How to Finance a Footprints Floors Franchise: $68K Fee and SBA
By Marc Cornella
A Footprints Floors franchise loan funds a home-based flooring installation and refinishing business where the owner manages estimates, customers and subcontractor crews rather than installing floors personally. With no showroom or storefront, the financing centers on the franchise fee, launch marketing and working capital rather than real estate.
US Professional Funding is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Footprints Floors; the name is used only to describe the business. Figures from the franchisor’s disclosure document can change, loan programs vary, and every loan is subject to approval. Nothing here is legal, tax or investment advice. Review the current Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and franchise agreement with a franchise attorney and an accountant before you sign.
Footprints Floors Franchise Loan at a Glance
- Initial franchise fee: $68,000 for a single territory, with discounted fees for qualified multi-unit candidates, according to the franchisor.
- Royalty: 6% of gross sales, paid monthly.
- Financial requirements: at least $75,000 in liquid cash and a net worth of $250,000 or more.
- Business model: home-based, with no storefront or rent; subcontractors perform installation work, and a corporate call center schedules estimates.
- Footprint: more than 150 operating territories in more than 30 states as of 2026, according to the company.
- Time to open: about 6 to 8 weeks, according to the franchisor.
- Total investment: see Item 7 of the current FDD; the franchisor’s website shows more than one total, so confirm the current figure in the FDD.
- SBA Franchise Directory: listed as “Footprint Floors” under code S3750, with a note about lien position on collateral.
What Is Footprints Floors?
Footprints Floors was launched on December 9, 2008, by founder and CEO Bryan Park, a U.S. Air Force veteran who grew up in south Denver. After the flooring company he worked for closed without paying him for months of work, he kept a set of flooring tools, started handing out flyers in his neighborhood and, by May 2009, had four jobs running at once.
Franchise history. The company began franchising in Colorado in 2013, sold out its Colorado territories in 2016 and began national franchising in 2018, when its first territory outside Colorado opened. As of 2026 it reports more than 150 operating territories in more than 30 states.
Services. Owners offer hardwood refinishing and restoration, hardwood installation, tile and natural stone work, luxury vinyl plank and vinyl, and laminate. Projects include floors, staircases, fireplace surrounds, backsplashes, showers and bathrooms. The company says its customers are mainly residential, typically middle to upper-middle-class families.
How the model works. The corporate team runs lead generation and a call center that schedules estimate appointments within the owner’s availability. The owner meets customers, prices jobs and manages quality, while subcontractors perform the installation. The company describes a typical week as estimates early in the week, crews working midweek, and balances collected and crews paid at the end of the week, with half of each job’s price collected up front.
How lenders view the brand. Lenders see a low-overhead service franchise with a defined fee, a published royalty and a long operating history for the founder’s own business. The trade-off is limited collateral: there is little equipment or real estate, so lenders rely heavily on the owner’s credit and liquidity.
Footprints Floors Franchise Costs
Initial franchise fee. The franchisor lists a $68,000 initial franchise fee for a single territory. Qualified candidates with strong ownership or management backgrounds may receive discounted fees for multiple territories. The fee is the largest single cost in the startup budget, which makes it the main item a Footprints Floors franchise loan must cover.
Real estate and build-out. The franchisor says owners need no storefront, showroom or rent, so build-out costs are minimal compared with most franchises.
Equipment and vehicle. Because subcontractors perform the installation, owners need far less equipment than a traditional flooring contractor. The franchisor’s investment table includes lines for a service vehicle, equipment, and a computer, software and point-of-sale system.
Opening costs and working capital. The franchisor’s table also includes a franchise starter package, start-up marketing, training travel, insurance deposits, licenses and permits, professional fees, office supplies, and additional funds for the first three months.
Total investment. The franchisor’s website shows two different totals for the estimated initial investment, so rely on Item 7 of the current FDD for the exact range. The categories it covers include:
- Initial franchise fee
- Construction and leasehold improvements
- Furniture and fixtures
- Equipment
- Franchise starter package
- Computer, software and point-of-sale system
- Service vehicle
- Start-up marketing
- Insurance deposits
- Travel for initial training
- Professional fees, licenses and permits
- Printing, stationery and office supplies
- Additional funds for the first three months
Our overview of franchise start-up financing explains how lenders turn an Item 7 table into a sources and uses budget.
