Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterFranchise Investment Overview
We built Flint Chimney Sweep as part of the Garrison Partners family in 2002, and since then we’ve learned what actually matters to a chimney service owner: having the equipment to do the job right, the training to do it safely, and a brand people trust enough to let through the front door. This page lays out what we believe a new Flint Chimney Sweep franchise costs to open, based on what we know about the trade and what our existing locations run. These are ballpark numbers, not a legal document, and they’re here so you can have an honest conversation with us instead of guessing.
Estimated Startup Investment
Chimney cleaning is a service business, which means your startup costs live mostly in equipment, a vehicle, and getting your name in front of homeowners before burning season starts. The ranges below cover a realistic spread depending on your territory size, whether you buy new or late-model used equipment, and how aggressive your launch marketing is. Every Flint location works to the same standard, but starting lean in a smaller market will look different than going big in a metro area.
| Investment Category | Estimated Range |
|---|---|
| Franchise Fee | $35,000 – $55,000 |
| Equipment & Vehicle | $45,000 – $85,000 |
| Initial Marketing & Grand Opening | $10,000 – $25,000 |
| Working Capital (first 6 months) | $30,000 – $60,000 |
| Total Estimated Investment | $120,000 – $225,000 |
The equipment line covers a service van or box truck, rotary sweeping rods, a professional-grade HEPA vacuum, inspection cameras, drop cloths, ladders, and personal protective gear. It also accounts for the tooling needed to install and service the professional-grade chimney materials we specify by job: DuraFlex liners, HeatShield resurfacing systems, Gelco products, Olympia Chimney components, Famco venting, and Copperfield supplies. Working capital gets you through the first heating season, because a chimney business produces most of its revenue between September and March, and you need to be able to pay rent, insurance, and your first technician before the calls start stacking up.
What’s Included
The franchise fee is the price of admission, but here’s what it actually buys you. No mystery line items, no “ask your sales rep” footnotes. This is the structure:
- Brand license and territory rights. You operate as Flint Chimney Sweep in a defined service area. The name carries weight because it’s been the chimney company of the Garrison Partners family since 2002.
- Complete training program. We train you and your lead technician on sweep procedure, camera inspection, repair fundamentals, and the safety protocols that govern every job we do. You learn the trade the way we do it, by the book.
- The Garrison Code operating system. The discipline that separates us from the guy with a truck and a Shop-Vac: arrive inside the window you gave, put the price in writing before any work starts, do it by the book the first time, leave the site clean, and stand behind the work for a full year.
- Launch marketing playbook. We give you the materials, messaging, and local launch plan to make noise before your first burning season. The mission is the same in every market: a clean, safe chimney every time.
- Supplier relationships and purchasing support. You get set up with accounts for the professional-grade materials we trust: DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield. We specify by job, not by margin, and you’ll order the same way.
- The 365-Day Done Right Promise, baked into your business. Every repair you make carries a written one-year guarantee, and if a covered repair fails in that window, you return and make it right at no charge. We teach you how to run on that promise and not lose money doing it.
Financing & Next Steps
Not everyone writes a check for a franchise, and you don’t have to. Third-party lenders in the franchise space commonly finance equipment, vehicles, and portions of the startup cost, and we can point you toward financing partners who understand the service business model. SBA loans and conventional small-business lending often apply here, since chimney sweeping is an established trade with predictable seasonal revenue. Your exact cost will depend on your territory, real estate situation, and whether you’re starting with one van or planning to scale to multiple crews. The way to get real numbers is to talk to us. We’ll walk you through the qualification process, show you what the actual investment looks like, and get you the official documentation. No pressure tactics, no inflated promises. Just straight answers from people who have been doing this since 2002.
Call (830) 251-4560 to speak with someone on our franchise team, or request the info kit below and we’ll send you the full breakdown. A live person answers the phone around the clock, and that’s not a franchise marketing line. It’s how we run every Flint location, every day.
Disclaimer: All figures above are non-binding estimates for marketing purposes only. Actual investment ranges vary by market, territory size, and individual business plan, and official figures are provided in disclosure documents during the qualification process.
Written by Hank Delano, Owner at Flint Chimney Sweep, keeping fireplaces clean and safe since 2002.