By choosing a Hot Box ® wood-burning stove franchise, you acquire a proven, operational business model that allows you to begin trading immediately within your allocated territory.

Franchisees benefit from access to the full Hot Box ® product range, enabling you to focus on sales, installations, and customer relationships rather than negotiating supplier terms or managing fragmented accounts. All purchasing is handled through your central Hot Box business account, with appliances and components supplied at pre-agreed commercial rates.

Ordering and account management are conducted through the Hot Box ® web-based platform, providing a streamlined, auditable process for purchasing stoves and associated installation materials quickly and efficiently.

Our cloud-based operating systems allow you to manage the business from anywhere. Franchisees can produce detailed quotations, issue invoices, monitor performance through monthly reporting, and manage stock and workflow in real time. The system also enables on-site and mobile quoting, supporting faster conversion and improved customer experience.

The objective of the Hot Box ® platform is simple: to remove unnecessary administration, reduce friction in day-to-day operations, and allow franchise operators to spend more time focused on sales, delivery, and revenue growth.

Our initial fee is competitive, and includes everything you need to get your business off the ground in your given location.

In exchange fo our initial fee we will:

• Provide you with a comprehensive franchise agreement.
• Build you a website, fully optimised for your territory.
• Give you access to our custom business tools to easily generate quotes, invoices and take payments.
• Give you access to our entire range of products and introduce you to other key suppliers as may be required.
• Help you with the first steps, we will come along and help you get started with your first survey and assist you in producing quotations.
• Ongoing technical support from our existing team.

Following the initial transition period, Hot Box ® licensed operators pay a standard ongoing royalty of 5% + VAT, calculated monthly on gross sales.

This royalty covers use of the Hot Box ® brand, access to the central platform, systems, standards, and ongoing group support.

Where an operator requires additional or enhanced support beyond the standard framework — for example, project-specific assistance, marketing campaigns, systems implementation, or operational consultancy — this can be provided on a separately agreed basis, either as:

• A defined uplift for a limited period, or
• A one-off consultancy fee for specific pieces of work

Your earning potential is not capped or constrained by the Hot Box ® model.

Since our inception in 2008, we have deliberately operated our York-based stove installation business as a focused, installation-led operation, prioritising quality, systems, and profitability over uncontrolled expansion.

The business is run with a lean, professional team, typically comprising:

Three HETAS-qualified engineers

• Two focused on installations
• One dedicated to surveys and quotations
• A Managing Director overseeing systems, operations, and business development
• A full-time administrator supporting scheduling, customer liaison, and compliance

This structure has proven effective in delivering consistent turnover and strong profitability without unnecessary overhead.

Based on our established trading model, a well-run franchise operated by an owner-manager should reasonably expect to generate pre-tax earnings in excess of £100,000, subject to location, scale, and execution.

As with any business, there is an initial bedding-in period. However, with support from the Hot Box ® platform and systems, we would expect a committed operator to achieve meaningful turnover and profit growth by year three, with significant further headroom thereafter.

Our core business is the supply and installation of high-quality wood-burning stoves.

However, the Hot Box ® model is deliberately not limited to a single revenue stream. Over time, we have developed a broader, more resilient offering designed to support consistent year-round income.

As a Hot Box ® franchisee, you gain access to a range of complementary products and services that can be layered onto your core installation business to increase turnover, smooth seasonality, and improve lifetime customer value.

Additional Revenue Opportunities

Stove Servicing & Chimney Sweeping

Stove servicing and chimney sweeping represent a highly reliable and repeatable income stream. Demand is strong, particularly from existing installation customers, and all services can be booked online, supporting efficient scheduling and cashflow.

Beyond routine servicing, this work frequently leads to additional revenue through:

• Repairs and maintenance
• Upgrades and remedial works
• Rectifying poor or non-compliant installations

For many operators, aftercare becomes one of the most profitable and defensible parts of the business.

Wood Fuel Supply

We strongly recommend that franchisees consider operating a local fuel supply arm alongside their installation business.

Wood fuel can provide a lucrative supplementary income stream, particularly when combined with:

• Local delivery routes, or
• Customer collection from a convenient base

Hot Box ® can assist with:

• Sourcing approved, compliant fuel suppliers
• Negotiating commercial terms
• Integrating fuel sales into your wider customer offering

Franchisees also benefit from access to discounted rates on our patented firelighter, Hot Box ® Firestarter, enabling additional recurring revenue from existing customers.

Accessories & Sundries

Franchisees are encouraged not to limit their offering to stoves alone. Fireplace accessories and consumables provide straightforward, high-margin add-on sales, including:

• Log holders and baskets
• Companion sets
• Spare parts and consumables

These items enhance customer experience while generating incremental, low-effort revenue.

