How to Finance a MaidPro Franchise: Costs, Cash and SBA Options
By Marc Cornella
A MaidPro franchise loan funds a business with no storefront, no kitchen and no build-out, which changes the conversation with lenders. Instead of financing a building, you are financing a territory, a launch budget, cleaning teams and the months it takes for recurring clients to fill your schedule.
Below we cover what MaidPro reports a new franchise costs, how its fees shape a loan request, where SBA 7(a) financing fits, and how buyers of new territories, existing locations and converted cleaning companies put financing together.
US Professional Funding is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by MaidPro; the name is used only to describe the business. Figures from the franchisor’s disclosure document and website can change, loan programs and terms vary by lender and borrower, 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 qualified franchise attorney and accountant before you sign or borrow.
MaidPro Franchise Loan at a Glance
- Initial franchise fee: $45,000 in the U.S., according to MaidPro’s franchise investment page.
- Total initial investment: $109,860 to $158,650 in the U.S., including the franchise fee and initial setup costs, per the franchisor.
- Minimum liquid cash: $45,000 in the U.S., per the franchisor.
- Territory: typically about 45,000 qualifying households with incomes greater than $100,000, as MaidPro describes it.
- Royalty and marketing fees: set out in Item 6 of the current FDD; MaidPro’s public pages do not publish the rates.
- Training: approximately 200 hours, delivered in phases.
- System size: more than 250 franchise locations in the United States and Canada, according to the franchisor.
- Conversions: qualified independent cleaning companies can convert with the initial franchise fee waived and reduced royalties for up to 3 years.
- SBA Franchise Directory: listed as “MaidPro” (code S1070) with no special notes.
What Is MaidPro?
MaidPro started in 1991 in a small office in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, founded by Richard Sparacio and Mark Kushinsky as a residential and commercial cleaning business. The company sold its first franchise in February 1997 and is still headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Today it reports more than 250 franchise locations across the United States and Canada, and says that 40% of its franchisees have been in business for over 10 years.
The concept. MaidPro franchisees run professional cleaning teams that serve homes on weekly, biweekly or monthly schedules, which the brand describes as steady, recurring revenue. Locations also take one-time specialty cleans and can pursue commercial cleaning and property manager accounts.
A home-service format. There is no storefront; MaidPro says most franchisees operate from a small office. Support includes a National Call Center, an AI-powered booking tool, scheduling and customer management software, lead generation and coaching.
Why lenders view it the way they do. Lenders like the recurring-client model and small overhead, but collateral is thin and the main risks are hiring, retention and how fast clients build, so the owner’s management ability, liquidity and plan carry extra weight.
MaidPro Franchise Costs
Initial franchise fee. MaidPro’s investment page lists the U.S. franchise fee at $45,000. The franchisor also says veterans receive a significant discount, and qualified independent cleaning companies that convert have the initial fee waived. The exact fee, any discount terms and refund rules are in Item 5 of the FDD.
Office, equipment and vehicles. Instead of a storefront, you need a modest office for scheduling, training and supply storage, plus vacuums, cleaning tools, products, uniforms and a way to reach clients’ homes. The FDD’s Item 7 table shows what the franchisor assumes about vehicles and office costs.
Launch marketing and working capital. A cleaning business lives on lead flow in its first months. Technician payroll starts before the schedule is full, and owners also need to cover their own living costs while the business ramps up.
Total investment. MaidPro reports a total initial investment of $109,860 to $158,650 in the U.S., including the franchise fee and initial setup costs, and says the total varies by territory size, location and other factors. The categories a lender will want to see broken out from the FDD’s Item 7 table include:
- Initial franchise fee ($45,000 in the U.S.)
- Office lease deposits, furniture and office equipment
- Cleaning equipment, supplies and uniforms
- Vehicle costs and vehicle graphics
- Computer hardware, software and technology set-up
- Grand opening and initial marketing
- Training-related travel and expenses
- Insurance, licenses and professional fees
- Additional funds for the initial operating period
MaidPro’s public pages do not publish each line’s range, so take them from the current FDD.
