Mr. Rooter Plumbing, a Neighborly company, ended the first half of the year on a high note, awarding five new franchise agreements and expanding to five additional territories for existing franchise owners from January through June of this year, the company announced. These 2020 growth highlights bring the total size of the network to almost 250 locations open and in development across North America with a strong forecast of continued expansion ahead. 

“Especially during a pandemic, the world needs plumbers to keep clean water flowing in and dirty water flowing out,” said Doyle James, president of Mr. Rooter Plumbing. “As essential service providers, our franchise owners and their teams have remained strong and nimble throughout this crisis. As a result, our franchise network has grown closer than ever and some of our long-time franchise owners have experienced record levels of business, all while we have continued attracting many new outstanding franchise owners to our growing network.”

New agreements in the first and second quarters expanded Mr. Rooter to markets in Kalispell, Montana; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Rogers, Arkansas; and Fayetteville, Arkansas. Additionally, new territories awarded will grow the brand’s existing presence in the markets of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Youngstown, Ohio. 

Other highlights from the first half of 2020 included:

• Celebration of more than 50 years of Mr. Rooter Plumbing’s commitment to providing essential services to its customers;
• Updated systems and technology allowing franchise owners and service technicians to limit their contact with customers, including invoice signing via email;
• Inclusion in top industry rankings including Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 (#166), Franchise Business Review’s Top 200 Franchises and Top Low-Cost Franchises and Franchise Times’ Top 200+ Franchises (#198).

“Across our roster of brands, Neighborly has benefited in recent months from the essential nature of our home service brands,” said Brad Stevenson, chief development officer of Neighborly, the parent company of Mr. Rooter Plumbing. “I commend our Mr. Rooter Plumbing franchise owners’ willingness to adapt in the face of adversity and to continue to serve customers at the highest level. I am proud of Mr. Rooter Plumbing’s commitment to enhanced support for franchise owners by utilizing the latest and greatest in virtual technology, implementation of safe practices for providing essential services and continued growth through franchising, all of which make this brand an essential part of furthering Neighborly’s vision to 'own the home' with our family of home service brands.”