What should a prospective Bumble Roofing franchisee in Washington do to investigate the franchise opportunity?
Bumble_Roofing Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
chise agreement or elsewhere are void and unenforceable in Washington.
The franchisor [uses/may use] the services of franchise brokers to assist it in selling franchises. A franchise broker represents the franchisor and is paid a fee for referring prospects to the franchisor and/or selling the franchise. Do not rely only on the information provided by a franchise broker about a franchise. Do your own investigation by contacting the franchisor's current and former franchisees to ask them about their experience with the franchisor.
No statement, questionnaire, or acknowledgment signed or agreed to by a franchisee in connection with the commencement of the franchise relationship shall have the effect of (i) waiving any claims under any applicable state franchise law, including fraud in the inducement, or (ii) disclaiming reliance on any statement made by any franchisor, franchise seller, or other person acting on behalf of the franchisor. This provision supersedes any other term of any document executed in connection with the franchise.
WASHINGTON ADDENDUM TO FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
To the extent the Washington Franchise Investment Protection Act, Wash. Rev. Code §§19.100.010 – 19.100.940 applies, the terms of this Addendum apply.
- Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Franchise Agreement, to the extent that the Franchise Agreement contains provisions that are inconsistent with the following, such provisions are hereby amended:
RCW 19.100.180 may supersede the franchise agreement in your relationship with the franchisor including the areas of termination and renewal of your franchise. There may also be court decisions which may supersede the franchise agreement in your relationship with the franchisor including the areas of termination and renewal of your franchise.
Source: Item 17 — RENEWAL, TERMINATION, TRANSFER AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION (FDD pages 43–45)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bumble Roofing's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a prospective franchisee in Washington should conduct their own investigation into the franchise opportunity and not rely solely on information provided by franchise brokers. Franchise brokers represent Bumble Roofing and are compensated for referring prospects or selling franchises.
To conduct their own investigation, the FDD advises prospective Bumble Roofing franchisees to contact current and former franchisees. This outreach allows potential franchisees to gain first-hand insights into the experiences of others who have operated a Bumble Roofing franchise. By speaking directly with current and former franchisees, prospects can gather valuable information about the franchisor's support, the challenges of running the business, and the overall profitability of the franchise.
Additionally, the FDD states that certain non-compete covenants may be void and unenforceable in Washington. Specifically, non-competition covenants are unenforceable against an employee if their annualized earnings are $100,000 or less (this amount is subject to annual inflation adjustments). Similarly, non-competition covenants are unenforceable against an independent contractor if their annualized earnings are $250,000 or less (also subject to annual inflation adjustments). Furthermore, Bumble Roofing is prohibited from restricting a franchisee from soliciting or hiring any employee of another Bumble Roofing franchisee or any employee of Bumble Roofing itself.