SERVPRO franchisees more often than not end up holding more than one adjoining territory, built up over years rather than bought as a single unit, so a SERVPRO resale is frequently a portfolio transaction — several territories, several sets of equipment, one negotiation — rather than the single-location deal that's typical elsewhere in restoration franchising. The other thing that sets a SERVPRO resale apart is the equipment: large-loss and commercial disaster-recovery work often runs on dedicated trailers and drying equipment that represent a meaningful share of the unit's hard-asset value, on top of the usual franchisor consent and insurer-relationship questions.
SERVPRO 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 and a review of every territory involved where more than one is being sold together, plus active restoration files.
1–3 weeks†The SERVPRO system reviews the incoming owner's background and financial standing for each territory in the deal, and typically holds a right of first refusal it can exercise before consenting to the transfer.
3–6 weeks†A franchise disclosure document may still be required for this resale — Ontario courts read the resale exemption narrowly, so franchisor involvement in the sale can trigger it even where it's called a private deal.
runs alongside consent†Getting to closing
Warehouse or shop leases need landlord consent to assign, alongside confirming ownership, condition and any financing on large-loss equipment trailers and drying equipment.
2–6 weeks†Franchisor training runs alongside re-establishing the unit's standing within insurer preferred-vendor and large-loss/commercial referral programs under the new owner.
2–4 weeks†Funds, the franchise agreement(s), open files and equipment change hands together across every territory in the deal.
1 day, once conditions are met†CFA Look For A Franchise listing confirms an active Canadian franchise network, stating the SERVPRO system, "a leader in the USA in fire, water, mould, and other cleanup and restoration services, is now in Canada," with dozens of Canadian franchise locations.
Ontario locations within its expanding Canadian franchise network.
This is the first real decision in a SERVPRO 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 | Restoration and large-loss equipment (including drying and disaster-recovery trailers), vehicles, open files, insurer referral relationships, goodwill and the franchise agreement(s) — potentially across more than one territory. | The shares of the corporation that holds the franchise agreement(s), including its history and existing liabilities. |
| The franchise agreement(s) | Assigned to the buyer with franchisor consent, territory by territory where more than one is involved. | Generally stays with the corporation, but the franchisor must consent to the ownership change for each territory it covers. |
| Large-loss equipment & trailers | Dedicated disaster-recovery trailers and commercial drying equipment are itemized, valued and checked for financing or liens as part of the deal. | Stays with the corporation, subject to whatever financing or lien arrangements already exist. |
| Insurer vendor-program status | Typically needs to be re-established with insurers and property managers under the new ownership rather than assumed to carry over. | May survive if the underlying corporation and its operating history stay intact, though insurers can still require their own review. |
| Premises | Warehouse-style space for equipment, vehicles and large-loss trailers; needs landlord consent to assign where leased. | Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause. |
| Typical use | The more common structure for a single- or multi-territory SERVPRO resale. | Occasionally preferred specifically to preserve insurer vendor-program status tied to the corporate entity. |
Restoration and large-loss equipment (including drying and disaster-recovery trailers), vehicles, open files, insurer referral relationships, goodwill and the franchise agreement(s) — potentially across more than one territory.
The shares of the corporation that holds the franchise agreement(s), including its history and existing liabilities.
Assigned to the buyer with franchisor consent, territory by territory where more than one is involved.
Generally stays with the corporation, but the franchisor must consent to the ownership change for each territory it covers.
Dedicated disaster-recovery trailers and commercial drying equipment are itemized, valued and checked for financing or liens as part of the deal.
Stays with the corporation, subject to whatever financing or lien arrangements already exist.
Typically needs to be re-established with insurers and property managers under the new ownership rather than assumed to carry over.
May survive if the underlying corporation and its operating history stay intact, though insurers can still require their own review.
Warehouse-style space for equipment, vehicles and large-loss trailers; needs landlord consent to assign where leased.
Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause.
The more common structure for a single- or multi-territory SERVPRO resale.
Occasionally preferred specifically to preserve insurer vendor-program status tied to the corporate entity.
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 SERVPRO territory changing hands between an existing owner and an incoming buyer, with the current technician team and insurer referral relationships continuing largely intact.
Start my file →A multi-territory portfolio built up by one owner over several years, where each territory needs its own franchisor consent and a shared large-loss equipment fleet needs to be inventoried and valued across the whole deal.
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.
Because SERVPRO owners frequently build up a portfolio of adjoining territories over the years rather than stopping at one, a resale is often a multi-territory transaction. That changes how we structure the deal — separate franchisor consent per territory, and a fuller equipment inventory across the whole portfolio, not just one location.
Large-loss and commercial disaster-recovery work often runs on dedicated trailers and industrial drying equipment, which can represent a meaningful share of the unit's hard-asset value. We treat that equipment inventory — condition, age, financing — as its own diligence item, separate from the franchise agreement itself.
Not necessarily. Insurer preferred-vendor and large-loss referral status is commonly re-vetted when ownership changes, even where the underlying corporation continues, so we flag this early rather than letting it come as a surprise after you've committed to a structure.
Possibly. Ontario courts have read the Arthur Wishart Act's resale exemption narrowly, so shared history in the same system doesn't settle the question on its own — we confirm whether disclosure applies to your specific deal.
A single territory often runs about 45 to 90 days; a multi-territory portfolio deal can run longer, since franchisor consent and equipment diligence have to be worked through for every territory involved, not just one.
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 SERVPRO or its franchisor.
Tell us about your SERVPRO resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.