Industry:

Lawn mowing & gardening franchises

Business established:

1979

Total business units:

750

Head office located:

Unit 2/277-281 Sir Donald Bradman Dr, Cowandilla SA 5033

Own your own V.I.P. Home Cleaning or Lawns & Gardens franchise

For nearly 50 years, V.I.P. Home Services has helped Australians take the step into business ownership, combining the independence of running your own business with the systems, brand recognition, training and ongoing support of an established franchise network.

Today, V.I.P. offers franchise opportunities across a range of home services, with Home Cleaning and Lawns & Gardens providing two accessible ways for people to build their own local service business.

Franchisees can work independently, with a partner or build a larger business employing a team. The model is designed to provide flexibility around working hours, income goals and lifestyle.

An Australian franchising pioneer

The V.I.P. story began in 1972, when founder Bill Vis started his own lawn mowing round.

Bill built the business around a simple philosophy: provide customers with outstanding service and treat them like V.I.P.s. As demand grew, he recognised that the business model could be replicated by other owner-operators.

In 1979, V.I.P. Lawns & Gardens was launched as a franchise system, making V.I.P. one of the pioneers of Australian franchising and, according to the company, Australia’s first home-services franchise business.

The company subsequently expanded beyond lawns and gardens, launching V.I.P. Home Cleaning in 1998.

More than four decades later, V.I.P. remains a family-owned and operated Australian business, headed by founder Bill Vis and supported by a national team.

Two franchise opportunities

V.I.P. Home Cleaning

A V.I.P. Home Cleaning franchise gives franchisees the opportunity to establish a recurring local customer base while operating their own cleaning business.

The model is designed to suit different ambitions. A franchisee can work on their own, operate with a partner or develop a larger business with employees.

Services can include regular home cleaning and other residential cleaning services, with franchisees benefiting from the V.I.P. brand, established operating systems, training, marketing and customer lead generation.

No previous cleaning or business ownership experience is required, with training and ongoing support provided by V.I.P.

V.I.P. Lawns & Gardens

For people who prefer working outdoors, a V.I.P. Lawns & Gardens franchise provides the opportunity to build a local lawn mowing and garden maintenance business.

Depending on the franchisee’s skills and the needs of their customers, services can include:

• Lawn mowing and maintenance
• Garden care and garden tidy-ups
• Hedging and pruning
• Weed spraying
• Mulching
• Irrigation
• Rubbish removal
• Gutter cleaning
• Lawn restoration and repair
• Basic landscaping and other garden services

Like the Home Cleaning model, franchisees can choose to remain an owner-operator or grow the business by employing additional people.

Why consider a V.I.P. franchise?

One of the major differences between buying a franchise and starting an independent cleaning or gardening business is the infrastructure already in place.

V.I.P. franchisees benefit from an established Australian brand and more than four decades of operating experience.

Support available to franchisees includes:

• Initial and ongoing training
• Business and operational support
• Customer leads in the franchisee’s area
• National and local marketing support
• Access to V.I.P.’s business systems
• Equipment and starter-kit options
• Uniforms and vehicle/trailer signage
• Access to supplier discounts
• Access to V.I.P. technology system / app
• An exclusive local territory
• The opportunity to spend time with an existing franchisee before buying

V.I.P. also operates a no lead fee model for its Home Cleaning and Lawns & Gardens franchisees. Rather than paying a percentage of income or an individual fee for each lead, franchisees pay an ongoing fixed monthly franchise fee.

Build the business around your goals

A key attraction of the V.I.P. model is flexibility.

Some franchisees may want a straightforward owner-operated business that provides them with greater control over their working week. Others may want to build a larger operation, employ staff and progressively step away from completing every job themselves.

V.I.P. supports both approaches.

Franchisees can work full-time or structure their business around their personal circumstances, with the ability to grow their customer base and team as their goals change.

Customers and territories

V.I.P. Home Services has built its brand around locally owned and operated businesses.

Home Cleaning and Lawns & Gardens franchisees receive an exclusive territory, providing them with first right of refusal for new V.I.P. customers seeking home services within that area.

V.I.P.’s national marketing and customer enquiry systems are designed to generate opportunities for its franchise network, while franchisees can also develop their own relationships and customer base within their local communities.

Training and ongoing support

You don’t need previous professional cleaning, gardening or franchise experience to become a V.I.P. franchisee.

New franchisees receive training designed to prepare them for both the practical and business aspects of operating their franchise.

Support continues after the business launches, with V.I.P.’s franchise support team, Area Masters and marketing resources available to assist franchisees as

they establish and grow their businesses.

Prospective franchisees can also experience the business before making a commitment, whether that’s a conversation or spending time in the field with an experienced V.I.P. franchisee.

A brand with nearly 50 years

From one lawn mowing round in 1972 to an established national home-services franchise network, V.I.P. has been part of the Australian franchise sector for decades.

The business celebrated 45 years of franchising in 2024, while continuing to develop its systems, marketing and franchise opportunities.

For prospective business owners, the Home Cleaning and Lawns & Gardens franchises offer the opportunity to operate a local service business while drawing on the experience, systems and support of an established Australian franchise brand.