Residential Painting Franchise vs. Starting Your Own
What five years costs on each path, counting every cost we can source on both sides. Change the revenue to see how royalties grow with your sales.
Preview: figures awaiting verification
Some numbers on this page haven't been checked against their sources yet.
At a glance
| Franchise (3 brands) | Independent | |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise fee | $40,000 – $60,000Pending verificationSourcesFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Fresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026WOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026Range across 3 franchise brands. | $0 |
| Initial investment | $82,200 – $194,600Pending verificationSourcesFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Fresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026WOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026FDD Item 7 estimated initial investment (includes the franchise fee), across 3 brands. | $2,728 – $12,016*Pending verificationSourcesSmartService — Painting business equipment guide (updated Aug 11, 2026)(opens in a new tab)Tier 3 · Guide or blog · Accessed October 30, 2026Zack Academy — Lead Renovator Certification Initial, La Mesa, CA, November 19, 2026 (provider: World Inspections, Ltd)(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026US EPA — RRP Program: renovator training(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026US EPA — RRP Program: firm certification(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026California Secretary of State — Business entities fee schedule (Rev. 06/2018)(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Jobber — Pricing(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026ZenBusiness — How much it costs to start a painting business (updated Feb 9, 2026)(opens in a new tab)Tier 3 · Guide or blog · Accessed October 30, 2026CSLB — List of fees(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Sprayers and Parts — Graco 17C310 390 PC Electric Airless Sprayer(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Sprayers and Parts — Graco 17C313 390 PC Electric Airless Sprayer, Hi-Boy(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026Computed from 9 startup budget line items: lean plan low to professional plan high. Some lines are not sourced yet and are excluded. |
| Ongoing royalties | 6% of revenuePending verificationSourcesFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Fresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026WOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026Percent of gross revenue, across 3 brands. | None |
| Operating costs (5 years) | $30,830 – $32,030Pending verificationSourcesInsureon — Painter insurance costs(opens in a new tab)Tier 2 · Industry report · Accessed October 30, 2026CSLB — Bond requirements(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Jobber — Pricing(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026California Franchise Tax Board — 2025 Instructions for Form FTB 3522 (LLC tax voucher)(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026Five years of the operating costs we have sourced so far (insurance, software, fees), charged to both paths. | $30,830 – $32,030 |
| Brand, training, and support | Included | You build your own |
| 5-year total cost | $161,486 – $348,504 | $33,558 – $44,046* |
Franchise fee
- Franchise (3 brands)
- $40,000 – $60,000Pending verificationSourcesFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Fresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026WOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026Range across 3 franchise brands.
- Independent
- $0
Initial investment
- Franchise (3 brands)
- $82,200 – $194,600Pending verificationSourcesFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Fresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026WOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026FDD Item 7 estimated initial investment (includes the franchise fee), across 3 brands.
- Independent
- $2,728 – $12,016*Pending verificationSourcesSmartService — Painting business equipment guide (updated Aug 11, 2026)(opens in a new tab)Tier 3 · Guide or blog · Accessed October 30, 2026Zack Academy — Lead Renovator Certification Initial, La Mesa, CA, November 19, 2026 (provider: World Inspections, Ltd)(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026US EPA — RRP Program: renovator training(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026US EPA — RRP Program: firm certification(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026California Secretary of State — Business entities fee schedule (Rev. 06/2018)(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Jobber — Pricing(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026ZenBusiness — How much it costs to start a painting business (updated Feb 9, 2026)(opens in a new tab)Tier 3 · Guide or blog · Accessed October 30, 2026CSLB — List of fees(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Sprayers and Parts — Graco 17C310 390 PC Electric Airless Sprayer(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Sprayers and Parts — Graco 17C313 390 PC Electric Airless Sprayer, Hi-Boy(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026Computed from 9 startup budget line items: lean plan low to professional plan high. Some lines are not sourced yet and are excluded.
Ongoing royalties
- Franchise (3 brands)
- 6% of revenuePending verificationSourcesFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Fresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026WOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026Percent of gross revenue, across 3 brands.
- Independent
- None
Operating costs (5 years)
- Franchise (3 brands)
- $30,830 – $32,030Pending verificationSourcesInsureon — Painter insurance costs(opens in a new tab)Tier 2 · Industry report · Accessed October 30, 2026CSLB — Bond requirements(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Jobber — Pricing(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026California Franchise Tax Board — 2025 Instructions for Form FTB 3522 (LLC tax voucher)(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 30, 2026Last verified October 30, 2026Five years of the operating costs we have sourced so far (insurance, software, fees), charged to both paths.
