Lawn SquadFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A LAWN SQUAD franchise requires a total initial investment of $79K – $118K, including a $45K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $4.2M[2]. Verdict grade: A. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 21, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $79K – $118K
- 19th pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- $4.2M
- 49th pct Home Services
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 28th pct Home Services
- Units
- 16
- 24th pct Home Services
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Home Services · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Home Services avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Each dollar invested generates 42.6x in gross revenue, well above the typical 1.5-2.5x range.
Started franchising in 2023. Newer systems carry more uncertainty but may offer better territories.
Bottom line
- Total investment $79K – $118K including a $45K franchise fee, 7.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $4.2M/year. Estimated payback in 0.1 years.
- Verdict A (Top Quintile) with a risk score of 27/100.
- Revenue data based on only 2 reporting units. Treat as directional, not definitive. Ask franchisees directly for current unit economics.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- Lawn Squad Franchising LLC
- Parent company
- Authority Brands, Inc.
- Incorporated in
- DE
- HQ
- 7120 Samuel Morse Drive, Suite 300, Columbia, Maryland 21046
- Auditor
- PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $417K
- vs $428K prior year
Overview
About
Lawn Squad franchisees operate lawn care and landscaping services, managing crews to perform routine maintenance (mowing, edging, trimming) and seasonal services for residential and commercial clients. Day-to-day operations include scheduling appointments, managing field teams, customer billing/collections, and equipment maintenance within their protected territory.
- CEO
- Stewart C. Vernon
- Headquarters
- MD
- Founded
- 2023
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 5
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $45K | $45K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $10K | $15K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $24K | $58K |
| Total initial investment | $79K | $118K |
Source: LAWN SQUAD 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$420K
10.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
378%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
3 mo
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $79K – $118K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $15K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $45K – $45K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- Gross Revenue · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 0.1 yrs
- From FDD / Item 19
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $450 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $4.2M
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- N/A
- Avg net income
- $865K
- Item 19 type
- Company-owned stores
- Sample size
- 2 units
- vs category median 25 · small
- Range (low → high)
- $2.8M→$5.6M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency
- 9 / 5
- vs category median 4 / 5 · above
Compared against 349 Home Services brands
Revenue is 42.6x the investment midpoint. At typical franchise margins, this suggests a payback under 3 years.
vs Home Services averages
How Lawn Squad Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 16
- Opened
- 7
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 9
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 44%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 10 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.
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
- $300K
- Median loan
- $150K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- 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)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Lawn Squad's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 1 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 2 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 2-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Small, non-growing system with undisclosed going concern issues, unverifiable financial claims, and potential franchisor stability problems despite reasonable unit economics.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 27 / 100 rating
- 01HIGHGoing Concern status indicates franchisor financial distress or viability questions
- 02MINOROnly 16 units with unknown growth trajectory suggests stagnant or declining system
- 03MEDNo Item 19 (financial performance representations) disclosed — cannot validate average revenue/net income claims independently
- 04MINORHigh royalty rate (7%) combined with seasonal lawn care business may compress margins during off-season
- 05MINORSignificant gap between average revenue ($420k) and average net income ($703k) is mathematically impossible and raises data integrity concerns
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Maryland |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 38 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 24 hrs
- POS system
- ServiceMinder
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: ServiceMinder
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
11 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
LAWN SQUAD · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a LAWN SQUAD franchise?
The total investment to open a LAWN SQUAD franchise ranges from $79K – $118K, with an initial franchise fee of $45K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do LAWN SQUAD franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the LAWN SQUAD FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $4.2M. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is LAWN SQUAD's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for LAWN SQUAD (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 LAWN SQUAD franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, LAWN SQUAD has 16 total units in the United States, including 10 franchised units and 9 company-owned units. 7 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is LAWN SQUAD a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates LAWN SQUAD as a A-grade franchise with a risk score of 27 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. 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.