Ongoing Fees and How They Affect Your MaidPro Franchise Loan
Royalty. MaidPro says franchise fees and ongoing royalties are part of the model, but its website does not list the royalty rate. Item 6 of the FDD sets out the rate, how it is calculated and whether any minimums apply. Converting owners receive reduced royalties for up to 3 years, according to the franchisor.
Marketing and technology fees. Any brand fund contribution, local advertising requirement, call center charge or software fee also appears in Item 6.
How lenders factor these costs in. Lenders build projections from revenue and subtract labor, supplies, vehicle costs, insurance, royalties and marketing before they look at debt service. Because cleaning is labor-heavy, the cash left after payroll and franchise fees is what ultimately supports the loan. Projections that ignore a royalty minimum or a required marketing spend will be flagged quickly in underwriting.
Franchisor Requirements for New Owners
MaidPro publishes a minimum liquid cash requirement of $45,000 in the U.S. Its public pages do not state a net worth requirement, so ask the franchise development team and check the FDD.
- Liquidity: at least $45,000 of liquid cash, per the franchisor’s investment page.
- Experience: no cleaning background is needed. MaidPro looks for people who want to own a business, follow a proven system, enjoy working with people and think like entrepreneurs.
- Training: roughly 200 hours of onboarding covering operations, sales, marketing, hiring and customer service.
- Owner role: recruiting and training technicians, scheduling, customer acquisition, quality control and financial management, with the role shifting toward oversight as the team grows.
The approval process. MaidPro describes a staged path: discovery conversations, a confirmation stage in which you receive the FDD, sign a receipt and have an FDD review call, a validation stage that includes talking with franchisees and reviewing territory options, a Discovery Day, and then signing, onboarding and launch. The franchisor says locations typically open within a few months of signing, which affects when loan funds and working capital need to be in place.
Ways to Own a MaidPro
A new territory. Most new owners start with an open territory. Financing covers the franchise fee, equipment and vehicle costs, launch marketing and working capital, and lenders underwrite it as a start-up, relying on the owner’s credit, liquidity and plan. Our overview of franchise start-up financing explains how these requests are structured.
Buying an existing location. An operating MaidPro comes with clients, cleaning teams and a payment history. Lenders can underwrite actual revenue and cash flow, and the purchase price may include goodwill. Transfers require franchisor approval, and the buyer typically completes training and signs the current franchise agreement. Read about buying a franchise resale for transfer timing and approval steps.
Converting an independent cleaning company. MaidPro offers a conversion path for qualified residential and commercial cleaning business owners, with the initial franchise fee waived and reduced royalties for up to 3 years. Conversion costs cover vehicle wraps, uniforms, marketing materials and tools. Lenders can review the existing company’s history, which often makes a conversion easier to finance than a cold start.
Financing Options for a MaidPro Franchise Loan
SBA 7(a) loans. Because MaidPro is on the SBA Franchise Directory, the SBA 7(a) loan program is a natural fit for many buyers. It can finance the franchise fee, equipment, launch costs, working capital or the purchase of an existing location in one loan.
SBA 504 loans. The 504 program is designed for owner-occupied commercial real estate and long-lived fixed assets. A MaidPro runs from a small leased office with modest equipment, so 504 financing rarely fits unless an established owner decides to buy a building.
Conventional term loans. Buyers with strong credit and collateral, or owners with a track record, may use a conventional business loan for an acquisition or expansion.
Equipment and vehicle financing. Vacuums, cleaning tools, laptops, phones and especially vehicles can often be financed separately, which keeps cash free for payroll and marketing. See our franchise equipment financing and leasing options.
Working capital and lines of credit. Cleaning businesses pay technicians weekly or biweekly, buy supplies continually and spend heavily on marketing in the early months. A line of credit can bridge the gap between hiring a new team and filling its schedule, or cover a slow stretch when recurring clients pause service for holidays and travel. Learn more about working capital for cleaning businesses.
