Among these are the professional services franchises, which include home improvement and home care and maintenance businesses. 

Sparked by popular interior design and property development TV shows, the home improvement franchise sector is booming, and drawing many people to the prospect of running their own franchise business in a fast paced industry.

Kitchen & Bedroom Transformations, as the name suggests, is a franchise that can completely transform two of the most important rooms in the house.

Director Michelle Peters said: “We can offer brand new kitchens and bedrooms, but for a lot of customers, simply fitting new drawer fronts, doors, and worktops creates the look and feel of a brand new room, in a shorter time less time, a more environmentally friendly, and at a lower cost, saving them up to 70 per cent of the costs of an equivalent new kitchen or bedroom.”    

The company is now looking for more franchisees to join its rapidly expanding network. This is a management franchise – where skilled fitters are hired to carry out the actual work - so ideal candidates will be those with excellent people skills and an aptitude for building strong customer relationships.

Michelle Peters added: “We need people who are well organised and highly motivated, and who can follow our tried and tested franchise format.”

Another popular option for home owners looking to improve their home by adding valuable living space is a garage conversion, where unused garage space can be cleverly transformed into useful offices, play rooms, home gyms, or even extra bedrooms.

The Garage Conversion Company is a franchise that offers a complete conversion service, from dealing with planning permission and building regulations, to the finished room, ready for decorating and furnishing.

Franchise director Richard Benning says that the company and its 27 franchisees have never been busier, with new franchisees being recruited at an average rate of one each month.

He said: “Some of our customers have made the decision not to move house, and instead stay put and make the most of the space in their current property, while others see a garage conversion as a way of increasing the value in their property. Either way, business is absolutely booming, with some of our franchisees completing seven or eight conversions every month.”

Ideal candidates for this management franchise opportunity are people with some experience of DIY or an interest in property development, and a background in sales, while not essential, can be very helpful. Project management experience is also seen as a bonus.