Considering a College Hunks Hauling Junk Franchise? Don’t Overlook These 32 Important Franchise Fees

Updated June 22, 2020.

If you are considering a College Hunks Hauling Junk franchise, don’t get blindsided by these 32 important franchise fees (from the initial franchise fee, to the royalty fee, to 30 other fees found in Items 5 and 6 of College Hunks Hauling Junk’s 2020 FDD).

1.  Initial Franchise Fee:  $32,500 to $60,000

• When you sign the Franchise Agreement for either a College Hunks Hauling Junk franchise or a College Hunks Moving franchise, you must pay to the franchisor an initial franchise fee of $40,000 for a standard Zone.

• A standard Zone includes a range of anywhere from 300,000 to 400,000 in population.

• If you purchase a College Hunks Hauling Junk franchise and a College Hunks Moving franchise concurrently, the initial franchise fee is $60,000 for a standard Zone.

• If you are a qualified U.S. veteran, the franchisor will discount the initial franchise fee by $7,500. A qualified U.S. veteran must have at least a 51% interest in the Franchised Business at all times.

2.  Continuing Royalty Fee:  7% of Gross Sales

• Due Date:  Payable on the 3rd and 18th days of each month by electronic funds transfer.

• This amount is due on all Gross Sales for Services within your Designated Territory.

• The franchisor charges a 7% Continuing Royalty Fee for Gross Sales outside your Designated Territory (the “Outside Gross Sales”).

• You may not provide Services outside the Designated Territory without the franchisor’s prior written consent. You must stop providing Services outside the Designated Territory immediately upon receipt of notice from the franchisor directing you to stop.

3.  Minimum Annual Royalty – Move:  $16,100 per Zone during 1st year of operations; $17,787 per Zone during 2nd year of operations; $19,473 per Zone during 3rd year of operations; $21,467 per Zone during 4th year of operations; $22,540 per Zone during 5th year of operations; $23,613 per Zone during 6th year of operations; $24,840 per Zone during 7th year of operations; $26,067 per Zone during 8th year of operations; $27,293 per Zone during 9th year of operations; and $28,673 per Zone during 10th year of operations.

• The amount payable by you is the amount by which the Minimum Annual Royalty exceeds the total Continuing Royalty Fees actually paid by you during that year of operations.

• Due Date:  By February 15 following the end of the calendar year of operations.

• This is only payable if the total Continuing Royalty Fees paid by you in any year of operations are less than the total Minimum Annual Royalty for that year.

4.  Minimum Annual Royalty – Junk:  $8,050 per Zone during 1st year of operations; $8,893 per Zone during 2nd year of operations; $9,737 per Zone during 3rd year of operations; $10,733 per Zone during 4th year of operations; $11,270 per Zone during 5th year of operations; $11,807 per Zone during 6th year of operations; $12,420 per Zone during 7th year of operations; $13,033 per Zone during 8th year of operations; $13,647 per Zone during 9th year of operations; and $14,337 per Zone during 10th year of operations.

• The amount payable by you is the amount by which the Minimum Annual Royalty exceeds the total Continuing Royalty Fees actually paid by you during that year of operations.

• Due Date:  By February 15 following the end of the calendar year of operations.

• This is only payable if the Total Continuing Royalty Fees paid by you in any year of operations are less than the total Minimum Annual Royalty for that year.

5.  SLC Support Fee:  $799 per month for junk-only franchises which includes software, service, and support. $945 per month for moving only or junk and moving franchises which includes software, service, and support.

• Due Date:  Payable at the same time and in the same manner as the Continuing Royalty Fee.

• This fee compensates the franchisor for administering the SLC (including staffing and equipment purchases), software license and upgrades, and maintenance fees for the franchisor’s intranet.

6.  SLC Appointment Fee:  $19 per scheduled appointment by the SLC

• Due Date:  Payable at the same time and in the same manner as the Continuing Royalty.

• You will not be required to pay this fee for self-generated sales, self-booked sales, online bookings, or jobs that cancel prior to the day of the scheduled appointment.

7.  Brand Development Fee:  2% of Gross Sales

• Due Date:  Payable at the same time and in the same manner as the Continuing Royalty Fee.

8.  Local Advertising:  if you have a moving business, you must spend the greater of $1,500 or 8% of Gross Sales each month on local advertising. If you have a junk hauling business, you must spend the greater of $1,100 or 8% of Gross Sales each month on local advertising.

• The required minimum local advertising expenditures described above is in addition to marketing collateral and supplies.

• Due Date:  To be spent each month.

• Payable to approved suppliers.

• The franchisor must approve all local advertising before its use.

9.  E-mail Account:  the franchisor currently does not charge for the first 3 e-mail addresses, but you must pay $8 per month for each additional e-mail address/account

• Due Date:  As invoiced.

10.  CHC Bookkeeping Program:  $300 per month to $850 per month depending on your monthly revenue and desired level of service. If you ask NOR to provide Accounting Services outside the scope of its typical Accounting Services, it may charge you $20 per hour.

• Due Date:  10 days after invoice.

• This fee compensates the franchisor’s affiliate, NOR, for administering the CHC Bookkeeping Program, including staff and software expenses.

11.  Transfer Fee (Franchise Agreement):  $15,000

• Due Date:  Upon transfer.

• No fee is imposed for transfers to an entity formed by you for the convenience of ownership.

