A father-son team takes on Katy and Sugar Land, extending the HVAC franchisor's Texas push to a second deal in two months.
Service Experts signed a franchise agreement covering Katy and Sugar Land in the Greater Houston market. Steve and Logan Marullo will own and operate the territory, with an opening planned for later this year. It marks the brand's second Texas agreement in two months.
Residential heating and cooling carries recurring demand that holds up when discretionary spending softens. The Marullos bring two decades of chemical sales plus a software sales background, and they chose a national platform for its buying power and systems rather than starting cold. That mix of local ownership and shared infrastructure is what pulls experienced operators into the category.
Texas keeps drawing service-brand growth because population gains and aging housing stock feed steady installation and repair work. Two Service Experts agreements in two months show the franchisor is concentrating development in metros where demand is dense and labor is available. For multi-unit buyers, that points to home services as a hedge against the volatility hitting food and retail concepts.
Service Experts is recruiting proven operators instead of first-timers, which lowers ramp risk and protects brand standards during fast growth. Franchisors in skilled-trade categories face a tight labor market, so signing owners who can build and lead teams matters more than raw unit count. Expect more brands to court experienced cross-industry operators with the promise of infrastructure they cannot build alone.
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