Brand Dossier

The Glass Guru

FDD-based analysis. Item-level data. No franchisor input.

The Glass Guru costs $155,805 to $385,280 to open (2026 FDD Item 7), with a 7% royalty plus 2% ad fund (10% total ongoing) and an average unit volume of $694,661 (median $609,939) disclosed in 2026 FDD Item 19. Concern on Fee Structure, In Line on Unit Economics and Operator Validation, Strength on Litigation History, Deal-Specific reads on Term & Exit Terms. Independent analysis, no commissions, no franchisor revenue.
Not ranked in the Entrepreneur 2026 Franchise 500Home ServicesFDD issued April 20, 2026 (as amended April 30, 2026)
Ranking ContextThe Glass Guru is not ranked in the Entrepreneur 2026 Franchise 500. Zorzee is an independent publication and not affiliated with Entrepreneur Media.
Source File2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Measurement period: Item 19 Covered Period: Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2025 (with prior-year Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2024 comparison).
About the Brand

About The Glass Guru

The Glass Guru franchises businesses that install, repair, and replace residential and commercial glass, mirrors, showers, windows, and doors, along with related services and products. Franchisees serve both residential and commercial customers in year-round, non-seasonal work, operating under the franchisor's system and using its proprietary window restoration tools and equipment, which the franchisor supplies.

Source: Franchise Disclosure Document, rewritten by Zorzee

Investment Summary

The Numbers At a Glance

Total Investment Range
$155,805 to $385,280
FDD Item 7
Franchise Fee
$49,500
Development fee: None. No separate development fee disclosed in Item 5 (APR-population-scaled single initial fee only).
FDD Item 5
Royalty + Fees
10%
~10% of Gross Sales ongoing (7% Royalty + 2% Brand Fee + 1% Technology Fee) plus a $1,250/month minimum Local Advertising spend.
FDD Item 6
Earnings Claim
Yes
Average Unit Metric $694,661. Median Unit Metric $609,939.
FDD Item 19

Every value here comes straight from the FDD; anything not yet source-verified stays blank rather than estimated. The Pro figures and full interpretation unlock with a Pro membership.

The FDD Data Table

Everything the 2026 Filing Discloses

Every data point Zorzee tracks for this brand, in FDD Item order. Missing source data stays blank; Pro-only interpretation remains locked.

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ItemData PointValueSource
Item 3Litigation Actions (total) 0 actions disclosed FDD Item 3
Item 5Initial Franchise Fee The Initial Franchise Fee is a minimum of $49,500 for an Area of Primary Responsibility with a population of up to 250,000, plus $0.15 per person over that threshold, up to a maximum of $199,500 (Item 5, p.11). FDD Item 5
Item 5Development Fee None. No separate development fee disclosed in Item 5 (APR-population-scaled single initial fee only). FDD Item 5
Item 6Royalty Fee Royalty Fee 7% of Gross Sales, due monthly on the 20th via ACH; after the first 180 days a minimum royalty of $1,750/month applies. FDD Item 6
Item 6National Media Fund Pro FDD Item 6
Item 6Corporate Ad & Development Fund Pro FDD Item 6
Item 6Total Ongoing Fee Burden Pro Calculated (Item 6)
Item 7Total Investment (low) $155,805 FDD Item 7
Item 7Total Investment (high) $385,280 FDD Item 7
Item 8Required Purchases (food/supplies) Pro FDD Item 8
Item 11Franchisor Assistance Pro FDD Item 11
Item 12Exclusive Territory Pro FDD Item 12
Item 12Territory Size Pro FDD Item 12
Item 15Operating Participation Pro FDD Item 15
Item 17Initial Term Length Pro FDD Item 17(a)
Item 17Renewal Terms Pro FDD Item 17(b)-(c)
Item 17Required Remodel at Renewal Pro FDD Item 17(c)
Item 17Termination Triggers Pro FDD Item 17(f)-(h)
Item 17Transfer Fee Pro FDD Item 17(m), Item 6
Item 17ROFR Provisions Pro FDD Item 17(n)
Item 17Post-Termination Non-Compete Pro FDD Item 17(r)
Item 19Revenue Metric Disclosed Yes: Average Unit Metric $694,661 / Median Unit Metric $609,939 FDD Item 19
Item 20Total Franchised Units (2025) 73 FDD Item 20
Item 20Company-Owned Units (2025) 0 FDD Item 20
Item 20Total System Net Unit Growth (YoY) +3 FDD Item 20
Item 20Terminations Pro FDD Item 20
Item 20Agreements Signed, Not Yet Open Pro FDD Item 20
Item 21Audited Financials Pro FDD Item 21
Pro Data Points Locked
The free table maps every data point to its FDD source. Pro fills in the values and interpretation that require the full read.
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The Signal Tracker