• Fees are paid by either you or the buyer and will apply to each Franchise Agreement that is transferred or assigned to an approved third party.

12.  Renewal Fee:  $5,000

• Due Date:  At time of renewal.

13.  Late Renewal Fee:  $50 per day

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• If you sign the Renewal Franchise Agreement after the Franchise Agreement expires, you must pay the franchisor $50 per day for every day that your Franchised Business operates without a Renewal Franchise Agreement.

14.  Non-Compliance Fee:  infraction fee currently up to $10,000 per infraction

• Due Date:  On demand, after written warning for non-compliance occurs.

• Each event of non-compliance also constitutes an event of default under your Franchise Agreement, allowing the franchisor, at its discretion, to exercise any remedies it may have under the Franchise Agreement, including termination, in addition to or as a substitute for the non-compliance fee.

15.  Initial Training and Additional Personnel Training:  no fee for the first 2 people who attend Initial Training ($500 per person after the first 2). A per person fee will be determined by the franchisor for Additional Personnel Training and depends on the instructor’s fee, travel, lodging, meals, and any instructional materials associated with the training topic.

• Due Date:  15 days prior to training.

• You are responsible for all travel, meals, lodging, and wages for your trainees.

16.  Refresher Training Program/Continuing Education:  $500

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• The franchisor has the option of providing refresher training or other training programs, which can last up to 5 days, but can be on-line or in class, as the franchisor determines.

17.  Enrichment Training:  $500 per person

• Due Date:  On demand.

• You must pay all expenses you incur related to enrichment training if the franchisor requires you to participate because your Franchised Business is not performing in accordance with the standards and/or to achieve minimum performance levels, including all travel, meals, lodging, and wages for you and your trainees.

18.  Interest on Overdue Amounts:  18% per annum or highest rate allowed by applicable state law

• Due Date:  On demand.

• Any amounts not paid when due will be a default of your Franchise Agreement and will accrue interest. Interest will accrue from the original due date until payment is received in full.

19.  Audit:  amount of the deficiency, plus interest; if audit is due to non-reporting or reveals an understatement of 2% or more, then you must pay the amount of the deficiency or $500, whichever is greater, plus the cost of the inspection or audit

• Due Date:  15 days after billing.

• If a deficiency occurs, the franchisor has the right to terminate the Franchise Agreement without opportunity for you to cure the default.

20.  Costs and Attorneys’ Fees:  will vary under circumstances

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• Payable upon your failure to comply with the Franchise Agreement.

21.  Indemnification:  will vary under circumstances

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• You must reimburse the franchisor if it is held liable for claims arising from your Franchised Business’s operations.

22.  Annual Franchisee Convention (if held):  currently $500 per person, excluding cost of transportation and lodging

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• At least one person per franchise must attend this Annual Convention, which will last up to 3 days.

23.  Liquidated Damages:  your average monthly royalties during 12 months prior to termination, times 24 months

• Due Date:  15 days after termination.

• This only applies if the franchisor terminates your Franchise Agreement for cause prior to its expiration.

24.  Service Vehicle Replacement:  as incurred

• Due Date:  As negotiated.

• The franchisor may require you to replace your service vehicle if an existing vehicle is no longer in good condition (including paint and graphics and working condition). The franchisor will not make this request more frequently than every 7 years.

• Payable to vehicle suppliers and/or finance companies.

25.  Insurance:  reimbursement of the franchisor’s costs

• Due Date:  On demand.

• If you do not obtain the required insurance, the franchisor may (but is not required to) obtain insurance on you behalf.

26.  Management Fee:  $3,000 per month, plus expenses

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• If the franchisor has to step in and operate your Franchised Business for you in certain circumstances due to your failure to operate in accordance with its standards, you must pay the franchisor’s management fee and reimburse its expenses.

27.  Additional Principal:  $2,500

• Due Date:  If incurred.

• If you request that the franchisor modify the Franchise Agreement to include an additional person as either a franchisee or a franchisee’s principal.

28.  Mystery Shopper Program:  $200 per shop

• Due Date:  On demand.

• Payable by you if the franchisor determines your Franchised Business has received a significant amount of negative feedback.

• This is in addition to enrichment training.

29.  Penalty Fee for Sales in Another Franchisee’s Designated Territory:  amount equal to 20% of job revenue for 1st violation, 50% of job revenue for 2nd violation, and 100% of job revenue for 3rd violation

• Due Date:  On demand.

• If you perform services in a designated territory granted to another franchisee (or reserved for the franchisor or its affiliate), you must pay a penalty fee equal to a percentage of the job revenue for each violation.

• Repeated violations may result in termination of your Franchise Agreement.

30.  National Account Commission:  varies on a case-by-case basis, depending on the size of the National Account and the scope of services that the franchisor provides in managing or servicing the National Account or the National Accounts program

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• If you participate in the franchisor’s National Accounts Program, the franchisor may charge you a commission or other fee, in addition to the Continuing Royalty Fee, for securing and/or servicing any National or Regional Account(s) and/or administering the National Accounts program.

31.  Temporary Zip Codes Leasing Fee:  $50 per month

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• Payable if you and the franchisor agree that you are permitted to service clients in zip code(s) outside of your designated territory.

32.  Resale Assistance Program:  3%-8% of the purchase price of the Franchised Business

• Due Date:  As incurred.

• This fee is only due if you request the franchisor’s assistance in the resale of your Franchised Business.