Seller financing on resales. When buying an existing location, a seller may agree to carry part of the price. Any seller note must be acceptable to the senior lender, is typically subordinate to it, and SBA and other loan programs may limit how it is structured.
SBA Loans for MaidPro Franchisees
The SBA Franchise Directory lists brands whose franchise agreements have been reviewed for SBA eligibility, so the lender can focus on the borrower and the business. A listing does not approve any loan.
MaidPro’s listing. MaidPro appears on the directory under the name “MaidPro” with code S1070 and no additional notes. In plain English, that means there are no brand-specific conditions for an SBA lender to work through; the loan is reviewed under the standard rules. MaidPro’s own site also states that it is SBA approved and on the SBA registry.
Loan size. The SBA 7(a) program maximum is currently $5 million, though program rules can change. Because MaidPro reports a total investment of $109,860 to $158,650, a single-territory MaidPro franchise loan request is well below that ceiling, and buyers adding territories or acquiring a larger location still have room.
Application tips. Use the FDD’s Item 7 table as the backbone of your sources-and-uses statement, show where your liquid cash comes from, build a hiring plan that matches projected client growth and include personal living expenses during the ramp-up.
For an early estimate of payments on different loan amounts, try our SBA loan calculator. Results are estimates only, not an offer.
How Lenders Evaluate a MaidPro Deal
Personal credit and financial history. Start-up franchise loans lean heavily on the borrower’s credit, tax returns and personal financial statement, and typically require a personal guarantee.
Net worth and liquidity. MaidPro’s $45,000 liquid cash minimum is the franchisor’s floor, not the lender’s. Lenders want to see an equity injection plus reserves that remain after closing, especially in a business where payroll comes before revenue.
Industry and management experience. No cleaning background is required, but lenders value experience leading teams, hiring hourly staff, selling to consumers or running a P&L. Completing MaidPro’s training adds to the picture.
Business plan and projections. Strong plans show how many households in the territory you expect to reach, how quickly recurring clients will build, when you will add each cleaning team, wage and turnover assumptions, supply and vehicle costs, and the royalty and marketing fees from Item 6. Our article on how lenders read a Franchise Disclosure Document explains which items matter most.
The FDD and franchise agreement. Lenders look at the term, renewal rights, transfer conditions, territory protections and any royalty minimums.
Historical financials for existing locations. For a resale or conversion, expect to provide several years of profit and loss statements, tax returns, client lists with recurring frequency and payroll records.
Labor, Equipment and Vehicles: The Real Operating Assets
In a MaidPro business, people are the production line. The speed at which you can recruit, train and keep cleaning teams limits how fast you can grow, so lenders will ask how you plan to hire, handle turnover and pay new technicians while they learn.
Equipment such as commercial vacuums, microfiber systems and caddies must be replaced regularly, and teams need dependable vehicles to reach clients’ homes on time. Whether you lease vehicles, finance them or reimburse staff affects both monthly costs and collateral, so a MaidPro franchise loan request should state the choice clearly.
Multi-Unit Growth and Development Agreements
MaidPro says multi-unit ownership is available, and some owners add neighboring territories once their first location is running smoothly. A second territory can share an office, a manager and back-office systems, which may spread overhead across more households.
Financing a second territory. Once your first location has a financial history, lenders can underwrite its cash flow alongside the new territory’s projections. If you sign a multi-territory commitment, read the development schedule carefully and plan when each territory’s funding and hiring will be needed. Learn more in our article on multi-unit franchise financing.
Real-World Scenarios
A corporate manager starting a new territory. A former operations manager with no cleaning background signs for an open territory. She uses personal savings for the equity injection, finances the rest with an SBA 7(a) loan and keeps a reserve to cover payroll while her recurring client base grows.
A buyer acquiring an established location. A buyer purchases a MaidPro with a solid recurring client list from a retiring owner. The lender underwrites the location’s actual results, the buyer adds working capital for the transition, and the seller carries a small subordinate note.