Five Signals From the 2026 Filing

Each signal turns one part of the filing into a read a buyer can act on. Strength means the disclosed data is favorable. In Line means it is typical for the category. Deal-Specific means the term is populated but you still have to model it against your own deal. Concern means the disclosed data is a real risk. The read is free. The reasoning behind it is the Pro read.

Fee Structure
Concern
FDD Item 6
The Pro Read

Item 6 stacks a 7% royalty, a 2% brand fee, and a 1% technology fee on Gross Sales plus a fixed minimum monthly local advertising spend, and after the first 180 days each recurring fee carries a fixed dollar floor regardless of revenue.

Unit Economics
In Line
FDD Item 19
The Pro Read

Item 19 gives a clean combined-population table with average, median, high, and low gross sales for all 64 qualifying franchised outlets, but every measure declined versus the prior year and the figures are gross payments received, not profit.

Litigation History
Strength
FDD Item 3
The Pro Read

Source-reviewed FDD Item 3 discloses 0 actions. The legal-context read remains locked in Pro.

Operator Validation
In Line
FDD Item 20
The Pro Read

Item 20 shows a small system that dipped from 72 to 71 outlets over 2023-2024 then recovered to 74 in 2025, with 11 outlets opened but also 7 ceasing operations for other reasons in 2025.

Term & Exit Terms
Deal-Specific
FDD Item 17
The Pro Read

Item 17 sets a 10-year initial term with two 10-year renewals, a right of first refusal, a $10,000 transfer fee, a post-term non-compete, and a 6-month post-termination holdback plus a 30-day franchisor asset-purchase window.

Five Reads In. The Reasoning Is Locked.
You can see where each signal lands. Pro gives you the why: the math, the source detail, and what to validate before you act.
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Item 19: Earnings Disclosure

What the Earnings Claim Says, and What It Does Not

Item 19 earnings data is disclosed for The Glass Guru. The full disclosure is free below; Zorzee's read of what it means stays in Pro.

What the Claim Discloses
Average Unit Metric
$694,661
Median Unit Metric
$609,939
Sample Size & Coverage
See notecoverage detail
Chart 1 (Annual Sales Levels) covers 64 franchised outlets that operated 12 months or more with a full 52-week 2025 reporting period; it excludes the one affiliate-owned outlet, 11 franchisees that had signed but not opened, and 9 outlets open less than 12 months, as well as any outlets terminated or closed during the year. The 2024 comparison reflects 66 outlets. All amounts are franchisee-reported annual sales, defined as total payments received, and are not audited (Item 19, pp.40-42).
Item 19 Covered Period: Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2025 (with prior-year Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2024 comparison)
High / Low Range
$77,182 to $2,127,510
Met or Beat the Average
28 / 43.75%
What the Disclosure Excludes
Expenses, net income, owner compensation
Gross revenue is not profit
What the Number Doesn't Tell You
Free, because misreading Item 19 is one of the costliest mistakes a first-time buyer can make.
  • Item 19 reports the disclosed sales or revenue metric. That is not profit, and not a forecast of what you would personally take home.
  • An average and a median are not the same number. Know which you are shown and how far apart they sit.
  • What reaches you is whatever survives operating costs and debt service. Item 19 never shows that figure.
Earnings Read Locked
Pro turns the disclosed fields into a read: whether the average is trustworthy, what the disclosure leaves out, and the year-one revenue number Zorzee would underwrite.
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Unit Count and Trajectory

A System Still Expanding

Total Units
74
As of 2025, FDD Item 20
Franchised
73
As of 2025, FDD Item 20
Company-Owned
0
As of 2025, FDD Item 20
Total System Net Change (YoY)
+3
As of 2025, FDD Item 20
Total System Units, Latest Available FDD Years
72
2023
71
2024
74
2025

The Glass Guru trajectory is shown only where source-backed. Missing Item 20 fields stay blank inside the locked layout instead of removing the section.