Summer & Outdoor Living Ranges

While winter drives stove sales, summer presents a valuable opportunity to diversify.

Hot Box ® franchisees have access to an eclectic and carefully curated range of outdoor living products, allowing you to maintain momentum through warmer months. This includes:

• Outdoor fire and cooking products
• Garden and patio features
• Purpose-built outdoor kitchens

Outdoor kitchens in particular offer high-value installation opportunities, extending the business beyond the home and reducing seasonal dependency.

The Bigger Picture

The Hot Box ® model is designed to allow franchisees to:

• Build multiple, complementary income streams
• Reduce reliance on a single season or product
• Increase customer lifetime value
• Create a more stable and resilient business

Each operator can choose which elements to adopt, scaling the business in line with local demand and personal ambition.

Your Hot Box ® wood-burning stove franchise can be operated in two distinct formats, allowing you to select the structure that best aligns with your investment level, ambition, and preferred role within the business.

Showroom-Led Model

Under the showroom-led model, you establish a high-visibility retail premises operating under the Hot Box ® brand.

This model allows you to:

Develop a professionally designed showroom featuring:

• Live and static stove displays
• Outdoor living and lifestyle products
• A retail area for wood fuel sales and customer collections
• Build strong local brand presence and walk-in enquiry flow
• Operate and manage a dedicated installation team
• Focus on business development, customer relationships, and growth

Operators adopting this model must consider premises size, location, and operating costs, budgeting appropriately alongside the franchise investment. This format suits those seeking to build a flagship, scalable local business with strong brand visibility.

Owner-Operator Model

The owner-operator model is a lean, installation-focused approach, operating without a physical showroom.

In this format, the business is run primarily online using Hot Box ®’s cloud-based systems and digital platform, with enquiries generated through the central website and local marketing.

This model allows you to:

• Focus exclusively on stove installations
• Operate with a small, flexible installation team
• Manage quotations, scheduling, and administration digitally
• Maintain lower fixed overheads while building strong profitability

The owner-operator model is well suited to experienced installers seeking to step into business ownership while remaining closely involved in day-to-day operations.

Choosing the Right Model

Both operating formats are fully supported within the Hot Box ® platform. Many franchisees begin with the owner-operator model and transition to a showroom-led operation as turnover, confidence, and local demand grow.

This flexibility allows you to scale the business at your own pace, without committing to unnecessary overhead from day one.

Training is fundamental to developing any business. 

As part of the course, you will be required to undertake a variety of training courses operated by HETAS. 

The courses will include, but are not limited to:

H001 | Introduction to solid fuel.

H002 | Solid fuel regulations and standards. 

H003 HETAS dry appliance Installer Course

H006 | HETAS System Chimney Course

H009 | Service and maintenance course. 

Product Discounts & Additional Services

Your commercial discount structure is agreed from day one, providing clear margin visibility and pricing confidence.

Franchisees typically benefit from discounts of up to 40% on installation components and up to 30% on appliances, leaving ample opportunity to generate healthy profit margins on both supply and installation.

Franchisees may also introduce additional product ranges where appropriate. Provided these are reviewed and approvedto ensure alignment with Hot Box ® standards and brand positioning, we are open to expanding the offering to suit local demand.

Beyond product sales, there are opportunities to introduce further services under the Hot Box ® brand, including:

• Stove servicing
• Chimney sweeping
• Maintenance and remedial works

These services are particularly effective in generating recurring and repeat income, while providing customers with a comprehensive, professional offering that extends beyond the initial installation.

All core services can be booked online as part of the Hot Box ® platform. Alternatively, third-party platforms such as The Stove Guys can be used to supplement local demand for chimney sweeping and stove servicing, if preferred.

A background in construction, plumbing, heating, or a related trade is advantageous. Equally important is a willingness to learn, commercial awareness, and the ability to run a business with discipline and intent.

As with any successful operation, performance is driven by the ability to generate enquiries, convert sales efficiently, and deliver a consistently high standard of customer experience. Long-term success depends as much on professionalism and customer care as it does on technical competence.

If you are confident in your ability to operate an independent business and have a genuine interest in the Hot Box ® product range, you are likely to be a good fit. Suitability is best assessed through an initial conversation, rather than a checklist.

At Hot Box ®, our objective is to grow a select network of professional stove installers, delivering the same quality and service standards we have provided to customers for over a decade.

The supply and installation of wood-burning stoves remains a robust and evolving sector. We believe — and have demonstrated — that our products, systems, and operating model provide a strong foundation for developing a successful Hot Box ® franchise within a defined territory.

