Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the common questions we get asked regarding the Gablespace Franchise opportunity. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to phone us at 0845 643 9921. Please select a question from the list below, and the page will move you down to the answer.
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 Why should I buy a Franchise?
Franchising is big business. Thousands of entrepreneurs have grown their businesses by franchising, and tens of thousands more have made small fortunes by running a Franchise.
Franchising has proved to be THE most successful way of starting a new business. The 2007 NatWest/British Franchise Association survey states that the Franchise industry is currently worth over £10.8 billion in the UK and provides over 370,000 jobs.
84% of franchisees describe themselves as motivated, with half very motivated. The key drivers of motivation are the desire to run a profitable business, freedom to make decisions and be your own boss, as well as job satisfaction.
Perhaps the most significant statistic about franchising in the UK (and across the globe) is that 93% of Franchisees are profitable. That goes against 'conventional' business profitability where 9 out of 10 businesses go broke in the first 5 years!
What does this mean to you? Well these statistics prove that franchising is a respected and proven method for building a successful business. It carries much less risk than doing it yourself. If you are an entrepreneur and love to fly by the seat of your pants then franchising is not for you. But, if you like to approach business in a logical, careful manner, weighing up risk and return, then franchising is certainly worth investigating.
Why can’t I start my own loft building company?
Apart from the reasons given above showing the benefits of Franchising, your own loft building company can be quite a handful. Some of the things you have to worry about include:
- Keeping up to date with changes in Building Regulations, Planning Permission, Party Wall and other legislation
- Individual, bespoke designs for each loft that you work on
- Obtaining building Regulations approval for each set of plans including dealing with all objections and queries
- Setting up and implementing your own marketing strategies
- Running your own business can be a lonely place! There is no one to turn to for advice and support.
With a Gablespace Franchise, we are there to assist with all of the following:
- We keep up to date with all relevant legislation and advise you of any changes which may affect you. We also modify our processes and systems where necessary to conform to legislation.
- 80-90% of your work will use our unique, patented systems meaning you do not need bespoke designs for every job.
- We use a central Building Regulation authority that is familiar with our design processes. This means that, if you follow the system, most of the design will be automatically accepted. You need only deal with the local building inspectors whose job will be to ensure that you adhere to the submitted design.
- We work with you to set up and implement your own Marketing strategies ensuring that you never run out of work.
Will my territory be exclusive? What are the opportunities for growth?
Your territory will be exclusive. It is not in our interests to have franchisees competing with each other – remember we want you to be successful!
Once you have successfully run your business in your first territory your may be able to purchase an adjoining territory (subject to availability). You would need a partner to run this effectively, or you may decide to employ a manager. Either way, this offers an exciting opportunity for you to grow your business.
How hard is it to get customers?
We use tried and tested marketing strategies. We work with each franchisee individually to tailor a marketing package for them. We develop a detailed marketing strategy and schedule to ensure their success.
Using these strategies our Pilot operation has never struggled to find customers.
What’s the competition like?
There are any number of competitors out there, ranging from one man builders to large national companies. They each have their own benefits in the eyes of the customer. Some people prefer a small local business where they feel that they will get more personal attention. Others look for larger companies which are seen as having more experience.
Our franchise offers the best of both. Our Franchisees are local businessmen and women, yet they are linked to a larger National group with many years of experience.
Will I have to do any selling?
There is no door to door selling involved. Most of your “selling” will be to people who have responded to one of your advertisements and who are already interested in what you have to offer.
We never “hard sell” our services – there’s no need to! We simply show people that we are a professional company that uses systems that have been professionally developed by an Architect and a Structural Engineer to ensure that their biggest asset is well cared for.
What type of person is perfect for this business?
We are very selective about the people we take on board. Why? Because our success is directly related to your success. Therefore we can’t afford to accept just anyone.
We know that the ability to earn over £100,000 is enough to attract anyone, that’s why we do have a stringent policy on recruitment. For starters you must have the following qualities, or we won’t even consider you …
- Have some Project Management experience
- Have a good business acumen
- Enjoy working with people
- Have the ability to see a project through to its conclusion
- Are willing to work hard to achieve their goals
- Are tired of the 9-5 grind
And most importantly…
- Have the drive, desire, and ambition to run your own successful company!
