2026 FDD Issued Mar 23, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS)
Pillar To Post Franchise Cost (2026)
A Pillar To Post franchise costs an estimated $102,690 – $134,290 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $58,500 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Home-Based Operation. Item 6 lists royalty: 7% of Gross Revenues, subject to the conditions below. This record has unresolved source-review issues and was published provisionally before independent verification was complete.
Read the source-review hold before using these figures.
- Total investment
- $103K – $134KItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $58.5KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 7% of Gross RevenuesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- 4% of Gross RevenuesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
What stands out about Pillar To Post
Item 7 estimates a home-based inspection operation and excludes real estate and improvements from its stated total. Alongside tools and a vehicle, it lists a launch marketing campaign and a working-capital allowance. Choosing a separate commercial office would add costs outside that home-based estimate.
The royalty in Item 6 is a percentage of Gross Revenues with a minimum that rises during the initial term. The Brand Fund is a separate percentage. Required inspection numbers, IT access and inspection software are charged per inspection, so the annual sales figure alone cannot show the complete fee bill.
Item 19 separates one-inspector operations from larger teams; the broad full-year average of $307,908 covers only units meeting its reporting criteria. Item 20 records 12 openings and 39 exits in 2025. The resulting outlet count fell from the prior year even as new franchises opened.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for Pillar To Post?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $58,500 for Pillar To Post. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Item 5 (PDF page 14) establishes an initial franchise fee of $58,500 due upon signing the franchise agreement. Total initial payments to the franchisor equal $60,500, which includes the $58,500 franchise fee, $1,000 first Brand Conference registration fee, and $1,000 for the initial inspection tablet computer. All fees paid to the franchisor are non-refundable.
Source: Pillar To Post 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 14.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for Pillar To Post, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open a Pillar To Post franchise? (Item 7)
Source: Pillar To Post 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 24.
Item 7 of Pillar To Post’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one home-based operation at $102,690 – $134,290. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $58,500 | $58,500 |
| Pillar To Post Tool Bundle | $3,500 | $4,500 |
| Local Tool/Equipment Purchases | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Computer Equipment and Software | $3,500 | $6,000 |
| PTP360 Equipment Package | $800 | $1,000 |
| Office Equipment, Furniture and Supplies | $750 | $1,000 |
| Business Telephone Service - Setup | $190 | $190 |
| Connected Services | $300 | $600 |
| Foundations for Success Marketing Bundle | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| Business Licenses and Name Registration | $300 | $1,000 |
| Foundations for Success Automated Marketing Campaign | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Vehicle | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Vehicle Branding | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Professional Services | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Pillar To Post Attire | $500 | $1,000 |
| Various Account Set Up Fees and Organization Dues | $600 | $1,000 |
| Errors and Omissions and Other Insurance Premiums for First 3 Months | $750 | $1,000 |
| Pillar To Post Annual Conference and Regional Meetings | $1,500 | $4,000 |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Total | $102,690 | $134,290 |
For comparison, the median high-end investment among 12 home services records without a source-review hold is $283,275.
Item 7 (PDF pages 24–26) outlines setup expenditures for a home-based residential inspection franchise. The vast majority of franchisees operate without commercial office leases. Startup expenses emphasize certified inspection tools, PTP360 virtual tour camera packages, vehicle wrap branding, and automated digital marketing campaigns. Working capital covers three months of initial operating expenses.
What ongoing royalties and fees does Pillar To Post charge? (Item 6)
Source: Pillar To Post 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 14.
Item 6 of Pillar To Post’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 | 7% of Gross Revenues | Every period | 7% of Gross Revenues monthly or the applicable minimum, whichever is greater. Minimums rise from $0 in months 1-12 to $2,328 in months 49-60 after training completion. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Brand | 4% of Gross Revenues | Every period | 4% of Gross Revenues monthly for the Brand Fund. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| IT Fee | $5.50 | When it applies | Currently $5.50 per home inspection for required OnePoint software and data storage; payable monthly and may change under the FDD terms. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Inspection Numbers | $28.50 | When it applies | Currently $28.50 for each required inspection number, one per home inspection, usually bought in groups of 20. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Financial Reporting Fee | $30 per month | Every period | Currently $30 per month for required financial-reporting software; may change on notice. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| EZBook Connections | $30.55 – $34.35 | When it applies | Optional booking service: currently $34.35 per booked home inspection, or $30.55 if at least 90% of monthly inspections are booked through EZBook. Users must book at least 80% through the service. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| PTP360 | $3.10 | When it applies | Currently $3.10 per home inspection for software access. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| PTPFloorplan | $21 – $350 | When it applies | Currently $21 to $350 per floorplan according to the disclosed house-size bands; offered with specified inspection packages. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| PTPVirtualOpenHouse | $10 | When it applies | Currently $10 for each optional virtual open house provided. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| PTPHomeManual | $9.45 | When it applies | Currently $9.45 for each home manual included with a home inspection. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Brand Conference Fee | $900 – $1,200 per year | Every period | Mandatory annual registration, typically $900 to $1,200 per person. The first registration is included in Item 5 initial payments; later fees are collected in 12 monthly installments. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Transfer | $4,000 | When it applies | $4,000 for an approved transfer of the franchise agreement. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Referral Fee | $15,000 | When it applies | $15,000 when the franchisor referred the buyer before serious negotiations. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Renewal | $2,500 | When it applies | $2,500 administrative fee for each qualified renewal. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Audit | Varies | When it applies | Cost of audit, any underpayment, and 18% interest on underpayment if an audit shows at least a 2% monthly understatement. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Transfer to entity wholly owned by Franchisee | $1,000 | When it applies | $1,000 for the specified entity transfer after the first six months of the agreement. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Interest on Late Payments | Varies | When it applies | 18% per year calculated daily, or the maximum rate permitted by law, on overdue amounts. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Attorneys' Fees and other costs | Varies | When it applies | Costs vary after noncompliance or when the franchisor is joined in litigation arising from the franchise operation. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Indemnification | Varies | When it applies | Reimbursement of covered third-party claims arising from franchise operation or agreement breaches. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
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.
