Thinking About Getting Into the Residential Electrician Space ⚡️

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November 11, 2025

by a searcher from Washington State University in San Diego, CA, USA

I currently own a pest control company operating in 3 states, and with our experience in building and scaling home service teams, we’re exploring the next vertical — residential electrical. Since we don’t have an electrician background, we’re looking at opening a Mr. Sparky’s franchise (part of the Authority Brands group). The appeal is obvious — brand recognition, proven systems, faster launch, and the ability to stay completely absentee with an operator running the business for a salary + equity share. That said, there are tradeoffs: - We’d be locked into the franchise structure and fees for every new location. - We couldn’t eventually build our own brand or franchise it ourselves — it would always stay under Mr. Sparky’s umbrella. So, we’re weighing the options: 1) Do we go with a franchise for speed, systems, and brand power? 2) Or should we partner with a mid-size electrical company that’s open to franchising and help them build a scalable model together? We already have a large network of experienced operators and are looking to keep expanding into home services. Would love to hear from anyone who’s been down this road — franchise vs. build-your-own model, what’s worked best for you?
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Reply by a searcher
from University of Michigan in Raleigh, NC, USA
Most people who go the franchising route in service businesses regret it. It's also really hard to hit your numbers when you're giving them 6% for royalties and additional % for their marketing/branding fee. I'd recommend buying an existing company versus the franchise route.
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Reply by a searcher
from Columbia University in San Diego, CA, USA
Let’s connect. Just bought an electrical contractor in San Diego and own a plumbing business here too.
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