AmeriSpec Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $76K – $93K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- 20.0%
- on 10 loans
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
AmeriSpec is a home-inspection franchise providing residential inspections for buyers, sellers, and agents. Franchisees run an inspection business scheduling jobs, performing evaluations, and delivering reports, often built on realtor referrals.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A AmeriSpec franchise requires a total initial investment of $76K – $93K, including a $40K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% 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. SBA 7(a) loans show a 20.0% charge-off rate across 10 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: F (Weakest tier), 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
- $76K – $93K
- 8th pct Automotive
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 31st pct Automotive
- Units
- 105
- 32nd pct Automotive
- SBA charge-off
- 20.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Automotive · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Automotive 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 $76K – $93K including a $40K franchise fee, 7.0% 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 F (Weakest tier), verdict score 20/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 20.0% across 10 loans (above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHNegative: net -37 franchised outlets in the latest year (5 opened, 39 closed) (Item 20).
- DECLINESystem contracting at -33.5% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- TCB AmeriSpec, LLC
- Parent company
- TCB Services Holdings, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 8 of the 2025 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- TCB Services HoldCo, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 8 of the 2025 FDD
- Predecessor
- AMERISPEC SPE LLC / AmeriSpec L.L.C.
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer and President
- Chris Gammill
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 57 Germantown Ct. Suite 201, Cordova, Tennessee 38018
- Auditor
- Forvis Mazars, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $9.2M
- vs $6.2M prior year
Affiliated brands
- of Eagle Merchant Partners
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 8
1 other brand on this site name TCB Services HoldCo, LLC 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
- Chris Gammill
- Headquarters
- TN
- Founded
- 1988
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 33
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 77% below the typical automotive franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $40K | $40K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $20K | $25K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $16K | $28K |
| Total initial investment | $76K | $93K |
Source: AmeriSpec 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
- $76K – $93K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $25K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $40K – $40K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- Set by a formula · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 3.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 3.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $55 |
| Transfer fee | $7K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
AmeriSpec 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 AmeriSpec 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 10.0% — above the Automotive median of 8.0%.
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.
Operator retention
System contracting at -33.5% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
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 Automotive medians
How AmeriSpec Compares
Category median of published Automotive 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
- 105
- Opened
- 5
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 39
- Turnover rate
- 40.0%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -33.5%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -33.5%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 11
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 15 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
58 current owners across 25 states.
- MI 7
- CA 5
- AR 4
- GE 4
- TE 4
- CO 3
- FL 3
- IL 3
- OR 3
- MA 2
- NE 2
- NO 2
- +13 more states
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20; 41 entries carry no state. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
A system losing more than 10% of its units year-over-year is a red flag. Check whether closures are concentrated in specific regions.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 10
- Loan volume
- $1.4M
- Median loan
- $65K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 20.0%
- on 10 loans · rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 80.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 10
- Defaults
- 2
- Typical loan rate
- N/A
- Franchised industry avg
- 23.9%
- brand beats franchise avg ↓
- Jobs supported
- 10
- 0.7 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 10%
- top lender's share
Franchise vs independent — in building inspection services, franchised businesses charge off at 23.9% vs 19.1% for independents — franchising is associated with 25% higher SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing AmeriSpec franchisees
Showing 3 of 10 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Lender network · 7(a) + 504
SBA Lending Report
Full lending analysis for AmeriSpec from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 31.1%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 78%
- Avg chargeoff amount
- $217K
- Lender concentration
- 10.0%
- Job velocity
- 0.7 per $100K
- NAICS benchmark
- 19.2%
- NAICS 541350
- Jobs supported
- 10
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 10% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Busey Bank | 1 | $40K | 0.0% |
| 2 | Brookline Bank, a Division of Beacon Bank and Trust | 1 | $11K | 0.0% |
| 3 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 1 | $350K | 100.0% |
| 4 | Regions Bank | 1 | $50K | 0.0% |
| 5 | The Washington Trust Company of Westerly | 1 | $337K | 0.0% |
| 6 | The Paducah Bank and Trust Company | 1 | $81K | 0.0% |
| 7 | OnPath Federal Credit Union | 1 | $28K | 0.0% |
| 8 | Readycap Lending, LLC | 1 | $118K | 0.0% |
| 9 | Popular Bank | 1 | $352K | 100.0% |
| 10 | Millennial Bank | 1 | $30K | 0.0% |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIRhode Island | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| ALAlabama | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| CACalifornia | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |
| FLFlorida | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |
| ILIllinois | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| KYKentucky | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| LALouisiana | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| NCNorth Carolina | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| OKOklahoma | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
A 20.0% charge-off rate means roughly 1 in 5 franchisees failed to repay their SBA loan. Investigate what changed.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 20.0% — 25% above the 16.0% national norm, i.e. higher lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
AmeriSpec presents high risk due to accelerating unit decline, financial opacity, and unclear franchisor viability, making it difficult to project franchisee success or ROI.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation required to be disclosed in Item 3
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Forvis Mazars, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Financials are consolidated for the parent, TCB Services HoldCo, LLC and Subsidiaries, audited by Forvis Mazars, LLP (Birmingham, AL), for FY ended Dec 31, 2024 (and period Mar 31 2023 - Dec 31 2023). 2023 figures restated. Total Revenue $9,237,267 comprises Royalty and other franchisor revenues $5,226,442, National Ad Fund Fees $1,082,251, and wholly owned franchisees service revenue $2,928,574. Net Loss of $(5,984,064) in 2024.
ⓘ 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
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 20 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDSevere unit decline of 26.1% year-over-year indicates system contraction and potential franchisee dissatisfaction
- 02MEDNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed prevents ROI validation and creates opacity around actual earnings potential
- 03MINORLow initial investment ($76-93K) combined with 7% royalty + $280/month minimum suggests thin margins in a competitive home inspection market
- 04MINOR105 remaining units suggests a shrinking franchise system vulnerable to further attrition and loss of brand recognition
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 10.0% 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 | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 1 year |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 75 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 20 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | TN |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed in Item 3
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 91 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 30 hrs
- Training location
- Franchisor Training Center, Memphis, TN; In-field within Territory for OJT
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 1 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- AmeriSpec Management System (AMS)
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: AmeriSpec Management System (AMS)
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
99 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 AmeriSpec franchise?
The total investment to open a AmeriSpec franchise ranges from $76K – $93K, with an initial franchise fee of $40K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do AmeriSpec franchise owners earn?
AmeriSpec 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 AmeriSpec?
AmeriSpec is franchised by TCB AmeriSpec, LLC. Its parent company is TCB Services Holdings, LLC. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is TCB Services HoldCo, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the AmeriSpec 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 AmeriSpec FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is AmeriSpec's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, AmeriSpec has a charge-off rate of 20.0% across 10 loans, meaning 20.0% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many AmeriSpec franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, AmeriSpec has 105 total units in the United States, including 105 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 5 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is AmeriSpec a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates AmeriSpec as a F-grade franchise with a verdict score of 20 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.
For franchisors
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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.