Window World Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $123K – $363K
- Disclosed sales
- $5.8M
- gross sales, not profit
- SBA charge-off
- 0.0%
- on 27 loans
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Window World is a home-improvement franchise selling and installing replacement windows, doors, and siding. Franchisees run a sales-and-installation operation handling in-home consultations, crews, and projects in a protected territory.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Window World franchise requires a total initial investment of $123K – $363K, including a $45K franchise fee. Per the 2026 FDD, average unit revenue was $5.8M[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 0.0% charge-off rate across 27 loans[1]. 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: 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 scored5 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $123K – $363K
- 47th pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- $5.8M
- 23rd pct Home Services
- Royalty
- Not extracted
- Units
- 211
- 76th 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 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 $123K – $363K including a $45K franchise fee.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $5.8M/year.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 73/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 27 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHPositive: net +3 franchised outlets in the latest year (4 opened, 1 closed) (Item 20).
- LEGAL17 litigation matters disclosed in Item 3, higher than typical. Review the summary for patterns (franchisor-initiated vs. franchisee-initiated).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- WINDOW WORLD, INC.
- Predecessor
- WINDOW WORLD OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors
- Tammy Whitworth
- Incorporated in
- North Carolina
- HQ
- 118 Shaver Street, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina 28659
- Auditor
- RANDY NEAL BLACKBURN, P.L.L.C.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $45.5M
- vs $47.1M prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Tammy Whitworth
- Headquarters
- NC
- Founded
- 1997
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 46
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 44% above the typical home services franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $45K | $45K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $30K | $60K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $48K | $258K |
| Total initial investment | $123K | $363K |
Source: Window World 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
- $123K – $363K
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $30K – $60K
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $45K – $45K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- $.10 and $75 per unit or up to 12% of product cost
- Ad fund
- Up to 3.0% of Gross Sales
- Total fee load
- 15.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Technology fee | $499 |
| Transfer fee | $11K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Inventory (initial) | $1K – $4K |
| Total fee load | 15.0% of rev |
At 15.0% total fee load, roughly $864K per year goes to the franchisor before you pay a single operating expense.
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 881% 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 Window World 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 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.
Total invested capital · disclosed
$288K
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 Window World 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 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.
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 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.
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
- $5.8M
- Per unit/yr · from the Item 19 franchised-cohort breakdown (no single system-wide average disclosed)
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- historical gross sales/unit sales by market-size cohort
- Sample size
- 208 outlets
- vs category median 32 · large
- Range (low → high)
- $518K→$42.4MCited, not corroborated — printed on page 75 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 23.7x 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 $5.8M/year in gross sales. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 23.7x.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 15.0% — above the Home Services median of 8.0%.
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 (-0.5% 3-year CAGR) with 211 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 Window World 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
- 211
- Opened
- 4
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 1
- Terminated
- 1
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 0.5%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +1.4%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -0.5%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 1
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 7
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 46 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.
46
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 27
- Loan volume
- $22.4M
- Median loan
- $529K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- on 27 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)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 17
- Defaults
- 0
- Typical loan rate
- 6.6%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 34.8%
- brand beats franchise avg ↓
- Jobs supported
- 224
- 1.0 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 22%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 42% went to startups / new businesses, 58% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in finish carpentry contractors, franchised businesses charge off at 34.8% vs 21.1% for independents — franchising is associated with 65% higher SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing Window World franchisees
Showing 3 of 17 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 Window World from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 0.0%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 70%
- Avg interest rate
- 6.56%
- Lender concentration
- 22.2%
- Job velocity
- 1.0 per $100K
- NAICS benchmark
- 11.1%
- NAICS 238350
- Jobs supported
- 224
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 22% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 6 | $6.0M | 0.0% |
| 2 | Bank First, N.A. | 4 | $1.3M | 0.0% |
| 3 | Truist Bank | 3 | $1.2M | 0.0% |
| 4 | Western Commerce Bank | 1 | $36K | 0.0% |
| 5 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association | 1 | $70K | 0.0% |
| 6 | Carter FCU | 1 | $1.3M | 0.0% |
| 7 | The Paducah Bank and Trust Company | 1 | $350K | 0.0% |
| 8 | Heartland Bank and Trust Company | 1 | $316K | 0.0% |
| 9 | German American Bank | 1 | $530K | 0.0% |
| 10 | Fidelity Bank, National Association | 1 | $2.1M | 0.0% |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| WIWisconsin | 4 | 0 | 0.0% |
| NCNorth Carolina | 3 | 0 | -- |
| ARArkansas | 2 | 0 | -- |
| ILIllinois | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| KYKentucky | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| NYNew York | 2 | 0 | -- |
| TNTennessee | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| AZArizona | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| IDIdaho | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| LALouisiana | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
With a 0.0% charge-off rate across 27 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
Window World shows 12 disclosed litigation matters against a 211-unit system, including multiple pending NC Business Court cases alleging fraud, antitrust, and unfair trade practices, plus 8 state franchise-registration consent orders (2011-2013). Financials are healthy: $44.8M revenue, audited, Item 19 disclosed, avg gross sales $5.76M, minimal turnover (0.47%). No bankruptcy or going-concern.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
Multiple pending North Carolina Business Court cases (2015-2020) with franchisees alleging breach of contract, fraud, antitrust, unfair trade practices, and trademark disputes; several concluded state franchise-registration consent orders (CA, IL, WA, MD, VA, OR, WI, IN) from 2011-2013 unregistered franchise offerings; an arbitration settled for $2,350,000 plus $350,000 non-compete payout; shareholder disputes settled for $18,249,937.23; an employment lawsuit settled for $33,376.11 plus $30,623.89 attorneys fees.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · RANDY NEAL BLACKBURN, P.L.L.C.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 73 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGH12 litigation matters vs 211 units, several with serious allegations (fraud, antitrust, unfair trade practices, trademark)
- 02MINOR8 state franchise-registration consent orders 2011-2013 for unregistered sales
- 03MINORSlightly negative net growth (-0.5%)
- 04MEDOffsetting strengths: $44.8M revenue, audited financials, Item 19 disclosed, very low turnover
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 15.0% 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 | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory sizeℹ | Typically one county/parish, may be smaller based on population/demographics |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 45 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 90 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Governing law | North Carolina |
| Litigation count | 17 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Multiple pending North Carolina Business Court cases (2015-2020) with franchisees alleging breach of contract, fraud, antitrust, unfair trade practices, and trademark disputes; several concluded state franchise-registration consent orders (CA, IL, WA, MD, VA, OR, WI, IN) from 2011-2013 unregistered franchise offerings; an arbitration settled for $2,350,000 plus $350,000 non-compete payout; shareholder disputes settled for $18,249,937.23; an employment lawsuit settled for $33,376.11 plus $30,623.89 attorneys fees.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 18 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 45 hrs
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 30 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Site selection
- Franchisee proposes; Franchisor accepts/approves site per acceptance criteria
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- WW360
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: WW360
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
215 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 Window World franchise?
The total investment to open a Window World franchise ranges from $123K – $363K, 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 Window World franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Window World FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $5.8M. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
Who owns Window World?
Window World is franchised by WINDOW WORLD, INC.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Window World 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 Window World FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Window World's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Window World has a charge-off rate of 0.0% across 27 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 Window World franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Window World has 211 total units in the United States, including 211 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 4 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Window World a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Window World as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 73 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.