Launched four years ago and now ready to franchise, the Lifesize Plans business brings building projects to life by allowing clients to experience the dynamics of the floorspace before a brick is laid.
It provides a patented full-scale walkthrough technology, projecting architects or builders’ designs on to a warehouse floor.
CEO James Hickey told Inside Franchise Business it’s a massive step up from pegging out the footprint with string lines and the technology is revolutionising the design and construction industries, helping architects, interior designers, builders and the real estate industry.
“It‘s ideal for anybody who wants to visualise scale,” said James. “We’ve got mobile furniture and walls, we help people visualise the space and the functionality. For most people they get the concept, but until it’s blown up they don’t understand the true functionality.
“This is a gamechanger.”
So while high end custom builds are an obvious client base the service can be used for house renovations, smaller kitchen renovations, second storey additions or a deck, landscaping, even design event management.
Getting the scale right before the build starts is a crucial money-saver, said James.
It all started when the founder’s personal experience with council and building plans led him to ditch his own house-building project and invest the money into the business concept.
In 2018 the founders appeared on Shark Tank, seeking capital for expansion.
“Everyone loved the concept but they didn’t have it quite right,” said James, who joined the business a year ago to scale it up.
Now the business has equity backing and has been reorganised and restructured.
“Lifesize Plans is ready to expand into new markets and we believe that – with the help and vision of our investors and partners – that our quality franchise business offer will attract huge potential and will succeed around the globe.”
Franchisees will operate using a dual model system, with designers showing off their designs to the customer, while the salesperson is out to attract more customers.
The business model employs a simplistic workflow and has low staffing requirement with profits based on asset utilisation.
It will cost $1m+ to invest, as franchisees need sites of about 800sqm to house a 650sqm showroom floor, a store, and install the projectors.
“The main cost is the set-up, there are low ongoing costs. This is a very sound business model.”
It’s territory-based and a full job management system will track leads and link to finance systems.
“There is a huge amount of IP but it’s simplicity is it’s beauty,” said James.
At the same time as the domestic market is being amped up, the Lifesize Plans Group is looking for sophisticated business executives for their international master franchisees all around the world, including the US.