Garage Living vs Jet-Black
Garage Living vs Jet-Black: Garage Living costs $233K to $317K to open; Jet-Black costs $41K to $51K. Garage Living has 19 units, Jet-Black has 10. SBA loan history: Garage Living = 18 loans (5.6% default); Jet-Black = 11 loans (0.0% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Garage Living vs Jet-Black: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Jet-Black requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($41K vs $233K for Garage Living), a 462% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $60K for Garage Living versus $25K for Jet-Black, Jet-Black has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6.5% for Garage Living and 6% for Jet-Black, giving Jet-Black the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Garage Living operates 19 units to Jet-Black's 10. Jet-Black has been operating 39 years (founded 1987) versus 21 for Garage Living (founded 2005), a 18-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Garage Living has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 18 7(a) approvals compared with 11 for Jet-Black. Garage Living's peak SBA year was 2018 (1 loans); Jet-Black's peak was 2016 (2 loans). Garage Living's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Garage Living has the most SBA funded units in VA, with 1. Jet-Black leads in MN, with 5. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Garage Living deals is $175K vs $55K for Jet-Black, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 5.6% for Garage Living and 0.0% for Jet-Black, Jet-Black has the cleaner SBA loss record by 5.6 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 64 (Moderate) for Garage Living and 50 (Moderate) for Jet-Black, giving Garage Living the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 64/100 | 50/100 |
Health Tier | Moderate | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | N/A | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 18 | 11 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 5.6% | 0.0% |
Peer Tier | growing | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $233K to $317K | $41K to $51K |
Franchise Fee | $60K | $25K |
Royalty Rate | 6.5% | 6% |
Ad Fund | 2% | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 19 | 10 |
Franchised Units | 19 | 10 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 5 yrs | 5 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2005 | 1987 |
Franchising Since | 2015 | 2025 |
Years Franchising | 11 yrs | 1 yrs |
Headquarters | N/A | Savage, MN |
Category | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2025 | 2025 |
Which Is Better, Garage Living or Jet-Black?
Lower upfront capital required
Jet-Black
Garage Living: $233K starting · Jet-Black: $41K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Garage Living
Garage Living: 18 SBA loans · Jet-Black: 11 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Jet-Black
Garage Living: 5.6% · Jet-Black: 0.0%
Larger system & brand presence
Garage Living
Garage Living: 19 units · Jet-Black: 10 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Jet-Black
Garage Living: 6.5% · Jet-Black: 6%
More lender financing options
Jet-Black
Garage Living: 6 unique lenders · Jet-Black: 9 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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About These Franchises
Garage Living vs Jet-Black: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Garage Living and Jet-Black is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $41K to $317K.
Garage Living has 18 SBA loans on record and Jet-Black has 11. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Garage Living vs Jet-Black, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Garage Living or Jet-Black?
How much does a Garage Living franchise cost compared to Jet-Black?
Can I finance Garage Living or Jet-Black with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Garage Living or Jet-Black?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman