The Grounds Guys Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $108K – $253K
- Disclosed sales
- $820K
- gross sales, not profit
- SBA charge-off
- 41.8%
- on 232 loans
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
The Grounds Guys is a home-services franchise providing landscaping, lawn care, and grounds maintenance, plus snow removal, for homes and businesses. Franchisees run a crew-based operation managing recurring service accounts in a territory.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A THE GROUNDS GUYS franchise requires a total initial investment of $108K – $253K, including a $44K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2026 FDD, average unit revenue was $820K[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 41.8% charge-off rate across 232 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: D (Below 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: low - issued within the last 12 months
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
- $108K – $253K
- 38th pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- $820K
- 14th pct Home Services
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 21st pct Home Services
- Units
- 219
- 76th pct Home Services
- SBA charge-off
- 41.8%
- % 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 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 $108K – $253K including a $44K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $820K/year.
- RISKVerdict D (Below average), verdict score 31/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 41.8% across 232 loans (well above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHNegative: net -10 franchised outlets in the latest year (12 opened, 22 closed); 19 signed but not yet open (Item 20).
- FLAGBankruptcy history disclosed in the FDD. Review Item 4 for details before proceeding.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- The Grounds Guys SPV LLC
- Parent company
- Neighborly Assetco LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 10 of the 2026 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Nest Holdings LP (controlled by KKR)
- FDD Item 1, page 11 of the 2026 FDD
- Predecessor
- The Grounds Guys LLC
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Michael Anthony Davis
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 1010 North University Parks Drive, Waco, Texas 76707
- Auditor
- Ernst & Young LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $353.9M
- vs $321.2M prior year
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 11
17 other brands on this site name Nest Holdings LP (controlled by KKR) as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
- AIRE SERVC
- Dryer Vent WizardB
- Five Star PaintingC
- Glass DoctorC
- HouseMasterD
- Molly MaidC
- Mosquito JoeB
- Mr. ApplianceD
- Mr. ElectricB
- Mr. HandymanC
- Mr. RooterA
- Precision Garage Door ServiceA
- Rainbow InternationalD
- Rainbow RestorationA
- Real Property ManagementB
- ShelfGenieB
- Window GenieD
Portfolio: KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) (private-equity sponsor) · Neighborly
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2026 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
- Michael Anthony Davis
- Headquarters
- TX
- Founded
- 2010
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 41
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost is about typical for a home services franchise (near the category median).
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $44K | $44K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $30K | $50K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $34K | $159K |
| Total initial investment | $108K | $253K |
Source: THE GROUNDS GUYS 2026 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
- $108K – $253K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $30K – $50K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $44K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- Tiered by sales volume · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $1K |
| Transfer fee | $8K |
| Renewal fee | $5K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 40% above the home services norm.
Source: FDD 2026 · 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 THE GROUNDS GUYS 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
$220K
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
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 THE GROUNDS GUYS 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: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $820K
- Per unit, per year
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- Average and median annual Gross Sales by tenure cohort (3+ years vs less than 3 years)
- Sample size
- 105 outlets
- vs category median 32 · large
- Range (low → high)
- $35K→$3.6MCited, not corroborated — printed on page 82 of the 2026 FDD. Nothing else in our record independently restates or re-derives it.
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
- Transparency
- 4 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · typical
Compared against 319 Home Services brands
Revenue is 4.6x 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 $820K/year in gross sales. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 4.6x.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 8.0% (near the Home Services median).
Disclosure
Transparency score 4/10 — this franchisor discloses detailed breakdowns (quartiles, segments, or cohort data). Buyers can model unit economics with higher confidence.
Operator retention
System roughly stable (+3.8% 3-year CAGR) with 219 units.
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 The Grounds Guys 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 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 219
- Opened
- 12
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 22
- Terminated
- 19
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 1
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 10.0%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -4.4%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +3.8%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 19
- Not renewed
- 1
- Transferred
- 8
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 19
- 0.09 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 21
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 41 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.
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
252 current owners across 41 states; 10 former (terminated, transferred or not renewed) listed separately.
- TX 51
- FL 27
- GA 15
- OH 15
- TN 11
- NC 10
- NY 10
- PA 10
- IL 9
- SC 8
- AL 6
- IN 5
- +29 more states
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 232
- Loan volume
- $39.8M
- Median loan
- $150K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 41.8%
- on 232 loans · 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)
- 58.2%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 32.1%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 28
- Defaults
- 38
- Typical loan rate
- 8.0%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 19.3%
- brand above franchise avg ↑
- Jobs supported
- 1,091
- 2.7 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 81%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 88% went to startups / new businesses, 12% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in landscaping services, franchised businesses charge off at 19.3% vs 13.3% for independents — franchising is associated with 45% higher SBA default risk in this category.