Ongoing Fees and How They Affect Your Loan
Royalty. The franchisor charges a 6% royalty on gross sales, paid monthly, which it says covers the brand, operating systems, training and support. Because it is a percentage of gross sales, it comes off the top before subcontractor labor, marketing and loan payments.
Other fees. Item 6 of the FDD lists any marketing, technology, call center or transfer fees. Read it closely, because the company describes subcontractor labor and marketing as an owner’s largest expenses.
How lenders use these numbers. Lenders start from projected job volume and average ticket, subtract subcontractor costs, the royalty and marketing, and then test whether the remaining cash flow covers loan payments and your salary.
Franchisor Requirements for New Owners
- Liquid cash: at least $75,000.
- Net worth: $250,000 or more.
- Experience: no flooring or contractor experience is required; the company looks for business sense, management skill, problem-solving and a focus on customer satisfaction.
- Role: owners guide crews and customers rather than installing floors.
- Semi-absentee option: available only with a general manager you already know and trust, identified before the discovery process begins.
The approval process. Candidates start with a short online quiz covering goals, credit, net worth, liquid capital, timeline and target territory, then move through discovery, FDD review and territory selection. Line up financing conversations during discovery so the loan is ready when you sign.
Ways to Own a Footprints Floors Franchise
A new territory. Most owners buy an available territory and launch from home. Lenders underwrite these deals on the owner’s credit, liquidity, management background and the franchisor’s support system.
Multiple territories. The franchisor offers discounted fees on additional territories for qualified buyers. Our article on multi-unit franchise financing explains how lenders size these deals.
Buying an existing territory. An established territory with job history and customer reviews gives lenders actual results to review. The franchisor must approve the transfer. See our article on buying a franchise resale.
Financing Options for a Footprints Floors Franchise
SBA 7(a) loans. Because the brand is on the SBA Franchise Directory, an SBA 7(a) loan can fund the franchise fee, vehicle, equipment, launch marketing and working capital in one loan, subject to lender approval and the directory’s collateral note.
SBA 504 loans. The 504 program is designed for owner-occupied real estate and long-lived fixed assets. A home-based flooring business rarely needs either, so 504 financing generally does not fit.
Conventional term loans. Borrowers with strong credit and outside assets may qualify for a conventional business loan, often with simpler collateral terms.
Equipment and vehicle financing. A work vehicle, trailer, sanding equipment or estimating tablets can be financed separately through franchise equipment financing and leasing, keeping more of your cash available for marketing.
Working capital and lines of credit. Collecting half up front helps cash flow, but owners still pay crews weekly, buy marketing and carry costs between jobs. A line of credit can bridge slow weeks and larger projects. See our franchise working capital solutions.
Seller financing on resales. When buying an existing territory, a seller may carry part of the price. Seller notes are typically subordinate to the senior loan, and SBA rules can limit their terms.
SBA Loans for Footprints Floors Franchisees
The SBA Franchise Directory lists brands whose franchise agreements have been reviewed for SBA eligibility. SBA lenders generally require a brand to appear on the directory before making an SBA-guaranteed loan to one of its franchisees.
The directory listing. The brand appears as “Footprint Floors” under code S3750. Its note says the lender or Certified Development Company (the SBA 504 partner) must secure the appropriate lien position on all collateral, in line with SBA lending rules. In plain English, your lender will take and record the required liens on the business assets and any other collateral pledged for the loan, and those lien positions must meet SBA requirements. Because a home-based flooring business has few hard assets, expect questions about personal collateral.
Program size. The SBA 7(a) program maximum is currently $5 million, though program rules can change.
Application tips. Prepare a personal financial statement, tax returns, a resume showing management experience, the FDD and monthly projections built around estimates, close rates and subcontractor costs. Use our SBA loan calculator to test payments; results are estimates for planning only.
How Lenders Evaluate a Footprints Floors Deal
Personal credit and financial history. With limited business collateral, credit and personal financial strength carry extra weight.
Net worth and liquidity. The franchisor’s $75,000 liquid cash and $250,000 net worth thresholds set the floor; lenders also want reserves after closing. Our article on how much franchise you can afford walks through the math.
