Puddle Pool Services Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $98K – $123K
- Disclosed sales
- $700K
- gross sales, not profit
- SBA charge-off
- Limited · 13 loans
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Puddle Pool Services is a pool maintenance franchise providing cleaning, chemical balancing, and equipment repair. Franchisees run route-based operations, managing recurring service accounts and technicians.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Puddle Pool Services franchise requires a total initial investment of $98K – $123K, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $700K[2]. 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 scored6 of 7 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $98K – $123K
- 33rd pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- $700K
- 1 outlet
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 48th pct Home Services
- Units
- 2
- 6th 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 $98K – $123K including a $50K franchise fee, 7.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $700K/year, with an estimated 181% cash-on-cash return.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 46/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHFlat: no net change in franchised outlets in the latest year (1 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- FLAGRevenue data based on only 1 outlet. Treat as directional, not definitive. Ask franchisees directly for current unit economics.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Puddle Pool Services USA, Inc.
- Predecessor
- company
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Founder and Chief Executive Officer
- Mark Amery
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- Wyoming
- HQ
- 7726 Winegard Road, 2nd Floor - AV 183, Orlando, Florida 32809
- Auditor
- DA Advisory Group PLLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $104K
- vs $52K prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Affiliated brands
- Puddle Pool Services Ltd
- Feels Like Friday Service Brands
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Mark Amery
- Headquarters
- FL
- Founded
- 2021
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 2
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 34% below the typical home services franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown13 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $50K | $50K | |
| Training Expensesnot refundable | $2K | $3K | |
| Initial Marketing Launchnot refundable | $11K | $15K | |
| Initial Inventory of Tools, Equipment and Chemicalsnot refundable | $8K | $9K | |
| Business Licenses and Permitsnot refundable | $1K | $3K | |
| Computer/Phone Systemnot refundable | $1K | $3K | |
| CRM Setupnot refundable | $1K | $1K | |
| Vehicle Leasenot refundable | $2K | $4K | |
| Vehicle Wrapnot refundable | $4K | $7K | |
| Professional Feesnot refundable | $2K | $4K | |
| Uniform, Business Card, Other Physical Marketing Materialsnot refundable | $2K | $2K | |
| Liability Insurancenot refundable | $2K | $4K | |
| Operating Expenses / Additional Funds - 3 monthsnot refundable | $15K | $20K | |
| Total initial investment | $98K | $123K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $98K – $123K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $15K – $20K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K
- Middle of category vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- Set by a formula · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 0.6 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 | $199 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $10 |
| Inventory (initial) | $8K – $9K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 19% above the home services norm.
Based on a single outlet - not a system average
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
Single-unit · not modelled
Returns at a glance
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit, and the operating costs that turn one into the other are in no filing. We publish no modelled return for Puddle Pool Services until someone supplies them — yours, in the models below.
—
Not modelled yet
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for 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.
Total invested capital · disclosed
$128K
Item 7 initial investment plus working capital, as filed — the one figure here that needs no assumption.
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
FDD-reported earnings
The FDD reports $200K as Net Income. This is a disclosed figure, not our estimate — we publish no modelled profit for Puddle Pool Services.
What one unit earns on your invested capital
Model A · Single-Unit Return
Computes unlevered return on invested capital (ROIC) for a single franchise unit, read against the 30–60% reference band · Yale SOM, Post-MBA Path Exhibit 2 (2023). Below that band a passive index fund likely outperforms; above it the franchisor has pricing power you're subsidizing.
Note: Item 19 revenue is what the franchisor discloses, and it is the top line only — gross sales are not profit. No FDD discloses the operating costs that turn one into the other, so those fields start empty and nothing is modelled until you supply them from your own lease quote, labor market and build-out budget.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Puddle Pool 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 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.
What 25 units return when you use SBA financing
Model B · Return on Equity: Debt-Financed Acquisition
Models a 25-unit portfolio acquisition financed with an SBA 7(a) loan. Shows equity IRR (your return on cash invested), DSCR (how safely the cash flow covers debt service), and the capital stack (SBA + seller + equity breakdown).
This is the “search fund” or “entrepreneurship through acquisition” scenario: you buy an existing multi-unit operator, use leverage to amplify returns, and either operate or hire management. The 25-unit size is the typical minimum for an SBA-backed franchise portfolio acquisition to pencil as a full-time income.
