Free visual inspection and a written scope of work before any mitigation begins - photos, moisture readings, and drying logs go in your claim file
The scope we write is the scope we bill. Anything new gets shown to you, in writing, before we touch it.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterFranchise FAQ
Keegan Water Damage Restoration is the damage restoration company of the Garrison Partners family. Each location is independently owned and operated by people who run on discipline, not corporate scripts. Here’s what prospective owners ask us most.
Common Questions
Do I need restoration experience to open a Keegan franchise?
No. Most of our owners come from military, law enforcement, facility management, or trades like HVAC and plumbing. What matters is that you can lead people, follow a system, and hold yourself accountable. We teach the restoration side. The Garrison Standard is a playbook, not a personality.
That said, if you’ve managed crews, handled insurance adjusters, or run P&L on service work, you’ll recognize the rhythm fast. Water damage is urgent, repetitive, and relationship-driven. The technical skills are teachable. Showing up inside the window you gave, pricing in writing before any work starts, and standing behind the work for a full year – those are choices, not talents.
What is the total investment range to open a Keegan location?
Plan for $150,000 to $275,000 all-in, depending on your market size and whether you’re converting an existing operation or starting fresh. That covers the franchise fee, initial equipment package, vehicle upfit, training, and working capital for your first 90 days.
Your equipment roster draws from Dri-Eaz, Phoenix, XPOWER, B-Air, and Injectidry – the professional-grade brands used in IICRC-standard restoration work. No chasing auctions for off-brand dehus. We spec the fleet so you can document every job to insurance standards from day one.
Is financing available?
Yes. Most of our owners use SBA-backed lending, equipment financing, or a combination. We’ve worked with lenders who understand the restoration model and can move at the speed of a motivated buyer. We don’t guarantee approval, but we do introduce you to people who’ve funded Garrison owners before.
Some owners bring a partner with capital and keep operational control. That’s common. The key is that you have enough runway to survive the ramp – insurance relationships take 90 to 120 days to mature, and your first few jobs are learning curves even with good training.
What territory do I get, and is it exclusive?
You receive a protected territory defined by zip codes or county lines, depending on population density. No other Keegan owner can market or perform work inside your boundary. You can also bid on commercial accounts and catastrophe work outside your territory when the network activates for storm response.
We don’t stuff markets. Our validation calls with existing owners will confirm that your territory is sized to support a $1M to $2M annual run rate within three years if you execute the playbook.
How long is training, and where does it happen?
Four weeks. Two weeks at our training facility covering technical skills, equipment operation, moisture mapping, and documentation for claims. Then two weeks in a live operation riding with a veteran owner, handling real calls, real adjusters, real panic at 2 a.m.
You’ll learn Xactimate estimating, the IICRC water damage standard (S500), and how to read a policy so you know what’s covered before the homeowner does. The technical words matter – “category of water,” “class of loss,” “psychrometric drying” – because adjusters use them and homeowners trust people who speak plainly about complicated things.
What ongoing fees or royalties do I pay?
There’s a monthly royalty based on gross revenue, plus a modest brand fund contribution for national marketing and storm response coordination. No hidden technology fees, no mandatory supply purchases at inflated markups. You buy equipment and consumables through our negotiated vendor relationships, or you don’t. Your call.
The brand fund supports the 24/7 live call center that feeds leads to your territory, plus the network-wide catastrophe deployment system. When a hurricane hits, you want that infrastructure working.
How long does it take to open after I sign?
Most owners are operational in 60 to 90 days. The variables are equipment delivery, vehicle wrap scheduling, and your state licensing timeline. Some states require a general contractor’s license for reconstruction work; others let you operate under a restoration-specific credential. We map this out in your first planning call.
Keegan is a quick name to say when someone’s standing in two inches of water. Your marketing can start before your trucks hit the street.
What support do I get after I’m open?
A dedicated operations coach, peer calls with other owners, annual recertification training, and 24/7 technical backup for jobs that go sideways. We also handle the call intake – live person answers every call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – so you’re not losing jobs to voicemail at midnight.
The documentation system is standardized. Every job photo, moisture log, and drying record formats to insurance standards automatically. That matters when an adjuster pushes back on a $14,000 dry-out. We’ve got the templates; you bring the discipline to use them.
What does the ideal Keegan owner look like?
Someone who’s tired of watching good work get undercut by sloppy operators. Who understands that “water out, dried right, and documented for your claim” is a promise you have to keep, not a slogan you hang on a truck. Who can look a homeowner in the eye and say, “Here’s the price in writing. Here’s what we’re doing. Here’s our number if anything fails in the next year.”
We skew veteran, first responder, and trades-turned-business-owner. But the common thread is this: they believe reliability is a competitive advantage, not a nice-to-have. The Garrison Code – show up inside the window, price in writing, do it by the book, leave it clean, stand behind it for a year – sounds simple because it is. Executing it every day is not.
What’s my next step?
Call (361) 317-7269 and ask for franchise development. We’ll send you the disclosure document, schedule a call with Shane Pruitt, and set up validation conversations with existing owners who’ll tell you the truth – what’s hard, what’s worth it, and what they wish they’d known.
No deposit required to start the conversation. No pressure to move faster than your due diligence allows. We’re looking for owners who fit the system, not bodies to fill territories.
Still Have Questions?
Shane Pruitt takes these calls personally. Dial (361) 317-7269, or submit the form below and we’ll respond within one business day. Ask us anything – the hard questions are the ones worth answering before you write a check.
Written by Shane Pruitt, Owner at Keegan Water Damage Restoration, serving independently owned and operated locations since 2005.