Which sections of the Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Franchise Agreement outline the maintenance, appearance, and remodeling requirements for a franchise location?
Benjamin_Franklin_Plumbing Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
n Franklin Plumbing Franchise**
Our franchises offer residential and light commercial plumbing services, including maintenance, repair, remodeling and replacement; water conditioning maintenance, repair and replacement; drain and septic tank digging, cleaning, re-piping and replacement ("Plumbing Services"). "Light commercial" is defined as "work performed in a single tenant building under 10,000 sq. ft. or a connected office space under 5,000 sq. ft" and is considered part of the Plumbing Services. Each franchise operates under the trademark BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PLUMBING.
We offer franchises only to persons and business entities that meet our qualifications and are willing to undertake the investment and effort to own and operate a BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PLUMBING business. Our current form of Franchise Agreement appears in Exhibit A to this disclosure document.
The Franchise Agreement authorizes you to use the trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos, and symbols we designate (the "Marks") to provide Plumbing Services (the "Franchised Business"). The Franchised Business will operate according to the know-how and system of operation we have developed and continue to develop for the BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PLUMBING brand (the "System"). The distinctive elements of the System include, but are not limited to: the products and services offered; our customer service standards; our warranty program, if applicable; our standards and specifications for equipment, technology, supplies, and operations; our advertising and promotional programs and marketing techniques; the exterior and interior design, décor, color scheme, fixtures, and furnishings of the business premises; and the accumulated experience reflected in our training program and instructional materials. We have described our mandatory and recommended standards and procedures in a confidential operations manual (the "Operations Manual" or also sometimes referred to as the "Brand Standards Manual") or in other writings designated by us as part of the standards for the System (collectively with the Operations Manual, "System Standards" or "Brand Standards"). If you become a franchisee, we will provide you with electronic access to the Operations Manual. We have the right to change the Operations Manual and the System Standards at any time.
Our franchisees operate the Franchised Business from a specific street address or site that we have approved for their business premises (the "Approved Location"). However, some of our franchisees have multiple franchises in contiguous or adjoining territories.
Source: Item 9 — FRANCHISEE'S OBLIGATIONS (FDD pages 43–44)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Franchise Disclosure Document, the standards for the appearance, maintenance, and remodeling of the franchise location are found within the System Standards. Item 1 states that the Franchised Business will operate according to the know-how and system of operation developed for the Benjamin Franklin Plumbing brand, and that the distinctive elements of the System include the exterior and interior design, décor, color scheme, fixtures, and furnishings of the business premises. These standards and procedures are described in a confidential operations manual (the “Operations Manual” or also sometimes referred to as the “Brand Standards Manual”) or in other writings designated by Benjamin Franklin Plumbing as part of the standards for the System (collectively with the Operations Manual, “System Standards” or “Brand Standards”).
Item 1 also states that Benjamin Franklin Plumbing has the right to change the Operations Manual and the System Standards at any time, meaning that franchisees must stay up-to-date with any changes to the required standards.
Item 16 notes that approved or designated required products may include residential and light commercial Plumbing Services, including maintenance, repair, remodeling and replacement, all of which must be performed in accordance with the specifications in the Operations Manual or the System Standards. Therefore, franchisees must adhere to the standards outlined in the Operations Manual or System Standards when performing these services.