If you enjoy fixing and repairing things around the house, consider starting a handyman business. Each time something in the household breaks, a homeowner is forced to call in a professional plumber, electrician or carpenter. The fees these professionals charge for something as inconsequential as replacing a bulb or fixing a switch may cause your eyeballs to pop. If you start a home handyman business you can carry out all these little repairs for people at a much more reasonable rate.
These days there is a lot of scope for a home handyman business. Some of the simpler things you can do include replacing light fixtures, installing windows, fixing leaking faucets, painting, replacing doors, doing bathroom repairs, constructing fences, installing mailboxes, and even doing a run to the dump. If you're good with your hands, the sky is the limit. As you gain experience and confidence you can take on more advanced tasks.
Planning
The key to a good business strategy is proper planning. Start with a good business plan. List the things you know you can do. Once this is done, decide how much you'll charge. Handymen charge either per job or per hour. Unless you've done a job before and are confident you can get it finished fast, always try to get paid by the hour.
Your fee should recover your material costs, gas and labor charges. Inflate it a bit to include a margin for profit, and be sure to leave enough profit to pay your own self-employment taxes. Don't price your services too low. This will make it difficult to increase them later as customers will get accustomed to your rates. Your business plan should also include your initial finance requirements, expenses and expected earnings.
Investment
For a handyman business startup you'll have to invest in some tools. At the onset, only get those which are absolutely necessary and then add on as your business expands. Some essential tools all handymen must have include a hammer, a level, gloves, goggles, screwdrivers, wrenches, adhesive tape, a measuring tape, a ladder, drills, a flashlight, and a breathing mask. You will probably want to get a few power tools as well. Start with a drill and a sander.
Know Your Market
Generally the elderly and single working people are more in need of handymen than others. The elderly cannot go about fixing stuff on account of their deteriorating health. Working men and women just don't have the time. So figure out where these people are located and advertise extensively. Take every opportunity to distribute your business card. You can also advertise through bulk mailers, newspapers and brochures. Another viable market is rental agents. They require handymen when things need fixing in their leased homes. More often than not they send the wrong person for the wrong job. A plumber may be sent to fix a light bulb and so on and so forth. So visit a few rental agents and tell them about your services.
Seek Guidance
If you don't know how to perform a particular task, don't be afraid to admit it. Refer to instruction guides and manuals. These should give you a fair idea. If you're still in doubt about your abilities, just refer your client to someone who can be of help.
Licenses and Hiring
Make arrangements to get a handyman business license before you open for business. Along with this, find out whether you're subject to sales tax and other tax laws of the state you live in. Maintain good records. You may need to invest in a van or some other form of transport. Include this in your investment analysis. If you need extra helpers, it's better to hire someone and pay him per project instead of paying a fixed wage per week/month.
It doesn't take much to begin a handyman business. All it requires is a bit of skill with tools and the right attitude. Always keep your word when it comes to customers. Don't promise what you can't deliver. Return phone calls and show up when you say you will and your business will grow faster than you think.
Pamella Neely writes about how to start a handyman business for http://www.StartAHandymanBusiness.com
Rough Framing Of Shower Floor
No comments:
Post a Comment