An independent cleaning company converts. The owner of an independent residential cleaning business converts to MaidPro, with the franchise fee waived and reduced royalties for the first years. A small loan covers vehicle wraps, uniforms and new equipment, and the lender relies on the company’s existing financial history.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Borrowing for the franchise fee and launch costs but underfunding payroll during the ramp-up
- Treating the $45,000 liquid cash minimum as the full amount you will need
- Building projections without the royalty and marketing fees from Item 6
- Assuming every cleaning team will be fully booked as soon as it is hired
- Forgetting the owner’s own living expenses while the business builds
- Buying an existing location without verifying how many clients are truly recurring
For more pitfalls in this industry, read the restoration and cleaning loan mistakes that cost owners the most.
Next Steps to Finance Your MaidPro Franchise
Step 1: Confirm your finances. Make sure you can meet the $45,000 liquid cash requirement and still keep reserves after your equity injection.
Step 2: Explore territories. Review open territories and household counts with MaidPro’s development team.
Step 3: Review the FDD with advisors. Study Items 5, 6, 7, 10, 17 and 19 and the franchise agreement with a franchise attorney and accountant.
Step 4: Build your plan. Turn Item 7 into a sources-and-uses statement and build monthly projections with realistic hiring, client growth and fees.
Step 5: Talk with a financing specialist. Compare SBA 7(a), conventional and equipment financing, and decide how to fund vehicles and working capital.
Step 6: Apply and align timelines. Submit your application with financial statements, tax returns, projections and franchise documents, timed to training and launch.
Step 7: Close and launch. Fund the business, hire and protect your reserve.
MaidPro Franchise Loan FAQs
How much does a MaidPro franchise cost?
MaidPro reports a total initial investment of $109,860 to $158,650 in the U.S., including the franchise fee and initial setup costs. Territory size, location and other factors affect where you land in that range.
What is the MaidPro franchise fee?
The U.S. franchise fee is $45,000, according to the franchisor. Veterans may qualify for a discount, and qualified converting cleaning companies have the fee waived.
What royalty does MaidPro charge?
MaidPro’s website does not publish its royalty rate. Item 6 of the current FDD lists the royalty and any marketing or technology fees.
How much liquid capital do I need?
MaidPro lists a minimum liquid cash requirement of $45,000 in the U.S. Lenders usually want to see additional reserves beyond that.
Is MaidPro eligible for SBA loans?
Yes, an SBA-backed MaidPro franchise loan is possible. MaidPro is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory with code S1070 and no special notes, so qualified buyers can apply for SBA 7(a) financing subject to lender approval.
Can I buy an existing MaidPro location?
Yes, with franchisor approval. Lenders can underwrite the location’s actual results, and the deal may combine a term loan, buyer equity and possibly a seller note.
Can a first-time business owner qualify?
Yes. MaidPro says no cleaning background is needed, and lenders weigh management experience, credit and liquidity.
Can I own more than one territory?
Yes. MaidPro says multi-unit ownership is available. Each additional territory needs franchisor approval and its own financing plan.
Does MaidPro offer financing?
MaidPro’s site points buyers to outside options such as SBA loans and home equity lines. Item 10 of the FDD shows whether the franchisor offers any financing.
Does the FDD include financial performance information?
MaidPro tells prospective owners to request the current FDD for investment and financial performance details. Check Item 19 to see what representations it includes.
Final Thoughts
A MaidPro franchise has a modest price tag compared with brands that need real estate, but it asks something different of its owners: the ability to hire, train and keep cleaning teams while recurring clients build. The best financing plans pair the right loan with enough working capital to carry payroll through that ramp-up, whether you are opening a new territory, buying an existing location or converting your own company.
US Professional Funding helps franchise owners and buyers finance start-ups, acquisitions, equipment and working capital. Learn more about our franchise financing programs, our cleaning business acquisition loans and our wider restoration, remediation and cleaning financing solutions.