Industry and management experience. Since no flooring experience is required, lenders focus on sales, customer service and people management.
Business plan and projections. Build projections from estimate volume, close rate, average job size, subcontractor pay and marketing.
The FDD and franchise agreement. Lenders review the term, renewal and transfer rules in Item 17, financing in Item 10 and unit counts in Item 20. The FDD includes financial performance representations in Item 19. Our article on how lenders read an FDD explains the key items.
Historical financials for resales. For an existing territory, expect to provide profit and loss statements, job reports and tax returns.
Subcontractors, Vehicles and Equipment
The company says new owners typically start with two to three subcontractors and no office staff, adding a production manager after a couple of years. That keeps fixed payroll low, but quality control and subcontractor reliability become central to the business. Lenders may ask how you will recruit crews, and the franchisor says its support includes subcontractor hiring help.
Multi-Unit Growth and Development
Adding territories increases job volume without adding a storefront, so growth is mostly a question of crews, management and marketing. Lenders can finance additional territories once the first has a track record, underwriting combined cash flow.
Real-World Scenarios
A corporate manager launching a first territory. A buyer with sales management experience uses an SBA 7(a) loan for the franchise fee, launch marketing and working capital, and finances a work vehicle separately.
A semi-absentee owner with a trusted manager. An investor who keeps a full-time job hires a general manager they already know, and the lender reviews both the owner’s finances and the manager’s background.
An owner adding a second territory. After a successful first territory, an owner finances a neighboring territory at the discounted multi-unit fee, using existing cash flow to support the new loan.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Budgeting from website figures instead of the current FDD’s Item 7
- Leaving too little working capital to pay crews between collections
- Overlooking the SBA directory’s collateral note
- Underestimating marketing costs in the first months
- Choosing semi-absentee ownership without a proven manager
For more pitfalls, read service contractor loan mistakes to avoid.
Next Steps to Finance Your Footprints Floors Franchise
Step 1: Take the qualification quiz. Confirm you meet the $75,000 liquid cash and $250,000 net worth thresholds.
Step 2: Review the FDD with advisors. Study Items 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, 19 and 20 with a franchise attorney and accountant.
Step 3: Choose your territory. Decide whether you want one territory or several.
Step 4: Talk with a financing specialist. Learn how lenders will size a Footprints Floors franchise loan and what collateral they may require.
Step 5: Build your projections. Model estimates, close rates, subcontractor costs and marketing month by month.
Step 6: Apply and close. Submit your loan package and coordinate the closing with your franchise agreement signing.
Footprints Floors Franchise Loan FAQs
How much does a Footprints Floors franchise cost?
The franchise fee is $68,000 for a single territory. The total initial investment, including the vehicle, equipment, marketing and working capital, is in Item 7 of the current FDD.
What royalty does Footprints Floors charge?
6% of gross sales, paid monthly.
How much liquid capital do I need?
At least $75,000 in liquid cash, with a net worth of $250,000 or more.
Is Footprints Floors approved for SBA loans?
Yes. It is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory as “Footprint Floors” under code S3750, with a note requiring the lender to secure the appropriate lien position on all collateral.
Do I need flooring experience?
No. The franchisor says no flooring or contractor experience is required, and owners manage subcontractors rather than install floors.
Can I run it semi-absentee?
Only with a general manager you already know and trust, identified before discovery begins.
Can I buy more than one territory?
Yes. Qualified buyers may receive discounted fees on multiple territories.
Does Footprints Floors offer financing?
Item 10 of the FDD discloses any franchisor financing. Most buyers arrange outside loans.
How long does it take to open?
About 6 to 8 weeks, according to the franchisor.
Can a first-time owner get a Footprints Floors franchise loan?
Yes, if the franchisor approves you and you meet lender requirements. Management and sales experience strengthen the application.
Final Thoughts
A Footprints Floors franchise loan is mostly about funding the franchise fee and giving a new owner enough working capital to market, win estimates and pay crews. Buyers who meet the franchisor’s capital thresholds, plan for the SBA collateral note and confirm the current Item 7 figures will be well prepared.
US Professional Funding helps franchise buyers and owners finance start-ups, acquisitions, equipment and working capital. Learn more about our franchise financing and service contractor financing solutions.
