Customers are drawn to the company because of its unique consumer offering: made to measure replacement kitchen doors sold from locally-owned franchised showrooms. Today, the average franchisee showroom achieves annual sales of £750,000, retaining 15%-20% net profit. Top showrooms turnover more than £1Million, with up to 20 branches on target for £1Million or more this year.
David Mcleod of Dream Doors North Glasgow, who’ll top seven-figure sales by the end of the summer, says” “You need a good team around you to hit £1 million-a-year and beyond. But you also just need to follow the model. It works; it really works!”
Another high-performing location is in Gloucester, run by ex-mechanic Simon Herbert now in his eighth year with the brand. Simon, who sold £182,000 in July alone, says: “We make monthly sales here that outstrip annual sales at some standalone kitchen firms. I wouldn’t want to go back to wilful employment now.”
The replacement door sector is just a small part of the multi-billion-pound kitchen industry, but one that has proven to be incredibly profitable, providing a much sought after and less costly alternative to full kitchen refurbs. And, naturally, this is something that increasingly appeals to cash-strapped households.
One of more than 25,000 customers who’ve submitted a review on independent consumer feedback website, Checkatrade, writes this about the company: Very quick installation from time of ordering. All fitted perfectly and came back to fix a fridge door the next day, after following up with a courtesy call. Great way to improve a kitchen without the cost of installing a brand new one.
With more than 100,000 kitchen makeovers to its name – not forgetting 1,000s of full kitchens and bedroom projects as well – there can be no doubt that the Dream Door service is a resounding success. Providing replacement kitchen doors, drawers and worktops can save customers time and money, as well as minimising stress while the work is completed (an average job costs just £6,000 and is usually completed in 2 to 3 days). It’s a concept that is very popular with homeowners throughout the UK, but historically with the over 60s in particular. And, as dozens of studies will show, it’s the over 60s – the baby boomer generation – who have the most disposable income to spend on their homes.
Established more than 25 years ago with a single Hampshire-based showroom, Dream Doors now boasts 90 branches nationwide. Interestingly, hardly any of the company’s franchisees have come from the kitchen industry. In fact, Dream Doors franchisees have left a wide variety of careers behind them, from ex-IT professionals to police officers, and from ex-retailers to teaching assistants – all benefitting from an award-winning training programme and a chance to run their own, high-earning business.
“It can be frustrating working for someone else. Moving away from the corporate world into self-employment has been truly freeing,” saysLorraine McKay who, with husband Malcolm, own the Dream Doors Bath franchise.
New starters undertake a comprehensive 13-week induction programme, which includes initial setup phase, then 18 days of training at the company’s dedicated training centre. Once the induction training is completed, each new franchisee is assigned a Business Development Manager who will accompany them on sales calls, on surveys and, for the length of their franchise, provide consistent in-territory support.
With more new franchisees due for training this autumn, there are no signs of the recruitment drive slowing down. But Dream Doors prides itself on its elite network of hard working franchisees, each with the professionalism and determination to create their own success. And, as such, each application is taken very seriously, with potential franchisees going through a stringent assessment and due-diligence process.
Anyone who does decide to join Dream Doors, though, can feel reassured that they are joining one of the UK’s foremost franchised brands, sitting in 16th place in Elite Franchise Magazine’s Top 100 franchises for 2025. What’s more, Dream Doors is a part of Neighbourly, the world’s largest parent company of homes services brands with 5,000 franchisees globally and revenues topping $4.3Billion.
