How To Start A Handyman Business

Like To Fix Things?  Good With Your Hands?  Starting A Handyman Business Could Earn You A Very Nice Supplemental Or Excellent Full-Time Income.

	When the economy is bad, people are more likely to repair things than they are to buy something new.  It’s a simple fact to understand.  *But they have money and will pay you to do it.
	When the economy is bad, those people who are still working are generally working longer hours and they simply do not have the time to make the necessary repairs.  *But they have money and will pay you to do it.
	Not everyone has the skills to make repairs or fix-ups on their own.  *But they have money and will pay you to do it.
	Some people just flat out do not want to spend their time doing their own repair or fix-up work.  *But they have money and will pay you to do it.
	The population is aging and older people cannot do these repairs on their own.  *But they have money and will pay you to do it.
	Many small businesses have trimmed their staff and no longer have anyone available to handle on-going repair and maintenance work.  *But they have money and will pay you to do it.
	When the economy is good, people are flush with cash and the demand for your services go through the roof!

So, is a handyman business a good one?  You bet it is!

There are literally hundreds of reasons why people hire handymen but the whole point here is this.  People who do not have the skills, or do not have the time, or simply cannot do the work themselves, will gladly trade you dollars for your skills.  These people are your willing, paying customers!

Now I want to clear something up right here.  When we talk about a handyman, we usually think of men performing the work.  This is not always the case!  There are many equally talented women making a great living in the handy”person” occupation.  So do not think for a minute that this field is for men only.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 
What skills do you need to start a handyman business?

To be a good handyman, you do not need to have skills in every type of repair work.  You will not be building a house by yourself and you probably will not be performing full-blown home renovations.  What you want to focus on providing the best possible service with the skills you already have.  Of course, you can always learn other types of repair work, if you want to. 

But focusing on a couple of specific niche areas can be very, very lucrative.  Carpentry, simple plumbing and electrical work are the Big Three of handyman work.  Don’t let the electrical stuff scare you.  These services can include simple stuff like changing light fixtures, installing ceiling and exhaust fans, replacing outlets and switches.  Most, if not all, of these components come with complete installation instructions. 

Avoid trying to be “all things to all people”.  Focus on being very efficient and quality oriented at those services you do provide and you should make out just fine. 

Ok… Let’s move on.

Besides skills, of course, what do you need to start a handyman business?  No, you do not need to start out with a big white panel van.  This is especially true if you narrow your services (in the beginning) to things like minor plumbing and electrical work.  Your car trunk will be more than adequate to carry all the tools and parts you need to perform this type of work.

Here are a few tool tips:

• Buy the best tools you can afford.  Good tools make the work easier and they definitely last longer than the cheaper grades.

• It is always wise to have both a corded and a cordless drill with you at all times.  Some jobs just don’t lend themselves to using a drill with a cord, but… a dead battery charger for you cordless drill will cost you time.  Yes, time is money and you don’t want to be running home or to your shop to get more tools.

• Invest in an array of flat-bladed and Phillips screwdrivers.  Also get a set of the smaller jeweler type screwdrivers.  Other small tools you should carry with you at all times are slip-joint pliers, channel lock pliers, vise grips, flashlight, trouble light, hammer, utility knife & blades, hacksaw, pry bar and a voltmeter (if you are doing electrical work). 

• Buy an assorted machine screw and nut kit.  These kits contain all of the most commonly used screw sizes and they will come in really handy for many jobs.  These kits are available at Lowes, Home Depot , hardware stores and even Ebay.

• You should also carry a roll of black tape, masking tape and McGyver (duct) tape with you at all times.  You will use one of the just about every day.

• Bring your own black plastic trash bags, a bucket, sponge, rags, plastic sheeting and a shop vacuum to every job.  Thoroughly cleaning up after yourself is a definite sign of quality workmanship and your customers will be quite pleased with the care you show for their home.

What about advertising your new handyman business?

Here is a killer business tip!

You should introduce yourself to any interior decorators, window treatment stores, paint & wallpaper stores, cleaning services, lawn-mowing services and even heating and air conditioning operations in your area.  When you speak to them, explain that your businesses are complimentary and you both can gain by referring clients to one another.  Dress nice and clean up really well before you speak to these business operators.  They will take you up on your offer if they believe you are running a high quality operation.  Wearing a suit isn’t necessary, but shoot for business casual… which is a dress shirt, slacks and good shoes.  Absolutely no hats, T-shirts or jeans!  You are in business now, so treat it that way.

Buy yourself some nice looking business cards.  You are going to need them.  Check out  www.vistaprint.com, before you buy your cards somewhere else.  They have lots of great looking business card templates, produce a high quality product really fast and they are extremely inexpensive.  Good looking business cards go a long way in presenting the professional image you are after.

If starting a handyman business looks like it might be a good fit for you, it would be in your best interest to check it out thoroughly before jumping in.  There are plenty of other details to consider before making the plunge.  A wise man once said, “If you want to succeed in business, learn from someone who is already successful at it”.  I highly recommend that you consider the “Handyman Business” below.

The best part about these guides is that they were written by a successful handyman.  These guides not only give you the information you need about how to start a handyman business, they also point out ways to avoid the pitfalls.  Yes, it is always much better (and cheaper) to learn from someone else’s experience.

It doesn’t matter whether you are just curious or are serious about starting your own handyman business, check this out.