Southwest Greens Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $83K – $342K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Under 10 loans (7)
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Southwest Greens is a home services franchise that designs and installs synthetic turf, putting greens, and sport courts. Franchisees run local operations, managing design, sales, and installation crews within a territory.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Southwest Greens franchise requires a total initial investment of $83K – $342K, including a $10K – $50K franchise fee. 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. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest 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: high - issued more than two years ago
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 scored3 of 3 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $83K – $342K
- 23rd pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- Set by a formula
- Units
- 53
- 47th 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 $83K – $342K including a $10K franchise fee.
- 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 A (Strongest tier), verdict score 70/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHFlat: no net change in franchised outlets in the latest year (2 opened, 3 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAThis 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.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Southwest Greens International, LLC
- Parent company
- Shaw Contract Flooring Services, Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 10 of the 2024 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 10 of the 2024 FDD
- Predecessor
- Westco, Incorporated (formerly Southwest Putting Green Technologies, Inc.)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Vice President
- James Lester Kirkpatrick
- Incorporated in
- Georgia
- HQ
- 185 S. Industrial Blvd., Mail Drop 0DY-01, Calhoun, Georgia 30701
- Auditor
- LBMC, PC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $10.7M
- vs $12.2M prior year
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 10
2 other brands on this site name Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2024 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
- James Lester Kirkpatrick
- Headquarters
- Georgia
- Founded
- 1998
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 28
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 26% above the typical home services franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $10K | $10K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $10K | $50K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $63K | $282K |
| Total initial investment | $83K | $342K |
Source: Southwest Greens 2024 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
- $83K – $342K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $10K – $50K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- Turf Royalties $0.50 per square foot of artificial turf s…
- Ad fund
- Flat annual Advertising Payment tiered by Territory popul…
- Total fee load
- 0.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Training fee | $3K |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Inventory (initial) | $0 – $0 |
| Total fee load | 0.5% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Southwest Greens 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 Southwest Greens 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, royalty rate, ad fund rate, 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: 2024 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 0.5% — below the Home Services 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.
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 Southwest Greens 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 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 53
- Opened
- 2
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 3
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 2
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 5.7%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 2
- Transferred
- 2
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 28 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.
28
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 7 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 7
- Loan volume
- $2.0M
- Median loan
- $200K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- Under 10 loans (7)
- Insufficient SBA coverage: 7 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 (7)
- 5-yr charge-off
- Under 10 loans (7)
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 3
- 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
Home-services franchisor since 2008 with only one old regulatory matter (2004 predecessor $1,500 civil penalty for unregistered sales). Strong positive net worth $5.33M and net income $1.68M on $10.65M revenue, audited. No Item 19.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
SPGT (predecessor) entered a Consent Cease and Desist Order with Minnesota Dept. of Commerce in 2004 for selling unregistered franchises; paid $1,500 civil penalty.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · LBMC, PC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 70 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORsingle old regulatory consent order ($1,500 penalty, 2004)
- 02MINORnet worth $5,332,105, net income $1,684,043
- 03MINORaudited, no bankruptcy
- 04MINORno Item 19 disclosure
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 0.5% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2024 · 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 | No territory protection |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory sizeℹ | Determined by SWGI based on population and climate; no minimum size specified |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 7 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Georgia |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
SPGT (predecessor) entered a Consent Cease and Desist Order with Minnesota Dept. of Commerce in 2004 for selling unregistered franchises; paid $1,500 civil penalty.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 12 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 84 hrs
- Training location
- Marietta/metro Atlanta, Georgia area, and Calhoun/Dalton, Georgia (turf plant visit)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 5 mo
- From signing to launch
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
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 Southwest Greens franchise?
The total investment to open a Southwest Greens franchise ranges from $83K – $342K, with an initial franchise fee of $10K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Southwest Greens franchise owners earn?
Southwest Greens 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 Southwest Greens?
Southwest Greens is franchised by Southwest Greens International, LLC. Its parent company is Shaw Contract Flooring Services, Inc.. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2024 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Southwest Greens 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 Southwest Greens FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Southwest Greens's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Southwest Greens (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 Southwest Greens franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Southwest Greens has 53 total units in the United States, including 53 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 2 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Southwest Greens a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Southwest Greens as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 70 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.