What support structure do you have in place?
We believe that the support structure of any Franchise organisation is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business.
You have to know that you’ll never be left alone ‘to get on with it.’ Of course our training is so detailed you won’t need constant supervision, but you will need help from time to time.
That’s why we have a structure in place that ensures your success…
Franchisees are supported by a team of people who apply their expertise to help solve any problem. We carefully monitor franchisee performance to enable us to pick up problems at a very early stage. We then work with franchisees to solve these problems. We have –
- Marketing experts to work out strategies for any stage of the business
- Technical experts to help with any technical problems you may encounter
- Business experts to assist you with any other business related problems you may experience
We guarantee you’ll never feel alone. You’ll be comforted in the knowledge that we place huge value on supporting you.
What about finding good sub-contractors to work with me?
We show you how to find and retain the best builders and subcontractors. In our pilot business we have a very low turnover of contractors. We will show you, step by step, how to do it.
How does your training and systems compare to other Franchise organisations?
We’ve been in the loft business for over 15 years. In addition, we can draw on experts who have been franchising for over 25 years. With this combination of talents and experience we have developed comprehensive training and systems to maximise your chances of success.
With a-b-c type, step-by-step instructions, and an attention to detail that will stagger you, we know we can develop you into a true expert in the field of loft conversions in just 7 days flat!
I don't have any building experience - will I still qualify?
You do not need any building experience to be successful, although it would help. Our main priority is to recruit
high achievers. People who have good business acumen. People who enjoy a challenge. People who enjoy working face to face with their customers and building lasting relationships.
How much is the Franchise fee?
The Franchise fee increases after every training course. At the moment it’s just £19997 plus VAT
What does the Franchise fee include?
All the training you will need to enable you to open and run a successful So Asia restaurant. The fee will license you to trade under our name; give you access to all or manuals and materials; and entitle you to all future support. In addition you get -
- License to use the Gablespace name and systems to trade in the specified area
- Training course
- Latest CAD software
- Laser measure
- Digital camera
- Operations manual
- Franchisee page on website
- Corporate e-mail address
- Access to extranet
- Search engine optimisation of the website
- Launch marketing campaign – Marketing strategy development and assistance
- Marketing leaflets and signboards
- Access to Gablespace system type approval for building regulation applications
- Independent Warranty Association status
- Stationery packs
- Franchise, subcontractor and client contracts
- Business consultancy start up
Can I Really Earn a Six Figure Income?
The figures that we show in the prospectus are conservatively based on actual earnings in our pilot operation. Once you have gone through the prospectus, and assuming you wish to investigate further, we will meet with you and go through the figures in detail. From this discussion you will see that a six figure income is very achievable.
How Much is the Up Front Investment?
After you have paid your Franchise fee there is very little further investment required. Depending on your existing Personal Computer you may need to buy or upgrade your PC to enable it to run the CAD software effectively. You will also need a good quality laser A1 printer which costs around £1 000. Apart from that you will need working capital to pay your bills until you get your first customers.
We have structured the payments from your customers to fund the actual loft building process. You get the money that you need to spend in advance.
Is There a Monthly Management Fee?
The monthly management fee is currently 4% of turnover. For this you get the following support services :
- Continual developing and updating of the Gablespace systems and procedures
- Regular visits from Head Office to ensure that you are confident in using the latest systems.
- Quality audits with every customer.
- Regular re-training at Head Office
- Continuous reviews of the Marketing strategies and assistance with implementation of the strategies
- Continuous updating of Building Regulations, Planning Regulations and other legislative manuals, systems and procedures
- Access to the Gablespace Extranet where all manuals and systems will be continuously updated
And most importantly…
- You are fully supported by the Franchisee Support Director Clive Domnick and his support team, who are available to address any problems or issues you may encounter!
OK. I Qualify and I’m Impressed. What’s the Next Step?
If you qualify, there are 2 quick and easy ways to contact us…
Or…
- Complete the ‘No Obligation Preliminary Questionnaire’ accompanied with the Prospectus or on-line by clicking here
We can then arrange a FREE No Obligation Meeting. But be quick – we allocate areas on a first come first serve basis.We look forward to welcoming you into our growing and thriving business.If you haven't done so already please take a moment to sign up to our FREE 2 part mini-course.
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