76 Fence Franchise

76 Fence grew out of a Chicago-area fencing repair and installation business operated by CMS Illinois under the CMS Fencing name. The 2026 FDD identifies Patrick Brouillette as founder and vice president and records his leadership of CMS Illinois from March 2020. His background also includes a national sales director role at Stanley Black & Decker before joining that business.

The franchisor, 76 Franchise Group LLC, was formed in Pennsylvania on June 16, 2023. A July 6, 2023 contribution agreement established the acquisition of substantially all of its predecessor’s assets, and the Chicago business converted to an affiliate-owned 76 Fence operation that July. Franchise sales began November 1, 2023. This distinguishes the predecessor’s operating history from the launch of the franchise system.

As disclosed in April 2026, Ed Samane serves as president and chief executive officer, Brouillette as founder and vice president, and Michael Mercado as chief operating officer. The leadership team also includes Judimarie Thomas in communications, John Simon in strategic development and Frank Markward in operations. The business developed a franchise format around residential and commercial wood, steel, aluminum and vinyl fencing, with authorized installation, repair and maintenance services.

Item 20 reports one franchised outlet at the end of 2024 and 11 at the end of 2025, alongside one affiliate-operated outlet in Illinois. These are outlet counts, not territory counts: the FDD notes that franchised outlets generally represent two territories, subject to its directory exceptions. Six signed but unopened outlets and six projected openings were reported as of December 31, 2025; these are a dated development pipeline rather than a current opened-location total.

The April 29, 2026 FDD estimates an initial investment of $165,600–$315,700, spanning a one-territory low estimate and a five-territory high estimate. The single-territory initial franchise fee is $60,000; multi-territory fees are separate graduated amounts. Multiple territories open concurrently under one agreement, rather than representing a separate regional-development business.

Source: 76 Franchise Group LLC, 2026 FDD issued April 29, 2026, Items 1, 2, 5, 7, 16 and 20.

Initial owner and manager training

76 Fence’s initial program generally runs five days and 40 classroom hours at its corporate office in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, or another designated location. Both the owner and any manager must attend and complete training to the franchisor’s satisfaction. The published curriculum allocates 10 hours to the fencing market, customer profiles, materials, project types, subcontractors, suppliers, vendors and technology. Six further five-hour modules cover sales foundations, leads and appointments through estimating and closing, objection handling with role play, closing strategies, pending-deal follow-up, and sales cycles and buying habits. The table lists no on-the-job training hours; this is business and sales preparation, not a promised hands-on installer certification.

The initial franchise fee includes training for up to two people attending together before opening. Additional trainees currently cost $500 per day. Owners pay attendee wages, travel, lodging, meals and other indirect expenses; Item 7 budgets $2,000–$3,000 for training expenses. Item 6 also allows training at the business if the franchisee pays the franchisor’s travel and lodging. The FDD lists Ed Samane, Patrick Brouillette, John Simon, Michael Mercado and Frank Markward among the training staff.

Preparing the business for opening

Preopening assistance includes site approval, equipment and supply specifications, approved-vendor lists, operating and reporting forms, and a loaned 59-page operations manual. The business requires approximately 1,000 square feet of combined office and warehouse flex space. The franchisor must approve the proposed site before a lease is signed or improvements begin. The disclosed typical opening period is three to four months, with a contractual requirement to open within 150 days of signing.

Owners arrange the required vehicle and branding, supplies, insurance, licenses and permits. Employee training remains the franchisee’s responsibility, using the system’s standards. Additional advice on inventory purchasing and hiring or training employees is available on request, rather than a promise that the franchisor recruits and supplies an installation team. Initial marketing requires at least $20,000 spent during the 60 days before opening, including $3,000 retained for the internal marketing team’s costs. This amount covers up to five territories; opening more requires additional spending.

Continuing guidance and business systems

During operations, the franchisor provides advice and consultation and makes advertising materials available. Requested assistance requiring staff at the business may carry a daily charge plus expenses. The agreement also provides for communication of operational information and developments in management, employee training, marketing, sales and customer service. It does not establish a fixed weekly coaching schedule.

Required business systems include approved point-of-sale software and hardware, QuickBooks Online access, designated accounting services, scheduling and CRM software, and a call-center vendor. Item 6 currently lists accounting software at $200 monthly, accounting services at $500 monthly, scheduling and CRM at $350–$500 monthly, and a technology fee of $150 per territory monthly for the website, learning-management system and one email address. Additional email addresses cost $45 monthly each. Call-center usage is estimated at approximately $800 monthly; business calls must be answered by a live person 24 hours a day. These are operating expenses, not services included without charge in the franchise fee.

Local advertising requires at least $3,500 monthly for the first territory, $2,000 for the second and $1,500 for each additional territory. Brand Development Fund contributions are separate, currently 1% of gross sales. Advertising and online content follow approval requirements; the franchisor controls the brand website and may authorize local pages or social accounts.

Further training, events and management

No regular refresher course is required at issuance, but future training may become mandatory. Requested retraining and special assistance generally carry the then-current daily fee, currently $500 plus expenses, with actual cost potentially higher. Item 11 states that mandatory additional training has no tuition charge, while conferences and designated events may charge tuition even when attendance is required. Item 6 lists convention attendance at $750–$1,000 per person plus travel expenses; the agreement states a current $750. The FDD also differs on nonattendance penalties: Item 6 lists $1,250, while Item 11 and the agreement state $1,000. These source differences prevent treating one amount as a settled universal charge.

The owner normally devotes at least 40 hours weekly to the business. With an approved, trained full-time manager working at least 40 hours weekly, the owner’s required commitment becomes at least 15 hours weekly. Replacement managers must complete initial training unless the franchisor agrees otherwise in writing. Owners remain responsible for staffing, employee preparation and service standards, including taking over management obligations until an acceptable trained replacement is in place.

Source: April 29, 2026 FDD, Items 6, 7, 8, 11 and 15; Franchise Agreement sections 4 and 11.

76 Fence offers a concrete specialty within home services: helping residential and commercial customers choose fencing and bringing the finished project together. Its wood, steel, aluminum and vinyl offerings give owners different materials and customer needs to work with, while installation, repair and maintenance keep the business centered on a clear service category.

The ownership appeal lies in combining sales and local relationships with team leadership and project delivery. A defined sales curriculum, approved sourcing, operating procedures and designated customer-management tools provide a framework for developing those capabilities. This can be a compelling fit for an entrepreneur who enjoys talking with customers, following opportunities through to a decision, and coordinating people and schedules to deliver visible results. The manager option offers a different division of day-to-day responsibilities while retaining an active owner commitment. It is a business to lead and develop through service, rather than a passive investment.

Explore the operating model in 76 FENCE Franchise: Investment, Fees & Owner Responsibilities.