Pillar To Post startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
A source check placed this record on review hold. Automatic fee estimates are withheld until the outstanding issues are resolved. The royalty has escalating monthly minimums. Mandatory inspection numbers, IT and PTP software carry per-inspection charges, while conference registration is billed across months. Annual sales alone do not establish inspection count or the complete recurring fee bill. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: Pillar To Post franchised outlet history
Source: Pillar To Post 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 73.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 350 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 0 outlets.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 437 | 21 | 50 | 408 | — |
| 2024 | 408 | 12 | 43 | 377 | — |
| 2025 | 377 | 12 | 39 | 350 | — |
Calculated outlet totals, net growth and exit rates are withheld because this record has not cleared the current Item 20 source checks. The table retains the outlet counts printed in Item 20. Read the unresolved source issues.
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.
8 units changed owners in 2025.
Table 3 details outlet movement for franchised inspection businesses across all states. In each year, opening additions minus terminations, non-renewals, and other cessations reconcile with ending outlet totals.
How much do Pillar To Post franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: Pillar To Post 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 62.
Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports average Sales, full-year franchised units of $307,908 (2025, 297 franchisee-owned units in exclusive or non-exclusive territories open the entire calendar year 2025 and meeting reporting criteria). Pillar To Post’s Item 19 reports sales but no profit, costs or owner pay. Rent, payroll, supplies, loan payments and Item 6 fees come out of sales before an owner is paid, so these figures cannot show what an owner earns.
Read the source-review hold before using this figure.
See every Pillar To Post 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 Pillar To Post’s Item 19 figures and sample limits.
How long is the Pillar To Post franchise agreement term?
Source: Pillar To Post 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 52.
The standard Pillar To Post franchise agreement runs 5 years, with renewal terms of 5 years.
5-year initial term with options to add up to 5 additional consecutive terms of 5 years each (up to 25 additional years).
How long does it take to open a Pillar To Post franchise? (Item 11)
Source: Pillar To Post 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 33.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from execution of the Franchise Agreement to opening: typically between 75 and 125 days.
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to Pillar To Post’s $102,690 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Home Services. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- Budget Blinds $101K – $211K Home Services
- The Junkluggers $96K – $359K Home Services
- ShelfGenie $95.3K – $148K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- Ace Hardware Painting Services $89.3K – $153K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- The Maids $118K – $141K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- Roto-Rooter $123K – $282K Home Services
Compare other home services franchises
Frequently Asked Questions about Pillar To Post
This record has unresolved source-review issues and was published provisionally. Read the specific issues before using these answers.
- How much does it cost to open a Pillar To Post franchise?
- Item 7 of the 2026 FDD estimates the total initial investment ranges from $102,690 – $134,290. This capital outlay includes the $58,500 initial franchise fee, specialized inspection tools, vehicle wrap branding, and three months of working capital reserves.
- What is the average revenue for a Pillar To Post franchise?
- Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports $307,908 as Average Sales for 297 franchisee-owned units open throughout 2025 and meeting its reporting criteria. This is not a statement of owner profit.
- What are the ongoing royalties and marketing fees for Pillar To Post?
- Item 6 lists a 7% of Gross Revenues royalty with rising monthly minimums, plus a 4% of Gross Revenues Brand Fund charge on Gross Revenues. Inspection-based software and number charges also apply.
- How did the Pillar To Post outlet count change?
- According to Item 20, the system operated 350 franchised units. During 2025, the brand opened 12 locations and recorded 39 exits. Calculated multi-year growth and exit rates are withheld until FDD source verification is complete.
Sources
Pillar To Post, Inc. Franchise Disclosure Document, issued March 23, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 14
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 14
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 24
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 60
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 73
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 52
Page references for Pillar To Post 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
- November 3, 2026: Provisional publication approved per owner directive: Owner authorized provisional publication on November 3, 2026. The Item 19 average differs between the FDD table and text; sourceReview retains the conflict and this record is not independently verified.
- November 3, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued March 23, 2026).
- October 22, 2026: Source review hold recorded. Unresolved corrections are listed in this source section.