Vintage analysis
The Grounds Guys charge-off rate by loan vintage
Top lenders financing The Grounds Guys franchisees
Showing 3 of 28 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 The Grounds Guys from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 10.9%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 83%
- Avg interest rate
- 7.99%
- Avg chargeoff amount
- $115K
- Lender concentration
- 81.5%
- Job velocity
- 2.7 per $100K
- Startup risk premium
- +55.2pp
- NAICS benchmark
- 17.7%
- NAICS 561730
- Jobs supported
- 1,091
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 81% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Midwest Savings Bank National Association | 189 | $28.5M | 54.8% |
| 2 | Glacier Bank | 8 | $845K | 0.0% |
| 3 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 4 | $2.5M | 0.0% |
| 4 | Celtic Bank Corporation | 4 | $480K | 0.0% |
| 5 | BancFirst | 2 | $400K | 0.0% |
| 6 | The Huntington National Bank | 2 | $38K | 0.0% |
| 7 | Banner Bank | 2 | $795K | 0.0% |
| 8 | Arvest Bank | 1 | $55K | 0.0% |
| 9 | Independence Bank | 1 | $150K | 100.0% |
| 10 | Stearns Bank National Association | 1 | $100K | N/A |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| TXTexas | 49 | 7 | 41.2% |
| FLFlorida | 25 | 8 | 80.0% |
| WAWashington | 17 | 2 | 15.4% |
| NCNorth Carolina | 12 | 2 | 66.7% |
| GAGeorgia | 11 | 1 | 50.0% |
| ILIllinois | 10 | 3 | 60.0% |
| OHOhio | 9 | 2 | 40.0% |
| COColorado | 7 | 1 | 50.0% |
| PAPennsylvania | 7 | 1 | 33.3% |
| SCSouth Carolina | 7 | 2 | 66.7% |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
A 41.8% charge-off rate means roughly 1 in 2 franchisees failed to repay their SBA loan. Investigate what changed.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 41.8% — 161% above the 16.0% national norm, i.e. higher 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
Parent-level financials (KKR, net worth $2.95B, $154M net income) — brand's own equity not disclosed. Four litigation matters (one pending non-compete, three resolved) are modest for a 219-unit system. Disclosed bankruptcies are unrelated KKR portfolio companies, not the franchisor. Judged on solid operations.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
Pending: Rainbow International/Grounds Guys LLC v. Cheyenne Partners/Kitts (franchisee breach/non-compete, judgment for franchisor, on appeal). Prior: Argus Capital v. Grounds Guys (fraud claims, settled $15,000 to plaintiff); Grounds Guys v. Choi/Shadow Environment (breach of contract, settled); Grounds Guys v. Mellos (breach of contract, franchisor awarded ~$102,617 damages + ~$212,831 attorneys fees). Also an administrative consent order involving affiliate Window Genie predecessor (unrelated to franchisor).
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Subject: the company or an affiliate. Disclosed (Item 4 covers the last 10 years)
No bankruptcy of the Franchisor itself; disclosure relates to bankruptcy proceedings of unrelated KKR portfolio companies (Marelli Holdings, The Collected Group, Envision Healthcare, Genesis Care, IPI Legacy Liquidation, Cafe Coffee Day) not involving the Franchisor.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Ernst & Young LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 31 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGH4 litigation matters, modest for 219 units
- 02MINORBankruptcies are unrelated KKR portfolio cos, not franchisor
- 03MINORParent-level financials — strong ($2.95B net worth)
- 04MEDAudited, Item 19 disclosed, +3.8% growth
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% 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 | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory sizeℹ | Population-based, generally 125,000-500,000 |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | No |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 2 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Texas |
| Litigation count | 4 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Pending: Rainbow International/Grounds Guys LLC v. Cheyenne Partners/Kitts (franchisee breach/non-compete, judgment for franchisor, on appeal). Prior: Argus Capital v. Grounds Guys (fraud claims, settled $15,000 to plaintiff); Grounds Guys v. Choi/Shadow Environment (breach of contract, settled); Grounds Guys v. Mellos (breach of contract, franchisor awarded ~$102,617 damages + ~$212,831 attorneys fees). Also an administrative consent order involving affiliate Window Genie predecessor (unrelated to franchisor).
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 40 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 8 hrs
- Training location
- Waco, Texas (or another location designated) plus online/virtual
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 40 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Site selection
- Franchisee, with franchisor site-selection guidelines
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- GGPro
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: GGPro
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
262 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 THE GROUNDS GUYS franchise?
The total investment to open a THE GROUNDS GUYS franchise ranges from $108K – $253K, with an initial franchise fee of $44K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do THE GROUNDS GUYS franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the THE GROUNDS GUYS FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $820K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
Who owns THE GROUNDS GUYS?
THE GROUNDS GUYS is franchised by The Grounds Guys SPV LLC. Its parent company is Neighborly Assetco LLC. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Nest Holdings LP (controlled by KKR). Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the THE GROUNDS GUYS 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 THE GROUNDS GUYS FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is THE GROUNDS GUYS's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, THE GROUNDS GUYS has a charge-off rate of 41.8% across 232 loans, meaning 41.8% 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 THE GROUNDS GUYS franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, THE GROUNDS GUYS has 219 total units in the United States, including 219 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 12 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is THE GROUNDS GUYS a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates THE GROUNDS GUYS as a D-grade franchise with a verdict score of 31 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.