A39/100FDD 2024
G.J. Gardner Homes — Litigation & Risk
Home Services - Other · FDD Items 3, 4 & 5
Lower Risk
No litigation cases disclosed in FDD Items 3 and 4.
Source: FDD Items 3–5
FDD Items 3 & 4
Litigation Metrics
Cases disclosed
0
Total from FDD Items 3 and 4
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
—
Franchisor or officer bankruptcy
Overall risk score
39 / 100
FranchiseVerdict composite
Rating
STRONG
STRONG / MODERATE / CAUTION / AVOID
7(a) FOIA data · FY2020–present
SBA Loan Performance
Aggregated from public SBA 7(a) loan disclosures. Default rate is the share of loans that were charged off or settled for less than the full balance.
Total 7(a) loans
2
Government-backed loans issued
Default rate
0.0%
vs <3% typical · system-wide
5-yr default rate
—
Defaults
0 loans
Loans charged off or defaulted
Total loan volume
$574K
Avg loan size
$287K
Participating lenders
2
FDD Items 5, 6 & 17 — what you give up
Contract Risk Indicators
Mandatory arbitration
Not required
You retain the right to sue in court
Jury trial waiver
Waived
You give up the right to a jury trial
Non-compete
2 yrs
Post-termination restriction on similar businesses
Franchisor can compete
Yes
Franchisor can open competing locations in or near your territory
Right of first refusal
Yes
Franchisor can match any purchase offer when you try to sell
Governing law
Texas
State whose law governs disputes — relevant if you're not based there
What drove the 39/100 rating
Risk Score Breakdown
- 01MEDNet income not disclosed in Item 19 — impossible to validate actual profitability claims against $5.4M average revenue
- 02MINORRapid unit growth of 41.2% YoY suggests either aggressive expansion or high failure rate being masked; sustainability unclear
- 03MINORHigh royalty floor of $3,500/month ($42,000 annually) creates cash flow burden regardless of sales performance
- 04MINORInitial investment range ($151K–$348K) is wide, indicating inconsistent franchise setup costs or territory-dependent pricing
- 05MEDOnly 24 units system-wide is extremely small; limited peer data for franchisee validation and franchisor financial stability concerns
Severity inferred from FDD text — not a regulatory or legal classification
Litigation data from FDD Items 3, 4, and 5. SBA data from public 7(a) FOIA records (FY2020–present). Not legal advice — consult a franchise attorney before signing any franchise agreement.