Starting a business can be challenging, particularly in the current trading environment. The Hot Box ® franchise model is designed to remove many of the typical barriers to entry and allow operators to begin trading quickly and effectively.

From day one, franchisees gain access to a carefully selected range of products, secured on commercial terms that would not ordinarily be available to independent operators. This provides immediate margin confidence and removes the need for prolonged supplier negotiations.

In addition, Hot Box ® operates national online platforms that generate a consistent flow of enquiries. These are reviewed daily and routed directly to the relevant franchisee. Combined with your own locally generated leads, this creates a strong and sustainable pipeline for installations and associated services.

Systems & Technology

We have invested heavily in technology and systems to reduce administrative burden across the network. Our objective is to allow operators to spend less time on paperwork and process, and more time focused on sales, delivery, and customer satisfaction.

Quoting, scheduling, invoicing, reporting, and workflow management are all supported within the Hot Box ® platform, providing structure without unnecessary complexity.

Showroom Considerations

While the franchise can be operated without a physical showroom, operators with the appropriate capital are encouraged to consider a local stove showroom as part of their growth strategy.

A well-positioned showroom can:

• Showcase a representative range of appliances
• Strengthen local brand presence
• Increase enquiry volume and conversion rates
• Support expansion into accessories, fuel, and outdoor living

Any showroom should be prominent, appropriately sized for the territory, and staffed by a knowledgeable team member capable of handling customer enquiries and appointments.

Support with Premises

Where required, Hot Box ® can assist franchisees with:

• Identifying suitable premises
• Assessing location viability
• Supporting lease or purchase negotiations

This support ensures that any physical expansion is undertaken strategically and sustainably, aligned with the wider business model.

At Hot Box ®, seasonality is not a constraint — your franchise business is very much what you choose to make it.

While the Hot Box ® brand is well recognised for wood-burning stoves and winter heating solutions, the business has increasingly gained traction in the outdoor living and lifestyle market, creating genuine year-round opportunity.

Our advice to franchisees is simple: embrace the full calendar and be selective about the work and clients you pursue.

Operators who work closely with:

• Local construction companies
• Architects and designers
• Property refurbishment specialists

are able to integrate stove installations and outdoor living products into wider renovation projects, reducing reliance on purely seasonal demand and allowing you to develop a clear local niche.

In recent years, we have found that the business can be just as busy — and often more profitable — during the summer months than in winter. This is driven by the value of work carried out outside the home.

Outdoor kitchens, for example, are frequently high-value installations, often exceeding the spend associated with a single wood-burning stove. These projects typically involve multiple products, specialist installation methods, and higher overall contract values.

By diversifying intelligently and aligning with the right partners, Hot Box ® franchisees can build a balanced, resilient business that performs strongly throughout the year.

The market for wood burning stoves in the UK ism considerable. Reportedly, an estimated 200,000 wood burners are fitted each year accoutring to The Stove Industry Alliance.

Further, with considerable changes to the nature of wood burning stoves and the fuel used in them, now might be the perfect time to consider a wood burner franchise with Hot Box ®

From this year, only stoves marked and approved as being Eco Design ready will be suitable for installation.

Further, the government has endorsed standards to be set against the supply of wood fuel to ensure it is ‘oven ready’ and fit for purpose.

The drive is based around promoting wood burning as a sustainable source of heating by reducing harmful particulate emissions.

At Hot Box, we advocate clean burning stoves and the use of proper wood fuel and lighting methods which promote efficiency such as Hot Box ® Firestarter. 

Approved Document J should be treated as essential reading for any operator involved in solid fuel installations.

Following completion of HETAS training, franchisees are expected to develop a thorough understanding of the Building Regulations relating to solid fuel appliances and flues, ensuring all installations are carried out safely, compliantly, and to the required standard.

The installation of wood-burning stoves also requires a sound level of general building competence, including knowledge of construction methods, materials, and interfaces commonly encountered during installation work.

As a Hot Box ® franchisee, you may choose to:

• Carry out installation work personally, or

• Engage appropriately skilled and qualified operatives to support delivery

In all cases, we require that any operatives working under your business undertake relevant training and demonstrate a clear understanding of the standards set out by Approved Document J and HETAS.

Compliance and quality are non-negotiable. Franchisees and their installation teams are subject to ongoing oversight and review by both Hot Box ® and HETAS to ensure standards are maintained consistently across all installations.

Our objective is simple: to protect customers, operators, and the long-term reputation of the Hot Box ® brand through professional, compliant installation practices.