Structural ElementsFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Structural Elements franchise requires a total initial investment of $11K – $23K, including a $3K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2026 FDD, average unit revenue was $86K[2]. Verdict grade: D. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $11K – $23K
- 3rd pct Healthcare
- Avg gross sales
- $86K
- 1st pct Healthcare
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- 45th pct Healthcare
- Units
- 10
- 30th pct Healthcare
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Healthcare · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Healthcare 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 5.0x in gross revenue, well above the typical 1.5-2.5x range.
Franchised units fell from 14 to 10 over 3 years. Investigate why operators are leaving.
The franchisor's auditor raised doubt about continued operations. This is a serious risk signal.
Bottom line
- Total investment $11K – $23K including a $3K franchise fee, 8.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $86K/year (median $78K).
- Verdict D (Below Average) with a risk score of 76/100.
- Auditor disclosed a going-concern note, which flagged doubt about the franchisor's ability to continue operations. Verify against the latest FDD.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- Structural Elements Franchising, LLC
- Parent company
- Structural Elements Holdings LLC
- Incorporated in
- MD
- HQ
- 13214 Fountainhead Plaza, Hagerstown, Maryland 21742
- Auditor
- Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $186K
- vs $207K prior year
- ⚠ Going-concern note
- Disclosed in FDD 2026
- Auditor flagged doubt about continued operations. Verify against the latest FDD before deciding.
Overview
About
Franchisees provide structural engineering, inspection, and remediation services (likely residential/commercial foundation, concrete, or steel work). Day-to-day operations involve conducting site assessments, generating repair estimates, managing crews, coordinating with contractors, and handling customer service and billing.
- CEO
- Douglas Bertram
- Headquarters
- MD
- Founded
- 2015
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 2
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $3K | $3K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $750 | $2K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $8K | $19K |
| Total initial investment | $11K | $23K |
Source: Structural Elements 2026 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
$13K
15.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
70%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
17 mo
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $11K – $23K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $750 – $2K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $3K – $3K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $625 |
| Renewal fee | $625 |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $86K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $78K
- Item 19 type
- Gross Receipts
- Sample size
- 8 units
- vs category median 12
- Range (low → high)
- $13K→$199K
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency
- 4 / 5
- vs category median 4 / 5 · typical
Compared against 201 Healthcare brands
Revenue is 5.0x the investment midpoint. At typical franchise margins, this suggests a payback under 3 years.
vs Healthcare averages
How Structural Elements Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 10
- Opened
- 2
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 3
- Turnover rate
- 30.0%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- -9.1%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- -9.1%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 6 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 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Structural Elements presents elevated risk due to declining unit count, undisclosed profitability metrics, unprotected territory, and a contracting franchise system with questionable long-term viability.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC⚠ Going-concern note flagged
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 76 / 100 rating
- 01MEDUnit count declined 9.1% YoY (from ~11 to 10 units) indicating system contraction and potential franchisee dissatisfaction
- 02MEDNet income not disclosed in FDD — inability to assess actual profitability despite $85.5K average revenue claim
- 03MINORNo protected territory — franchisees face direct competition from other franchisees and company-owned units in same markets
- 04MEDLow unit count (10 total) suggests nascent or struggling system with limited brand recognition and support infrastructure
- 05MINORRoyalty structure creates dual burden: 8% of gross receipts PLUS $200/month minimum ($2,400 annually) reducing thin margins
- 06MINORLow initial investment ($11.1K–$23.3K) attractive but may indicate insufficient capital for proper operations and working capital
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 | 3 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 3 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 3 |
| Protected territory | No |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Maryland |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 18 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 23 hrs
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
17 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Structural Elements · FDD (2026) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Structural Elements franchise?
The total investment to open a Structural Elements franchise ranges from $11K – $23K, with an initial franchise fee of $3K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Structural Elements franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Structural Elements FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $86K. The median is $78K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Structural Elements's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Structural Elements (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 Structural Elements franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Structural Elements has 10 total units in the United States, including 14 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 2 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Structural Elements a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Structural Elements as a D-grade franchise with a risk score of 76 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.