage: 2 loans, rate hidden below 10
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- Under 10 loans (2)
- 5-yr charge-off
- Under 10 loans (2)
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- N/A
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
No litigation required to be disclosed involving the franchisor. Three concluded actions involving ultimate parent Ace Hardware Corporation were disclosed: (1) Ace Handyman Services, Inc. v. Ace Hardware Corp. et al. (trademark; settled 2020, $150,000 paid to plaintiff); (2) Cathay Bank v. Ace Hardware Corp. et al. (vendor/fraudulent payment claims; settled 2022, $650,000 paid by Ace Hardware); (3) Advanced Caregivers LLC d/b/a Hialeah Ace Hardware v. Ace Hardware Corp. (Illinois Franchise Disclosure Act/fraud class claims; settled 2017 at $25,000 each, dismissed with prejudice).
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Ernst & Young LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Item 21 audited statements are the consolidated financial statements of Ace Hardware Corporation (the franchisor's ultimate parent/guarantor), audited by an independent accountant in Chicago, Illinois (report dated Feb 11, 2025; signature OCR-illegible). Figures originally reported in millions and converted to whole US dollars; balance sheet reconciles: assets 4,292.8M = liabilities 3,370.9M + total equity 921.9M (FY ending Dec 28, 2024). Net worth is total equity (incl. $8.0M noncontrolling interest; equity attributable to Ace member Retailers alone is $913.9M). Revenue split: wholesale $8,666.0M + retail $825.4M = total $9,491.4M; other_revenue reflects retail revenues. Net income $314.1M (attributable to Ace Hardware Corp $315.0M). The franchisor entity (Ace Painting Franchising LLC) has no standalone audited statements; parent guaranty financials used.
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 53 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOROnly 3 operating units with unknown growth trajectory suggests minimal system traction and high failure risk
- 02HIGHParent company litigation history includes fraud and disclosure violation allegations, creating reputational and legal exposure
- 03MEDNo average revenue or net income disclosure (missing Item 19) prevents ability to validate ROI on $89k-$153k investment
- 04MINORHigh royalty burden at 6% with no performance benchmarks or profitability thresholds for franchisees
- 05MEDExtremely small franchise base (3 units) with 10-year commitment creates concentration risk and limited peer support
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory sizeℹ | Between 70,000 and 100,000 households (minimum 60,000), delineated by zip codes |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 90 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 3 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Denver, Colorado |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Colorado |
| Litigation count | 3 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed involving the franchisor. Three concluded actions involving ultimate parent Ace Hardware Corporation were disclosed: (1) Ace Handyman Services, Inc. v. Ace Hardware Corp. et al. (trademark; settled 2020, $150,000 paid to plaintiff); (2) Cathay Bank v. Ace Hardware Corp. et al. (vendor/fraudulent payment claims; settled 2022, $650,000 paid by Ace Hardware); (3) Advanced Caregivers LLC d/b/a Hialeah Ace Hardware v. Ace Hardware Corp. (Illinois Franchise Disclosure Act/fraud class claims; settled 2017 at $25,000 each, dismissed with prejudice).
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 20 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 27 hrs
- Training location
- Denver, Colorado metropolitan area or another location designated by franchisor, or via video conference
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 4 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- franchisee
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Ace Hardware Painting Services proprietary business operations software
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Ace Hardware Painting Services proprietary business operations software
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
4 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Ace Hardware Painting Services franchise?
The total investment to open a Ace Hardware Painting Services franchise ranges from $89K – $153K, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Ace Hardware Painting Services franchise owners earn?
Ace Hardware Painting Services makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Ace Hardware Painting Services?
Ace Hardware Painting Services is franchised by Ace Painting Franchising, LLC. Its parent company is Ace Services Holdings LLC. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Ace Hardware Corporation. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Ace Hardware Painting Services FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Ace Hardware Painting Services FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Ace Hardware Painting Services's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Ace Hardware Painting Services (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Ace Hardware Painting Services franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Ace Hardware Painting Services has 11 total units in the United States, including 8 franchised units and 3 company-owned units. 8 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Ace Hardware Painting Services a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Ace Hardware Painting Services as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 53 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.