Growing a franchise network to 200 franchisees takes more than simply making franchise sales. After 16 years with Jim’s Building Inspections, Sam Robertson says long-term franchisee retention, practical support, and a better lifestyle have been central to the division’s growth.
Watch the video above, or keep reading for the full Q&A.
How Did Jim’s Building Inspections Grow to 200 Franchisees?
Jim’s Building Inspections reached 200 franchisees over 16 years by focusing on steady growth, franchisee support, and retention rather than simply chasing sales.
Sam describes reaching 200 franchisees as a proud moment for himself and Paul, who has been there from the start. He also points to franchisees who have stayed for more than 10 years. For Sam, that longevity matters because the division has built its growth around people staying in the system.
Sam says the division has low attrition and deliberately measures success by keeping franchisees. That approach is supported by networking, shared industry knowledge, a building reporting app, insurance, training, and regular contact. Prospective franchisees can also read the Jim’s Building Inspections franchise guide for more detail about the division’s structure and support.
Sam says the division reached 200 franchisees after 16 years of growth, with low attrition playing a major role. His focus is not simply selling more franchises. He says the division measures success by keeping franchisees, supporting them quickly and giving them systems, training and peer knowledge that make the business easier to run.
Why Do Jim’s Building Inspections Franchisees Stay?
Sam believes franchisees stay because they receive practical support, quick responses, useful systems and access to other experienced franchisees.
Feedback from franchisee surveys has shown Sam that response time matters. If someone has an issue, they want a call back quickly. He also says proactive contact is important because a franchisee may not think they need help until someone asks what support would make a difference.
The division also uses meetings to provide useful content and gives franchisees opportunities to share knowledge. Sam says new franchisees are often surprised by how willing other franchisees are to help.
That culture matters in a technical industry. Instead of treating other franchisees as direct competitors, Sam says the group shares knowledge to strengthen the brand and help people do the work properly.
What Support Do Franchisees Get From Jim’s Building Inspections?
Franchisees receive support through training, insurance-related systems, a building reporting app, peer knowledge, meetings, and direct contact from the franchise team.
Sam describes the building reporting app as central to the division’s insurance and training. He sees tools like this as part of what makes the franchise model “sticky”, because franchisees have practical systems around them rather than being left to work everything out alone.
He also puts a strong emphasis on communication. Fast call-backs and proactive check-ins are part of the support model. When a franchisee raises an issue, the aim is to respond quickly and help solve it.
For anyone considering the broader model, the Jim’s Group franchise page explains how prospective owners can explore different divisions before deciding which one suits their background and goals.
Do Jim’s Building Inspections Franchisees Compete With Each Other?
Sam says franchisees do not operate with the mindset of competing against each other and instead share knowledge to help build the brand.
That can surprise people when they first join. Building inspections can involve serious professional responsibility, so access to experienced people can be valuable when someone wants to make sure they are handling an inspection correctly.
Sam says selection matters too. The division brings in professionals from the industry who are moving into another part of that industry, which gives the network a useful base of practical experience.
He points to Andy and his son Brendan as an example of confidence in the model. Brendan is progressing as a franchisee and is expected to take over the region eventually. Sam sees a franchisor preparing to hand a region to his son as a strong sign of belief in the business.
What Training Do You Need for a Building Inspections Franchise?
Sam says proper field training is essential for anyone who wants to join Jim’s Building Inspections.
His view is that the work involves too much around insurance, training and service capability to treat a course alone as enough preparation. He argues that an independent operator would struggle to offer the same range of services while also matching the division’s insurance and training structure.
For Sam, willingness to learn is also part of franchisee selection. If someone sees value in being trained properly and wants to get involved, he believes the franchise model can suit that person. If they do not see the value in the training and support, he says they are probably not the right fit.
People researching the entry process can also review how to start a Jim’s Building Inspections franchise, including the broader training and franchise information available through Jim’s Group.
Can a Jim’s Building Inspections Franchise Give You Better Work-Life Balance?
Sam says the business has given him a lifestyle he did not think he would have if he followed the same working pattern as his father.
His father was preparing to hand him the family business, but Sam had watched him work six and a half days a week for most of his life. His father would take an afternoon off to watch him play footy, but Sam knew he did not want the same schedule for himself.
Today, Sam says he has not worked a weekend in 10 years, even while running a building inspection company with 200 franchisees. He uses that experience to make a broader point about what franchisees can build for themselves, although individual workloads and results will depend on how each business is run.
Sam also says franchisees are paid before they send a report and can receive “three thank-yous a day rather than two a year when they’re a builder”. For people who want to see what the work can look like in practice, Jim’s Group also features a day on the road with Jim’s Building Inspections franchisees.
How Could Jim’s Building Inspections Grow Beyond 200 Franchisees?
Sam believes Jim’s Building Inspections could grow beyond 220 franchisees and potentially reach 300, provided that growth happens responsibly.
The division originally saw 220 as a major target. After identifying more services it can offer, including work connected with energy efficiency, Sam now sees room to grow further. He is clear, though, that the aim is not simply to make more franchise sales.
“We don’t hang our hat on a sale. We hang our hat on keeping a franchisee,” is how Sam explains the approach.
He also discusses business-to-business contracts that can provide franchisees with paid leads where the job and value are already defined. Sam sees this as another way to create the right volume of work for franchisees and support responsible expansion.
If you are considering moving from building into inspections, explore the Jim’s Building Inspections franchise opportunity and compare the training, support, and business model with the way you would operate independently. You can also call Jim’s Group on 131 546 to discuss the next step.