How much does a Subcontain franchise cost?
Opening a Subcontain franchise takes a total initial investment of $266,900 to $969,500, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
Subcontain franchises businesses providing semi-inground waste container sales, installation coordination, and the associated waste disposal services under the trade name “Subcontain”. Category: Business Services.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Subcontain franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $266,900 to $969,500. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Customized Service Vehicle with Crane and Compactor ($50,000 to $450,000), Additional funds (for first 12 months) ($50,000 to $160,000), and Initial Order of Containers ($27,500 to $60,000). Together they make up about 69% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $59,500 to $148,500, about 22% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $59,500 | $148,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Rent, Utilities, and Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $4,000 | $11,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Customized Service Vehicle with Crane and Compactor2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $50,000 | $450,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Service Vehicle Delivery, Registration, and Tax2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $1,900 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Tow Vehicle2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $3,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Service Trailer2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $50,000 | $55,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Initial Order of Containers2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $27,500 | $60,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Furniture, Office Expenses, and Uniforms2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $2,000 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Computer Systems2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $4,000 | $5,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Initial Marketing2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $4,000 | $8,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Insurance (3 months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $5,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Licenses and Permits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $1,500 | $3,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Professional Fees (lawyer, accountant, etc.)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $2,500 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Travel, lodging and meals for initial training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $2,000 | $3,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Additional funds (for first 12 months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $50,000 | $160,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10-11 | $266,900 | $969,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10-11 |
Source Subcontain, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10-11, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Subcontain franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an existing outlet, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that outlet.
Source Subcontain, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 32, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Subcontain outlets there are, and how many closed
Subcontain had no franchised outlets open from 2023 through 2025, according to its FDD. At the end of 2025 it had 1 company-owned outlet.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 33 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 33 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 33 |
Source Subcontain, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 32, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Subcontain compares with other Business Services franchises
Measured against the 140 Business Services franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Subcontain's estimated range is $618,200. It costs more to open than 91% of Business Services franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 71 of the 140 Business Services franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Subcontain is not one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Business Services franchise side by side.
Alert me when Subcontain files a new FDD
Franchisors reissue their FDD at least once a year, and the Item 7 and Item 19 figures move. Leave an email and we will send you Subcontain's updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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