Source: FDD Item 20 where present. Total system units, franchised plus company-owned. Not financial advice.

Beyond the Net Number
A net unit count is not the same as healthy stores. Pro breaks out openings, closures, terminations, and what the trajectory signals.
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Litigation History

What FDD Item 3 Discloses

0 actions disclosed in source-reviewed FDD Item 3.

Source Status
Item 3 litigation detail not yet sourced
Not yet sourced. No zero-action conclusion has been loaded for this brand.
The Read · Pro
What a Litigation Count Doesn't Tell You
Free, because a raw lawsuit count is one of the most misread lines in any FDD.
  • A count means nothing without scale and time. Always compare it to system size and years covered.
  • The pattern matters more than the total. Repeated allegations matter more than isolated disputes.
  • Concluded and open matters are not the same weight. Open matters require different diligence than old resolved matters.
Litigation Read Locked
Pro gives the case-by-case read: allegations, status, scale context, and whether any pattern matters long before signing.
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Editorial Analysis

The Zorzee Read

The Zorzee Take
The editor's synthesis: what the filing actually means once the numbers, diligence, and operator reality are weighed against each other. The Take names what matters, what does not, and what must be validated before any decision.
The Read · Pro
The Inversion
Charlie Munger's rule: to understand a thing, study how it fails. Zorzee stress-tests every brand against forecasting, site selection, management depth, and exit math. The framework is free. Which modes bite hardest for this brand, and the fix for each, is the read.
The Failure-Mode Read · Pro
The Editorial Read Is Locked
Pro unlocks the full Zorzee read on The Glass Guru: the editorial synthesis, the math behind the numbers, and the failure modes the filing reveals. Zorzee briefs the decision; you make it.
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Zorzee editorial. Independent analysis. No franchisor review or approval. Not financial advice.

The Decision

You've Seen the Filing. The Read Is Still the Missing Piece.

The filing tells you what The Glass Guru costs to open. Pro adds the read on whether the numbers work for you, in your market, and whether this brand is a business or a job you bought.

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This Dossier
  • The full read behind all five Signal Tracker verdicts
  • Pro FDD data points from fee burden through Item 17 and audited financials
  • The Item 19 earnings read where disclosed
  • The litigation and system-health read
  • The Zorzee Take and failure-mode analysis
Your Pro Membership
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  • The full Signal Tracker across the portal
  • The Zorzee Files: FDD guides, DCF templates, and pro forma models (coming soon)
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FAQ

The Glass Guru Franchise Questions, Answered

How much does a The Glass Guru franchise cost?

A The Glass Guru franchise costs $155,805 to $385,280 to open, disclosed in FDD Item 7 of the 2026 filing, covering the franchise fee, buildout, equipment, and working capital to breakeven. No commissions, no franchisor revenue, independent analysis only.

What are the royalty and fees for The Glass Guru?

The Glass Guru charges a 7% royalty plus a 2% brand and ad fund, a 10% total ongoing fee burden, disclosed in FDD Item 6.

What does The Glass Guru disclose in FDD Item 19?

Item 19 for The Glass Guru discloses an average unit volume of $694,661 (median $609,939) in the 2026 FDD. The figure is gross sales, not profit. Zorzee's read of what it excludes is in the Pro dossier.

What is The Glass Guru's average unit volume?

The Glass Guru's average unit volume is $694,661 (median $609,939) in the 2026 FDD. The figure is gross sales, not profit. Zorzee's read of what it excludes is in the Pro dossier.

Does The Glass Guru have any lawsuits or litigation?

The Glass Guru's FDD Item 3 discloses no legal actions in the 2026 filing.

Is The Glass Guru a good franchise investment?

Zorzee does not rate franchises good or bad; it reports what the filing discloses so you can judge fit. The Glass Guru shows Concern on Fee Structure, In Line on Unit Economics and Operator Validation, Strength on Litigation History, Deal-Specific reads on Term & Exit Terms. Whether it fits depends on your capital, your market, and your operating style. Independent analysis, no franchisor revenue.