- Independent
- $30,830 – $32,030
Brand, training, and support
- Franchise (3 brands)
- Included
- Independent
- You build your own
5-year total cost
- Franchise (3 brands)
- $161,486 – $348,504
- Independent
- $33,558 – $44,046*
5-year totals assume $62,920–$187,200 in yearly revenue (our forecast presets at full volume), the same sourced operating costs (insurance, software, fees) on both paths, and both the lean and professional independent plans. Franchise investment figures come from each brand's disclosure (FDD Item 7) and already include the franchise fee. * Excludes independent startup lines we haven't sourced yet.
What franchisees report taking in
From each brand's own disclosure (FDD Item 19), copied exactly. These are gross sales before royalties and costs, not profit, and not a promise of what you will earn.
Five Star Painting
Item 19 doesn't give yearly sales per franchise. It reports 2025 Gross Sales per person living in each territory and average Gross Sales per job, for 208 franchises open all year.
- Average Gross Sales per job, 2025, 208 franchises open all year (not profit)$4,439.87Pending verificationSourceFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Sales before royalties and all expenses, not profit. Covers 208 Five Star Painting and ProTect Painters franchises open and reporting all of 2025; excludes 5 opened in 2025, 12 transferred, 12 owned by multi-unit franchisees who report combined figures, 8 with 4+ months unreported and 11 that closed. The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ." 98 of the 208 (47%) reached this average.
- Median Gross Sales per job, 2025, same 208 franchises (not profit)$3,696.30Pending verificationSourceFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Sales before royalties and all expenses, not profit. Covers 208 Five Star Painting and ProTect Painters franchises open and reporting all of 2025; excludes 5 opened in 2025, 12 transferred, 12 owned by multi-unit franchisees who report combined figures, 8 with 4+ months unreported and 11 that closed. The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ."
- Average yearly Gross Sales per person living in the territory, 2025, 208 franchises (not profit)$2.12Pending verificationSourceFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Sales before royalties and all expenses, not profit. Covers 208 Five Star Painting and ProTect Painters franchises open and reporting all of 2025; excludes 5 opened in 2025, 12 transferred, 12 owned by multi-unit franchisees who report combined figures, 8 with 4+ months unreported and 11 that closed. The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ." The franchisor counted territory population with mapping software. 93 of the 208 (45%) reached this average.
- Median yearly Gross Sales per person living in the territory, 2025, 208 franchises (not profit)$2Pending verificationSourceFive Star Painting 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 1, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Sales before royalties and all expenses, not profit. Covers 208 Five Star Painting and ProTect Painters franchises open and reporting all of 2025; excludes 5 opened in 2025, 12 transferred, 12 owned by multi-unit franchisees who report combined figures, 8 with 4+ months unreported and 11 that closed. The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ."
Fresh Coat
Item 19 reports 2024 and 2025 Gross Revenue and gross profit percentage (after paint and direct labor only) by quartile for 62 franchises that met its reporting rules; 27% reached the 2025 average.
- Average annual Gross Revenue, 2025, 62 franchises open at least a year (not profit)$751,964 a yearPending verificationSourceFresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Revenue before costs, not profit. Covers 62 of 182 franchises: those open at least a year, run full time in the U.S., reporting all 12 months of 2025 and sending income statements by March 30, 2026. The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ." 27% reached this average.
- Median annual Gross Revenue, 2025, same 62 franchises (not profit)$653,107 a yearPending verificationSourceFresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Revenue before costs, not profit. Covers 62 of 182 franchises: those open at least a year, run full time in the U.S., reporting all 12 months of 2025 and sending income statements by March 30, 2026. The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ."
- Average annual Gross Revenue of the top quartile, 2025, 15 franchises (not profit)$1,477,436 a yearPending verificationSourceFresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Revenue before costs, not profit. Covers 62 of 182 franchises: those open at least a year, run full time in the U.S., reporting all 12 months of 2025 and sending income statements by March 30, 2026. The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ."
- Average annual Gross Revenue of the bottom quartile, 2025, 15 franchises (not profit)$291,457 a yearPending verificationSourceFresh Coat 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 17, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Revenue before costs, not profit. Covers 62 of 182 franchises: those open at least a year, run full time in the U.S., reporting all 12 months of 2025 and sending income statements by March 30, 2026. The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ." The lowest franchise reported $106,847.
WOW 1 DAY PAINTING
Item 19 reports 2025 Gross Revenue per franchisee and per subterritory, plus job sizes, for U.S. and Canadian franchisees open all year; 10 U.S. franchises closed in 2025.
- Average annual Gross Revenue, 2025, 34 U.S. franchisees open all year (not profit)$489,017 a yearPending verificationSourceWOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Revenue before royalties and all expenses, not profit. Covers 34 U.S. franchisees open all of 2025; excludes 3 that opened during 2025 and 10 that closed in 2025. Franchisees own 2 to 14 subterritories (median 3). The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ." 10 of the 34 (29%) reached this average.
- Median annual Gross Revenue, 2025, same 34 U.S. franchisees (not profit)$371,899 a yearPending verificationSourceWOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Revenue before royalties and all expenses, not profit. Covers 34 U.S. franchisees open all of 2025; excludes 3 that opened during 2025 and 10 that closed in 2025. Franchisees own 2 to 14 subterritories (median 3). The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ."
- Average annual Gross Revenue of the top 25%, 2025, U.S. franchisees (not profit)$1,040,101 a yearPending verificationSourceWOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Revenue before royalties and all expenses, not profit. Covers 34 U.S. franchisees open all of 2025; excludes 3 that opened during 2025 and 10 that closed in 2025. Franchisees own 2 to 14 subterritories (median 3). The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ."
- Average annual Gross Revenue of the bottom 25%, 2025, U.S. franchisees (not profit)$150,717 a yearPending verificationSourceWOW 1 DAY PAINTING 2026 FDD (Minnesota CARDS), issued April 30, 2026(opens in a new tab)Tier 1 · Primary source · Accessed October 31, 2026Last verified October 31, 2026Gross Revenue before royalties and all expenses, not profit. Covers 34 U.S. franchisees open all of 2025; excludes 3 that opened during 2025 and 10 that closed in 2025. Franchisees own 2 to 14 subterritories (median 3). The FDD says: "Your individual results may differ." The lowest U.S. franchisee reported $53,870.
What a franchise does give you
Franchises cost more, but the fees buy real things. Weigh them honestly.
- Part of Neighborly, a large group of home-service brands
- About 79 hours of initial training, including 13 hours on exterior and interior estimating
- A required call center that books appointments for you
- Business-management software and a network of other owners
- Owners typically open 1 to 4 months after signing, per FDD Item 11
- Initial training program before opening
- Rebates of the franchise fee if you reach set revenue goals (FDD Item 5)
- Up to 15% off the franchise fee for qualifying veterans
- A central sales center and CRM system that handle incoming leads
- About 15 business days of training at head office plus 5 in your territory
- Sister brand to Shack Shine within the same franchisor group
- 15% off the franchise fee for veterans
Going independent means
- You keep 100% of what you earn after costs — no royalties.
- You build your own brand, systems, and customer base.
- You need more self-reliance, especially in the first year.
Brand by brand
| Option | Initial investment | Royalties | Marketing fund | Fixed fees | Operating costs | 5-year total | vs. independent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five Star Painting | $82,200 – $194,600 | $18,876 – $56,160 | $6,292 – $18,720 | $40,994 – $46,994 | $30,830 – $32,030 | $179,192 – $348,504 | +$145,634 – $311,546 |
| Fresh Coat | $86,150 – $125,250 | $18,876 – $56,160 | $6,292 – $18,720 | $29,940 | $30,830 – $32,030 | $172,088 – $262,100 | +$138,530 – $225,142 |
| WOW 1 DAY PAINTING | $96,050 – $189,200 | $18,876 – $56,160 | $15,730 – $46,800 | $0 | $30,830 – $32,030 | $161,486 – $324,190 | +$127,928 – $287,232 |
| Independent (lean start) | $2,728 – $4,928* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $30,830 – $32,030 | $33,558 – $36,958 | — |
Low figures pair the low end of each cost with low revenue; high figures pair the high ends. Franchise initial investment is each brand's FDD Item 7 estimate and already includes the franchise fee. Marketing fund and fixed fees show $0 where we have no sourced figure for that brand.
* Excludes independent startup lines we haven't sourced yet.
Costs are only half the picture
A franchise's brand, training, and support can help some owners reach customers faster. Weigh what those are worth to you against the difference above.
Back to the Residential Painting guide · Sources for these figures