A National Floors flooring franchise starts from $395,000 + GST. That covers your showroom fit-out, opening stock, three months of training and your launch marketing. Once you're open, the ongoing fees are a 5% royalty and a 2% national marketing levy, both on gross sales, plus a local marketing spend in your territory.
This guide breaks down what the investment includes, what the ongoing fees pay for, the other costs worth planning for, and how to compare one franchise's costs with another's.
The short version. From $395,000 + GST to open. A 5% royalty and a 2% national marketing levy, both on gross sales. Local marketing of $1,500 or 2% of sales, whichever is greater. Finance is available to approved applicants.
What the $395,000 investment covers
The investment pays for a complete, branded showroom in your territory, not just the right to use a name. It includes:
- An exclusive territory of roughly a 60-minute drive around your showroom, set out in your franchise agreement
- A tested showroom fit-out, built to the design our own showrooms use
- Opening stock, so the floor is full on day one
- Three months of training on the floor of our trading showrooms, covering product, sales, operations and the money side
- A grand-opening campaign, planned and run with you
- SEO, Google Ads and local ads switched on for your territory
- The systems: point of sale, CRM and job management, a field app for measuring and quoting on site, and live dashboards
- The playbook: more than 10 hours of video training and 100+ pages of written procedures, which you keep after training
Before any of that, we find and assess the site with you. You can see everything that's included, and every fee, on our franchise page.
The ongoing fees, and what they pay for
Every franchise system charges ongoing fees. What matters is what they buy you. At National Floors there are three:
| Fee | How it's charged | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 5% of gross sales | The brand, the systems, coaching, KPI dashboards and quarterly reviews |
| National marketing levy | 2% of gross sales | National marketing that sends customers to every showroom: $500K a year across the network |
| Local marketing spend | $1,500 or 2% of sales, whichever is greater | Advertising aimed at your own territory |
Fees charged as a percentage of sales move with your sales. When you compare franchises, put every fee on the same basis, either a percentage of sales or a fixed amount, so the comparison is fair.
Other costs to plan for
The franchise investment covers the showroom package. Like any retail business, some costs usually sit outside a package like this, and they vary with your site and how you set up. Plan for:
- Your premises. Rent, a security deposit for the lease, and any outgoings the lease passes on, such as council rates.
- Your team. Wages for the people who help you run the floor, including their time in training before you open.
- Vehicles and tools for measuring and quoting on site.
- Insurance, including public liability.
- Working capital. Cash to cover wages, rent and stock while sales build in your first months.
- Professional advice. A franchise lawyer and an accountant to review the documents before you sign.
Which of these apply, and how large they are, depends on your site and territory. Before you commit, we take you through a profit and loss model and the data for your area, so you see the full picture.
How to finance a flooring franchise
Most people who buy a franchise borrow part of the investment. Finance for a National Floors franchise is available to approved applicants through lenders who know our model. In general, lenders look at:
- How much of the investment you can put in yourself
- Your assets, your credit history and any business experience
- The franchise system itself: its track record, its support and its documents
Talk to a lender and an accountant early, so your budget is realistic before you choose a site. This guide is general information, not financial advice.
What the Franchising Code means for your budget
In Australia, franchising is regulated by the Franchising Code of Conduct, which the ACCC enforces. A new version of the code started on 1 April 2025. Three parts of it matter when you're budgeting:
- You get the documents first. The franchisor must give you a disclosure document, the franchise agreement and a copy of the code at least 14 days before you sign. The disclosure document sets out the costs of starting and running the franchise.
- You can change your mind. There's a 14-day cooling-off period after you sign. Ending the agreement in that window must be done in writing, and you can get some or all of your money back.
- Marketing funds are reported. If franchisees pay into a marketing fund, the franchisor must prepare a statement of that fund every year and give it to the franchisees who contribute.
Read the disclosure document closely, and have a franchise lawyer and an accountant review it before you sign. Our guide to the Franchising Code explains the rest of the Code in plain English.
How to compare flooring franchise costs
Headline prices are hard to compare, because every franchisor puts different things in the package. Ask each one:
- What exactly does the investment include, and what will I pay for separately?
- What are the ongoing fees, and are they a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
- How much goes into national marketing, and how is that fund reported?
- How big is my territory, and is it exclusive?
- How long is the training, and where does it happen?
- Which systems come with the franchise, and do any cost extra?
Then compare what you'd get, not just what you'd pay. A showroom customers already know, with marketing behind it, is a different business from a van and a phone number. See how a showroom compares.
Questions
Is $395,000 the total cost of opening?
It's the investment for the franchise package: the fit-out, opening stock, training and launch marketing. Plan separately for costs such as rent and a lease deposit, wages, insurance and working capital. These depend on your site, and we go through them with you before you commit.
What are the ongoing fees for a National Floors franchise?
A 5% royalty and a 2% national marketing levy, both on gross sales, plus a local marketing spend of $1,500 or 2% of sales, whichever is greater.
Can I get finance for a flooring franchise?
Yes. Finance is available to approved applicants through lenders who know our model. How much you can borrow depends on what you put in yourself, your assets and your credit history.
Do I need flooring experience?
No. 70% of our successful managers came from other industries. You'll train for three months in our trading showrooms before you open, and you can check whether your area is open today.