SpringGreen Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Spring-Green is a home-services franchise providing lawn care, fertilization, weed control, and tree and shrub treatment for homes and businesses. Franchisees run a route-based operation with technicians on recurring seasonal service plans in a territory.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A SpringGreen franchise requires a total initial investment of $119K – $135K, including a $27K – $45K franchise fee. The 2026 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). SBA 7(a) loans show a 0.0% charge-off rate across 23 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $119K – $135K
- 44th pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 156
- 70th pct Home Services
- SBA charge-off
- 0.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Home Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Home Services avg · 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 $119K – $135K including a $45K franchise fee.
- 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 85/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 23 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- DATAItem 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp.
- Parent company
- Spring-Green Enterprises, Inc.
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President
- Theodore T. Hofer
- CEO experience
- 20 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 11909 Spaulding School Drive, Plainfield, Illinois 60585
- Auditor
- DHJJ LTD.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $8.0M
- vs $8.3M prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Affiliated brands
- Superior Lawns
- Pet Butler
- SGE Marketing Services
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Theodore T. Hofer
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 1977
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 24
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 44% below the typical home services franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown10 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $45K | $45K | |
| Production Vehicles, Equipment and Fixturesnot refundable | $6K | $6K | |
| Technology Equipment and Softwarenot refundable | $4K | $4K | |
| Opening Inventory and Suppliesnot refundable | $3K | $3K | |
| Initial Marketing Campaign Feenot refundable | $37K | $37K | |
| Initial Property Data Feenot refundable | $17K | $17K | |
| Training Expensesnot refundable | $0 | $2K | |
| 3 Months' Rent | — | — | |
| Miscellaneous Opening Costs (incl. licenses, insurance, professional services, and other prepaid expenses)not refundable | $3K | $14K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 monthsnot refundable | $6K | $8K | |
| Total initial investment | $119K | $135K |
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
- $119K – $135K
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $6K – $8K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $27K – $45K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- Sliding scale of 10% to 8% of Gross Sales
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 12.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $260 |
| Transfer fee | $8K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Inventory (initial) | $2K – $2K |
| Total fee load | 12.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
SpringGreen did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one SpringGreen unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
61%
Above the 30–60% band. Verify revenue is per-unit average
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
- Item 19 type
- gross sales
- Sample size
- 72
- vs category median 32 · large
- Transparency tier
- revenue_only
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
- Transparency
- 6 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · above
Compared against 321 Home 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 12.0% — above the Home Services average of 8.9%.
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 roughly stable (-1.6% 3-year CAGR) with 156 units.
Multi-unit rate
Only 8% of franchisees own multiple units. Could indicate challenging economics or a young system where operators haven't had time to expand.
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 averages
How SpringGreen Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 156
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 1
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 30
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 81%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 8.0%
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -1.6%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -1.6%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 2
- Transfer rate
- 3.8%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Termination rate
- 0.6%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 0.6%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 25 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.
Available to sell in · Item 12
- Illinois
States where the franchisor is registered to sell new franchises (FDD registration filings).
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 23
- Loan volume
- $3.7M
- Median loan
- $161K
- average
- 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
- 15
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
With a 0.0% charge-off rate across 23 loans, banks have historically viewed this brand favorably for lending.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 0.0% — 100% below the 16.0% national norm, i.e. lower lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Clean FDD with no litigation, no bankruptcy, and no going-concern issues. Positive franchisor net worth of $2.79M, net income of $1.16M on $8.63M revenue, audited financials, and Item 19 disclosed across a 156-unit system dating to 1977.
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation required to be disclosed
Largest disclosed settlement: $250,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · DHJJ LTD.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 85 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORZero Item 3 litigation
- 02MINORPositive net worth $2,788,196 and net income $1,158,581
- 03MEDAudited financials, Item 19 disclosed
- 04MINOREstablished 156-unit system since 1977
- 05MINORSlight net growth -1.6% is negligible
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 12.0% 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 | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Census tracts |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| 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 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Illinois |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 58 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 67 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and franchisor location
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
68 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
SpringGreen · FDD (2026) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a SpringGreen franchise?
The total investment to open a SpringGreen franchise ranges from $119K – $135K, 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 SpringGreen franchise owners earn?
SpringGreen does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the SpringGreen 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 SpringGreen FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is SpringGreen's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, SpringGreen has a charge-off rate of 0.0% across 23 loans, meaning 0.0% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many SpringGreen franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, SpringGreen has 156 total units in the United States, including 126 franchised units and 30 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is SpringGreen a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates SpringGreen as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 85 out of 100 (higher is better), 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.
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.