Budget Blinds sells a custom-manufactured product delivered through in-home consultations, which gives a resale its own particular shape: open custom orders already placed with manufacturers, a network of independent design consultants working sub-territories, and vendor purchasing accounts that need to move to the new owner cleanly. None of that is exotic, but it does mean the deal needs a proper accounting of work-in-progress alongside the usual franchisor consent process.
Budget Blinds resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
The offer is conditioned on franchisor consent, a full accounting of open custom orders already placed with manufacturers, and a review of the unit's design-consultant arrangements.
1–3 weeks†The Budget Blinds system reviews the incoming owner's background and financial standing, and typically holds a right of first refusal it can exercise before consenting to the transfer.
3–6 weeks†Arthur Wishart Act disclosure may still be required on a resale — courts read the exemption narrowly, so we confirm early whether it applies to your specific transfer.
runs alongside consent†Getting to closing
Some units operate from a small showroom while others run mobile-consultant-only; where a lease exists, landlord consent to assign runs on its own clock.
2–6 weeks†Franchisor operational training runs alongside re-establishing manufacturer vendor accounts under the buyer's name and confirming which design consultants continue with the unit.
2–4 weeks†Funds, the franchise agreement, and open customer orders change hands together, with deposits already collected on in-progress orders allocated between seller and buyer.
1 day, once conditions are met†Dedicated Canadian franchise portal (franchise.budgetblinds.com/en-ca/) with localized content and a Canadian franchise network.
Dedicated Canadian (en-ca) franchise portal implies broad Ontario coverage within the national network.
This is the first real decision in a Budget Blinds resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | Sample inventory, vehicles, open customer orders, consultant relationships, goodwill and the franchise agreement. | The shares of the corporation that holds the franchise agreement, including its history and existing liabilities. |
| The franchise agreement | Assigned to the buyer with franchisor consent, usually alongside a new or amended agreement. | Generally stays with the corporation, but the franchisor must consent to the ownership change. |
| Manufacturer vendor accounts | Purchasing accounts with product manufacturers typically need to be re-established under the buyer's name. | May stay attached to the corporation, preserving existing pricing terms, subject to the manufacturer's own review. |
| Lease or showroom premises | Needs landlord consent to assign, where the unit operates a physical showroom rather than a purely mobile-consultant model. | Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause. |
| Open custom orders | In-progress orders and deposits already collected are itemized and allocated between seller and buyer as part of closing. | Generally continue uninterrupted, since the contracting corporation doesn't change. |
| Typical use | The more common structure for a single-territory Budget Blinds resale. | Occasionally preferred where manufacturer vendor terms or a showroom lease would otherwise be harder to reassign. |
Sample inventory, vehicles, open customer orders, consultant relationships, goodwill and the franchise agreement.
The shares of the corporation that holds the franchise agreement, including its history and existing liabilities.
Assigned to the buyer with franchisor consent, usually alongside a new or amended agreement.
Generally stays with the corporation, but the franchisor must consent to the ownership change.
Purchasing accounts with product manufacturers typically need to be re-established under the buyer's name.
May stay attached to the corporation, preserving existing pricing terms, subject to the manufacturer's own review.
Needs landlord consent to assign, where the unit operates a physical showroom rather than a purely mobile-consultant model.
Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause.
In-progress orders and deposits already collected are itemized and allocated between seller and buyer as part of closing.
Generally continue uninterrupted, since the contracting corporation doesn't change.
The more common structure for a single-territory Budget Blinds resale.
Occasionally preferred where manufacturer vendor terms or a showroom lease would otherwise be harder to reassign.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single Budget Blinds territory changing hands between an existing owner and an incoming buyer, with current design consultants and manufacturer vendor accounts continuing largely intact.
Start my file →A territory with a physical showroom lease and multiple independent design consultants, a franchisor requiring rebranding or showroom upgrades as a condition of consent, or a substantial book of open custom orders that needs careful allocation between seller and buyer.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
These need to be carefully inventoried before closing — which manufacturer orders are outstanding, what deposits customers have already paid, and who's responsible for completing and installing them. This is one of the more heavily negotiated items in a Budget Blinds resale, and it's not something to leave to a handshake.
Not automatically — vendor accounts are commonly re-established or re-approved under the new owner's name, which can affect pricing terms if not handled proactively. We confirm this with the relevant vendors as part of diligence rather than assuming continuity.
It matters. Consultant arrangements are typically structured as independent contractor relationships rather than employment, and whether they continue with a new owner often depends on the consultant's own relationship with the departing franchisee — we review this territory by territory.
Possibly, yes. Ontario courts have read the Arthur Wishart Act's resale exemption narrowly, so an existing relationship in the same franchise system doesn't decide the question on its own — we confirm whether disclosure applies to your specific deal.
Most single-territory resales run about 45 to 90 days, shaped by the franchisor's consent review and by how cleanly the open-order and vendor-account items get sorted out before closing.
Related
Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Budget Blinds or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Budget Blinds resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.