Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care vs Steamatic Carpet Cleaning
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care vs Steamatic Carpet Cleaning: Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care costs $27K to $488K to open; Steamatic Carpet Cleaning costs $38K to $389K. Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care has 12 units, Steamatic Carpet Cleaning has 14. SBA loan history: Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care = 15 loans (13.3% default); Steamatic Carpet Cleaning = 13 loans (7.7% 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.
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care vs Steamatic Carpet Cleaning: 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
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($27K vs $38K for Steamatic Carpet Cleaning), a 29% spread.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Steamatic Carpet Cleaning operates 14 units to Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care's 12.
SBA Lending Profile
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 15 7(a) approvals compared with 13 for Steamatic Carpet Cleaning. Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care's peak SBA year was 2012 (2 loans); Steamatic Carpet Cleaning's peak was 1995 (5 loans). Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care has the most SBA funded units in AR, with 3. Steamatic Carpet Cleaning leads in IN, with 2. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care deals is $226K vs $151K for Steamatic Carpet Cleaning, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 13.3% for Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care and 7.7% for Steamatic Carpet Cleaning, Steamatic Carpet Cleaning has the cleaner SBA loss record by 5.6 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 28 (Fair) for Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care and 42 (Fair) for Steamatic Carpet Cleaning, giving Steamatic Carpet Cleaning the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 28/100 | 42/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Fair |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 15 | 13 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 13.3% | 7.7% |
Peer Tier | growing | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $27K to $488K | $38K to $389K |
Franchise Fee | N/A | $41K |
Royalty Rate | N/A | 5% |
Ad Fund | N/A | 1% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 12 | 14 |
Franchised Units | 12 | 14 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | 15 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | N/A | N/A |
Franchising Since | N/A | 1991 |
Years Franchising | N/A | 35 yrs |
Headquarters | Springdale, AR | IL |
Category | Carpet | Carpet |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | 2025 |
Which Is Better, Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care or Steamatic Carpet Cleaning?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care: $27K starting · Steamatic Carpet Cleaning: $38K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care: 15 SBA loans · Steamatic Carpet Cleaning: 13 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Steamatic Carpet Cleaning
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care: 13.3% · Steamatic Carpet Cleaning: 7.7%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care: 12 units · Steamatic Carpet Cleaning: 14 units
More lender financing options
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care: 14 unique lenders · Steamatic Carpet Cleaning: 12 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
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care vs Steamatic Carpet Cleaning: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care and Steamatic Carpet Cleaning is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $27K to $488K.
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care has 15 SBA loans on record and Steamatic Carpet Cleaning has 13. 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.
Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care vs Steamatic Carpet Cleaning, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care or Steamatic Carpet Cleaning?
How much does a Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care franchise cost compared to Steamatic Carpet Cleaning?
Can I finance Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care or Steamatic Carpet Cleaning with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Sears Carpet & Upholstery Care or Steamatic Carpet Cleaning?
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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
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