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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Surface Specialists Systems Franchise

Surface Specialists Systems is a home-based franchise founded in 1981 that repairs, refinishes and restores bathroom and kitchen surfaces on site. The work covers bathtubs, showers, countertops, ceramic tile, sinks and cabinets, giving customers a lower-cost alternative to full replacement. What began as a countertop burn-repair business has grown into one of the more diverse surface-restoration systems in the category.

The brand serves both residential and commercial clients, including homeowners, apartment communities, hotels and property managers, and its technicians handle warranty repairs for more than 80 bathtub manufacturers. Services run from spot repairs and refinishing to acrylic tub liners, bathtub-to-shower conversions, whirlpool conversions and stone polishing, so franchisees can match the job to a customer’s budget.

Because work is performed at the customer’s location, the model is home-based with no storefront or inventory. Each franchisee operates a protected territory, and the network spans more than 40 US locations, with territories also available across the US and Canada. The franchise is led by Dan Kaplan, a former franchisee who still co-owns and operates a unit.

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Why buy a Surface Specialists Systems Franchise?

Buying a Surface Specialists Systems franchise offers entry into a repair-and-refinishing niche within the resilient home services category. The brand’s appeal is its breadth: franchisees can offer more service options and price points than most single-service competitors, which helps win work across price-sensitive rental turnovers and higher-value homeowner remodels alike.

The home-based, on-site model carries no lease or retail staff, and a protected territory of up to two million population gives room to grow. Franchisees set their own services, pricing, scheduling and warranty terms. Relationships with property managers, hotels and the warranty programs of more than 80 bathtub manufacturers can generate repeat, referral-driven work rather than one-off jobs.

Surface Specialists Systems Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1981

    • Franchising Since

      1982

    • New Startup Cost

      $43,200 – $56,000

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $36,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $5,000

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      1%

      of Gross Receipts

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      44

    • New Units Opened *

      0

    • Units Transferred *

      1

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $296,405

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Surface Specialists Systems – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Initial training is a two-week program at the franchisor's Matthews, North Carolina base, covering 23 classroom hours plus 57-73 hours of hands-on, on-the-job training, supported by confidential print and digital manuals and QuickBooks and office-systems training. Ongoing support includes 24-hour access to franchisor Dan Kaplan and an online confidential franchisee network, monthly newsletters, on-request on-site sales help and follow-up training, an annual convention and continuous R&D of new products and services. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and franchise-network access carry over to incoming ownership.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Surface Specialists suits hands-on operators comfortable splitting time between field work and running a small business. Strong manual dexterity, an eye for detail and the physical capacity to kneel and bend for long periods matter, as does color-accurate vision for matching finishes. No industry experience is required; owners have come from military, IT, route-sales and trades backgrounds. The best fit pairs blue-collar repair ability with an executive mindset: self-motivated, willing to follow a proven system, and able to manage both customer service and back-office tasks while building a local reputation.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Surface Specialists has been named a Franchise Business Review Best of the Best franchise for more than ten years on franchisee-satisfaction surveys, including 2024 recognition as a Top Low-Cost Franchise and for franchise culture and overall satisfaction, plus a 2026 Top Franchise listing. It has also appeared in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and earned veteran-focused honors such as Military Times Best for Vets. For resale buyers, this brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific territory's local reviews, referral sources and commercial reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    Surface refinishing sits within the US home improvement and repair market, where owner spending runs well over $500 billion a year. Demand is supported by an aging housing stock, with more than half of US homes over 40 years old, and by homeowners and landlords choosing repair and refinishing as a budget-friendly alternative to full replacement. Rental turnover, multifamily housing and the hospitality sector drive steady, repeat work, and bathroom and kitchen updates remain among the most common home projects. For resale buyers, this gives the category a recurring, recession-resistant character tied to local property activity.

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