Criterium Engineers Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $75K – $174K
- Disclosed sales
- partial, no system average
- SBA charge-off
- Under 10 loans (4)
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Criterium Engineers is a professional engineering franchise providing building inspections, assessments, and consulting for owners, buyers, and HOAs. Franchisees run local practices, managing engineers and delivering inspection reports.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Criterium Engineers franchise requires a total initial investment of $75K – $174K, including a $55K – $85K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2026 FDD on file does not yield a unit-revenue figure we can publish. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: 2026 filing · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: low - the current year's filing
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 scored5 of 6 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $75K – $174K
- 25th pct Business Serv…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Outlet subset
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 9th pct Business Serv…
- Units
- 31
- 28th pct Business Serv…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Business Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Business 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 $75K – $174K including a $55K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 76/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHNegative: net -1 franchised outlets in the latest year (1 opened, 2 closed) (Item 20).
- DECLINESystem contracting at -6.5% 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
- Coast to Coast Engineering Services, Inc.
- Predecessor
- Coast to Coast Inspection Services, Inc. (formerly Home Inspection Consultants)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- President and Director
- David E. Leopold
- Incorporated in
- ME
- HQ
- 5 Depot Street, Suite 23, Freeport, ME 04032
- Auditor
- The Swanson Group LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $8.4M
- vs $7.5M prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- David E. Leopold
- Headquarters
- ME
- Founded
- 1989
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 22
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost is about typical for a business services franchise (near the category median).
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $55K | $55K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $12K | $48K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $9K | $72K |
| Total initial investment | $75K | $174K |
Source: Criterium Engineers 2026 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
- $75K – $174K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $12K – $48K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $55K – $85K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- Tiered by sales volume · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- 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 | 1.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $0 |
| Transfer fee | $0 |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Inventory (initial) | $250 – $3K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
No Item 19 revenue figure for Criterium Engineers is on file. 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 Criterium Engineers 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: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
- Item 19 type
- gross sales
- Sample size
- 32
- vs category median 37
- Range (low → high)
- $17K→$1.2MNot cited — published from our reading of the franchisor's disclosure document; the page it is printed on has not been located.
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
- Transparency
- 3 / 10
- vs category median 3 / 10 · typical
Compared against 296 Business Services brands
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 Business Services median).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
Operator retention
System contracting at -6.5% 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 Business Services medians
How Criterium Engineers Compares
Category median of published Business 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 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 31
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 2
- Turnover rate
- 6.9%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 97%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +3.2%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -6.5%
- 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
- 3
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 21 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
31 current owners across 21 states.
- TX 4
- CO 3
- AL 2
- GA 2
- NV 2
- OH 2
- WA 2
- DE 1
- FL 1
- IL 1
- MA 1
- MD 1
- +9 more states
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 4 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 4
- Loan volume
- $1.3M
- Median loan
- $298K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- Under 10 loans (4)
- Insufficient SBA coverage: 4 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 (4)
- 5-yr charge-off
- Under 10 loans (4)
- 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
Declining unit base, withheld profitability data, high relative fees, and unclear franchisor financial health create material investment risk despite protected territories.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · The Swanson Group LLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Consolidated statements of Coast to Coast Engineering Services, Inc. d/b/a Criterium Engineers and Affiliate. Total revenues of $8,437,019 (FY2024) are dominated by contract and project revenues ($7,556,573); total franchise revenues were only $880,446 (franchise fees $9,950, royalties and other fees $810,967, administrative services and other $59,529). Most recent audited statements in the FDD are as of December 31, 2024 with comparative 2023 (the cover references FY2025 but no FY2025 statements appear in the provided text).
ⓘ 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: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 76 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDUnit count declined 6.5% year-over-year (29 units; suggests system contraction or franchisee struggles)
- 02MEDNet income not disclosed in FDD Item 19 (prevents accurate ROI calculation and raises transparency concerns)
- 03MINORRoyalty structure requires $5,000/month minimum ($60,000 annually) even at lower revenue levels, constraining profitability
- 04MINORSmall system size (29 units) means less brand recognition, shared resources, and higher vulnerability to economic downturns
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 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory population | 1,000,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 50 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | Portland, Maine |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | ME |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 54 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 36 hrs
- Training location
- Virtually via Zoom or at franchisor offices and franchisee location
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 1 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee selects, franchisor approves within one week
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
31 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 Criterium Engineers franchise?
The total investment to open a Criterium Engineers franchise ranges from $75K – $174K, with an initial franchise fee of $55K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Criterium Engineers franchise owners earn?
Item 19 of the Criterium Engineers FDD discloses outlet figures from $17K to $1.2M but no single average across all outlets. These are gross sales figures, not profit; the Revenue section shows what the filing reports and on what basis. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Criterium Engineers?
Criterium Engineers is franchised by Coast to Coast Engineering Services, Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Criterium Engineers 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 Criterium Engineers FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Criterium Engineers's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Criterium Engineers (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 Criterium Engineers franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Criterium Engineers has 31 total units in the United States, including 30 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Criterium Engineers a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Criterium Engineers as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 76 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.