What “return on equity” means here: if you put in $500K of your own cash and the business generates enough EBITDA to pay down debt and grow, your equity IRR is the annual return on that $500K, including the value created when you eventually sell. Target IRR for a search fund is typically 25–35%.
Not modelled yet
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for 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.
A 25-unit return is built on a per-unit EBITDA. Fill in the operating costs in Model A above and this model runs on that figure, or take the whole scenario to the full ROI workbench, where the portfolio and LBO models accept your own per-unit economics directly.
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
Based on a single outlet - not a system average
- Avg gross sales
- $700K
- Per unit, per year
- Avg net income
- $200K
- Cash-on-cash
- 181.3%
- Based on Net Income / investment midpoint
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- Actual
- Sample size
- 1 outlet
- vs category median 32 · small
- Reported figure
- $700KNot cited — published from our reading of the franchisor's disclosure document; the page it is printed on has not been located.
- A single outlet — not a range
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2025
- Disclosed in the 2025 filing, covering 2024
- Transparency
- 8 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · above
Compared against 319 Home Services brands
Revenue is 6.3x the investment midpoint. At typical franchise margins, this suggests a payback under 3 years.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Unit economics
Average unit generates $700K/year in gross sales. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 6.3x.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 9.0% (near the Home Services median).
Disclosure
Transparency score 8/10 — this franchisor discloses detailed breakdowns (quartiles, segments, or cohort data). Buyers can model unit economics with higher confidence. Sample size of 1 outlet — treat as directional only.
Operator retention
Net unit growth of +100.0% over 3 years (1 opened, 0 closed).
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 Puddle Pool 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
- 2
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 50%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +100.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 9
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Continuity rate
- 100.0%
- Units that stayed open
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 2 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.
2
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 13
- Loan volume
- $2.4M
- Median loan
- $150K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- Limited · 13 loans
- Limited SBA coverage: 13 loans, rate hidden until 10 have resolved and loans reach 2% of franchised units
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- Limited · 13 loans
- 5-yr charge-off
- Limited · 13 loans
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 6
- Defaults
- 0
- Typical loan rate
- 10.0%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 11.6%
- n=560 loans
- Jobs supported
- 54
- 2.3 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 31%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 100% went to startups / new businesses, 0% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in other services to buildings and dwellings, franchised businesses charge off at 11.6% vs 20.7% for independents — franchising is associated with 44% lower SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing Puddle Pool Services franchisees
Showing 3 of 6 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 Puddle Pool Services from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 0.0%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 78%
- Avg interest rate
- 10.00%
- Lender concentration
- 30.8%
- Job velocity
- 2.3 per $100K
- NAICS benchmark
- 0.0%
- NAICS 561790
- Jobs supported
- 54
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 31% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Bank of the Lake | 4 | $1.1M | N/A |
| 2 | United Midwest Savings Bank National Association | 3 | $450K | N/A |
| 3 | Magnifi Financial CU | 2 | $241K | N/A |
| 4 | The Huntington National Bank | 2 | $364K | N/A |
| 5 | First Commonwealth Bank | 1 | $200K | N/A |
| 6 | Keystone Bank SSB | 1 | $50K | N/A |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLFlorida | 5 | 0 | -- |
| TXTexas | 4 | 0 | -- |
| GAGeorgia | 1 | 0 | -- |
| NCNorth Carolina | 1 | 0 | -- |
| NJNew Jersey | 1 | 0 | -- |
| UTUtah | 1 | 0 | -- |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
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: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation required to be disclosed
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · DA Advisory Group PLLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
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: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 9.0% 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 | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory population | 10,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | 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 | 5 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Wyoming |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 38 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 40 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisor designates/approves territory boundaries; home/mobile office model
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- PuddlePower.com
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: PuddlePower.com
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Puddle Pool Services franchise?
The total investment to open a Puddle Pool Services franchise ranges from $98K – $123K, 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 Puddle Pool Services franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Puddle Pool Services FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $700K. Important context: Based on a single outlet - not a system average. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
Who owns Puddle Pool Services?
Puddle Pool Services is franchised by Puddle Pool Services USA, Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Puddle Pool 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 Puddle Pool Services FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Puddle Pool Services's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Puddle Pool 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 Puddle Pool Services franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Puddle Pool Services has 2 total units in the United States, including 1 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Puddle Pool Services a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Puddle Pool Services as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 46 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
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent Puddle Pool Services, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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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.