Kitchen cabinets get a serious workout day in and day out, but they don’t wear out, so they rarely get replaced. Dave Haglund, a custom cabinet builder, enjoyed sharing his customers’ excitement over their new cabinetry, but he knew what they meant when they said, “I wish wish I could keep my cabinets looking new forever.”
It was this kind of comment that inspired Haglund to develop the Kitchen Tune-Up, a service that helps well-worn cabinets look like new again. Haglund’s special wood renewal process was perfect for a franchise business opportunity, so the Kitchen Tune-Up expanded into franchises across the country. Now, after more than two decades, Kitchen Tune-Up offers not only the original tune-up, but also redooring, refacing, and complete custom cabinet work for kitchens and bathrooms at locations across the country.
The four service options, each of which is described clearly at the company’s corporate website, come in at different price points, giving franchisees a natural way to serve different markets in their service area. The services are appropriate for both residential and commercial customers, and franchisees can expect repeat business from customers who live their kitchens and want the same results in bathrooms and perhaps in laundry rooms, business break rooms, and other spaces with cabinets.
Since the company was born of a custom cabinetry shop, it’s natural that the focus should be on skill and quality. New franchisees begin with a home study course, then spend five days in class learning how to succeed with a Kitchen Tune-Up franchise, with 12 weeks of follow up training, and ongoing support and learning.
Training includes the processes and systems, but new franchisees learn about cash flow and budgeting, too. The company also provides business coaching, marketing plans, web pages at the corporate website, sales aids and samples, proprietary software to manage the business, and a supportive community. The size of the company means that the franchise has significant buying power which translates to bargains for franchisees, in materials and also in clothing, literature, and other needed supplies.
Kitchen Tune-Up promises a set of “trustpoints” that give customers confidence:
Trustpoints
- We guarantee our estimates.
- We guarantee our work.
- We arrive on time.
- We clean the work area daily.
- We return messages within 24 hours.
- We strive for harmony with your daily routine.
- We tell you what we’re doing before we do it.
- We listen carefully, tell it straight and keep our promises.
This set of promises also helps define the ideal franchisee for a Kitchen Tune-Up business. Highly motivated people with a strong desire to serve customers and the ability to manage both time and money well can learn the system, even if they don’t have previous experience with home renovations. Depending on their state and local requirements, however, franchisees might face licensing regulations that require prior experience.
The initial investment is $39,995, and financing is available. Franchisees should expect to spend one to three months getting their business from concept to reality.
