2026 FDD Issued Mar 25, 2026, amended Jun 5, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS) Checked Oct 22, 2026
Ace Handyman Services Franchise Cost (2026)
An Ace Handyman Services franchise costs an estimated $132,200 – $226,000 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $70,000 – $100,000 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Standard Territory. Item 6 lists royalty fee: 6% of Gross Revenues, subject to the conditions below.
- Total investment
- $132K – $226KItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $70K – $100KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 6% of Gross RevenuesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- 2% of Gross RevenuesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Units (2025)
- 401Item 20 source and scope
- Franchise exit rate
- 7.5% / yrCalculated 3-year average; definition and source
What stands out about Ace Handyman Services
An office manager is required early in the launch, and Item 7’s three-month reserve includes that payroll. The reserve sits alongside a separate opening marketing spend, so the disclosed $132,200 – $226,000 covers operating costs as well as workspace and equipment. Territory size also changes the initial fee: the FDD prices the standard format by household count, while the Mini AHS format has its own lower estimate.
Item 6 assesses 6% of Gross Revenues in royalties and 2% of Gross Revenues for the national brand fund, with a year-end reconciliation tied to minimum sales requirements. Software fees are monthly and may rise within the FDD cap, while the designated recruiting platform applies in the first year. Local marketing commitments rise after the first operating year and are lower for the Mini AHS format. These terms prevent a single sales figure from describing every required payment over the 10-year initial term.
Item 20 shows 383 franchised territories at the end of 2025, alongside company-owned operations for 401 total outlets. That year recorded 40 new territories and 26 exits. Across the full three-year table, franchised outlets increased by 78, but the year-by-year changes were uneven; the latest additions should not be read as a recurring pace.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for Ace Handyman Services?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $70,000 – $100,000 for Ace Handyman Services. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Item 5 (PDF pages 15–16) sets the standard initial franchise fee at $70,000 for a territory of up to 70,000 households, plus $1 for each additional household up to 100,000. A Mini AHS territory has a $35,000–$45,000 fee. Qualified existing franchisees buying another territory, and qualified operators of an affiliate concept, may receive a $14,000 discount. Honorably discharged veterans may receive a $7,000 discount; discounts cannot be combined.
Source: Ace Handyman Services 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 15.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for Ace Handyman Services, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open an Ace Handyman Services franchise? (Item 7)
Source: Ace Handyman Services 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 20.
Item 7 of Ace Handyman Services’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one standard territory at $132,200 – $226,000. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $70,000 | $100,000 |
| Travel and living expense while training | $3,500 | $4,500 |
| Lease Deposit | $1,000 | $3,200 |
| Rent for first 3 months | $3,500 | $4,800 |
| Leasehold Improvements and Signage | $600 | $4,000 |
| Furnishings | $600 | $4,000 |
| Tools and equipment | $0 | $2,500 |
| Truck or Van | $0 | $9,000 |
| Computer Hardware and Office Equipment | $2,500 | $5,500 |
| Initial Marketing Spend | $11,000 | $20,000 |
| Utility deposits and fees | $500 | $1,000 |
| Licenses and permits | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Insurance | $5,500 | $7,000 |
| Professional fees | $500 | $6,000 |
| Miscellaneous opening costs | $2,000 | $4,500 |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $30,000 | $45,000 |
| Total | $132,200 | $226,000 |
Other formats
| Format | Total investment |
|---|---|
| Mini AHS Business | $97,200 – $171,000 |
For comparison, the median high-end investment among 12 home services records without a source-review hold is $283,275.
Item 7 (PDF pages 20–22) details estimated initial investment to open a standard territory (70,000 to 100,000 households) operating from a commercial office space. Additional funds cover three months of working capital including wages for a mandated office manager.
What ongoing royalties and fees does Ace Handyman Services charge? (Item 6)
Source: Ace Handyman Services 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16.
Item 6 of Ace Handyman Services’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | 6% of Gross Revenues | Every period | 6% of prior-month Gross Revenues, subject to annual reconciliation against Minimum Annual Gross Revenues requirements. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| National Brand Fee | 2% of Gross Revenues | Every period | 2% of prior-month Gross Revenues, subject to the same annual minimum-revenue reconciliation. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Software and Internet Fees | $599 per month | Every period | Currently $599 per month; the franchisor may change it with notice, up to $1,200 per month. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Minimum Individual Marketing Expenditure | Varies | Every period | Standard territory: $30,000 from month three through year one, $40,000 in year two, and $50,000 in later years. Mini AHS: $15,000, $20,000, and $25,000 for the same periods. Paid as local marketing spending. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Meeting and Convention Fees | Varies | When it applies | $0 for attendance at the designated hotel for the full meeting, $1,500 for nonattendance, or $750 for attending without staying at that hotel or for less than the full meeting. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Recruiting Platform Fees | $125 per month | When it applies | $125 per month during the first year to the designated third-party recruiting platform; the supplier may change its fees. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 | When it applies | $10,000 generally; $3,500 for transfer to a family member and no fee for transfer to a wholly owned entity. Additional broker or lead-finding fees may apply. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Audit Fee | Varies | When it applies | Cost of an audit when it finds an understatement of at least 2% of Gross Revenues; the FDD estimates $2,500–$5,000 but says it may cost more. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Returned Electronic Funds Transfer Fee | $100 | When it applies | $100 when an electronic funds transfer is dishonored, in addition to applicable late fees and interest. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Successor Franchise (Renewal) Fee | $5,500 | When it applies | $5,500 on execution of a successor franchise agreement. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Supplier Approval | Varies | When it applies | Currently no fee; the franchisor reserves the right to charge a fee in the future for a requested supplier approval. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Additional Training | Varies | When it applies | Currently $55 per hour per person plus out-of-pocket expenses; may rise to $200 per hour per person plus expenses. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Interest and Late Fees on Late Payments and Reports | Varies | When it applies | Interest of up to 18% annually on amounts owed, plus $75 per occurrence for a late report or fee, subject to legal limits. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Costs and Attorneys’ Fees | Varies | When it applies | May be payable if the franchisee does not prevail in an action under the franchise agreement. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Indemnification | Varies | When it applies | Reimbursement if the franchisor is held liable for claims arising from the franchisee’s business. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
This fee schedule cannot be reduced to the calculator’s simple sales-based formula. Enter your own assumptions and check them against the Item 6 terms.
Ace Handyman Services startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
The royalty and national brand fees may be reconciled against minimum annual sales requirements. Local marketing minimums change by year and territory format, software fees may change, and the recruiting platform fee applies only in the first year. A single annual sales figure cannot calculate these obligations accurately. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: Ace Handyman Services franchised outlet history
Source: Ace Handyman Services 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 66.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 383 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 18 outlets. Our calculated average annual franchised exit rate is 7.5% across the 3 reported years, using the definition below.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 305 | 82 | 20 | 367 | 6.6% |
| 2024 | 367 | 35 | 33 | 369 | 9% |
| 2025 | 369 | 40 | 26 | 383 | 7% |
Franchised units went from 305 to 383 over 3 years (+78).
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables. Compare Ace Handyman Services’s exit rate with other brands.
19 units changed owners in 2025.
Item 20 Table 3 totals on PDF page 66 give three years of franchised outlet movements. Company-owned totals are in Table 4 on the same page; transfers are in Table 2 on PDF page 62. The printed Table 3 totals reconcile in each year.
How much do Ace Handyman Services franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: Ace Handyman Services 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 51.
Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports single Reporting Territories - Quartile 1 Average Total Revenue of $775,337 (Calendar Year 2025, 19 single reporting territories in the top quartile, open the full 2025 calendar year). Ace Handyman Services’s Item 19 reports sales but no profit, costs or owner pay. Rent, payroll, supplies, loan payments and Item 6 fees such as the royalty (6% of Gross Revenues) come out of sales before an owner is paid, so these figures cannot show what an owner earns.
See every Ace Handyman Services Item 19 figure, with its period and sample.
Payback calculator (enter your own assumptions) Check any inputs against this record’s Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How to interpret Ace Handyman Services’s Item 19 figures and sample limits.
How long is the Ace Handyman Services franchise agreement term?
Source: Ace Handyman Services 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 47.
The standard Ace Handyman Services franchise agreement runs 10 years, with renewal terms of 10 years.
How long does it take to open an Ace Handyman Services franchise? (Item 11)
Source: Ace Handyman Services 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 34.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing the franchise agreement to opening: typically 120 days.
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to Ace Handyman Services’s $132,200 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Home Services. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- Sir Grout $128K – $199K Home Services
- Roto-Rooter $123K – $282K Home Services
- The Brothers that just do Gutters $145K – $285K Home Services
- The Maids $118K – $141K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- Two Men and a Truck $147K – $512K Source review pending Home Services
- Mosquito Joe $150K – $192K Home Services
Compare other home services franchises
Frequently Asked Questions about Ace Handyman Services
- How much does it cost to open an Ace Handyman Services franchise?
- Opening an Ace Handyman Services franchise requires an initial investment between $132,200 and $226,000 for a standard territory according to Item 7 of the 2026 FDD. This total includes the initial franchise fee of $70,000 to $100,000.
- What royalty and marketing fees does Ace Handyman Services charge?
- Franchisees pay an ongoing royalty fee of 6% of gross revenues and a national brand fee of 2% of gross revenues monthly, plus technology platform fees and required local marketing expenditures.
- How long is the Ace Handyman Services franchise agreement?
- Item 17 of the 2026 FDD states a 10-year initial term and permits additional successor terms of the same length if the stated conditions are met. Item 6 lists a renewal fee of $5,500 on execution of a successor agreement.
- How much do Ace Handyman Services franchisees make in revenue?
- Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports gross revenue by quartile for single territories and multi-territory groups. It does not state one broad average for all franchised territories. These sales figures are not owner profit.
Sources
Ace Handyman Franchising, Inc. Franchise Disclosure Document, issued March 25, 2026, as amended June 5, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 15
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 16
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 20
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 49
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 66
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 47
Page references for Ace Handyman Services use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- October 29, 2026: Record updated.
- October 22, 2026: Source check completed against the recorded FDD.
- October 22, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued March 25, 2026).
- June 5, 2026: Amendment date recorded for the source FDD.