If you’re known as the DIY King or Queen in the neighborhood, you can turn what’s clearly a well-known obsession into a booming business. At least 40% of America’s homes are 50 years old, so there are a lot of repairs and improvements to be done, especially since younger generations want their homes to be fixed up to their standards. This makes now the perfect time to start a successful handyman business.
We know you’re wondering how to start your own handyman business, but don’t worry, that’s what we’re here for. We’ve brainstormed the six most important things you need to do to set up your business for success.
However, before you can begin with those steps, you need to decide what type of handyman business you want to start. The jobs available run from simple to complex but you need to make sure that you have the required skills to complete the task you advertise.
Popular handyman projects and services you may want to offer include:
- Installation and servicing of home appliances.
- Drywall repairs and painting.
- Outdoor maintenance or home repairs.
- Replacing fixtures.
- Assembling furniture.
- Small building projects.
Never take on a job you’re not qualified to do! Remember, people talk and if you have to stop a project because you don’t have the appropriate skills, you’re not going to have a very happy client on your hands. They won’t be recommending you to anyone and may even warn some people not to use you.
Okay, your hands must be itching to get started, so here are six expert tips to take your DIY skills to the next level.
Steps to Starting a Handyman Business
You want to jump in and get going, but stop, take a breath—you need to lay a solid foundation first and then you can work without worrying that things will fall apart later. So, don’t skip over these steps. Follow them; complete them, and make sure you get your business up and running legally and efficiently.
1. Choose Your Jobs
You know what type of handyman business you want to start but now you have to narrow it down even further by making a list of the services on offer. You may be open to accepting any requests that come your way, but that’s not the strategy you want to focus on when you first start.
Right now, you need a list of services you can get out there as part of your marketing message. It will also help you manage your time more effectively. As you expand your business and hire extra hands, then you can expand your list of services and take a more “any job” approach.
Another option is to do the jobs that other handymen don’t like doing. It’s a quick way to get your name out there and get the money flowing so you can expand your business to do jobs you actually like. It all depends on what you’re willing to do to make your handyman business a success.
2. Create Your Business Plan
A business plan is as important as the instruction leaflet in an IKEA self-assembly bookcase; although you’ll be able to get along without it, things are going to be significantly harder to figure out and may not turn out as planned, and in the long run, may come tumbling down.
When starting a business, you have to think about:
- Start-up costs
- Equipment and supplies
- Marketing
- Prices
A business plan is all the above information and more neatly put together in one package. This is the groundwork for your handyman business, and you should not even for a second consider skipping this step. Also, don’t rush this process; take your time and make sure you have your numbers straight before you commit to anything.
3. Apply for Your Paperwork
You want to run a legit handyman business, so make sure to stay on the right side of the law. Check the local regulations and secure the necessary permits and licenses to work in the area.
In some areas, you require a contractor’s permit if you charge higher than a specific amount (usually around $1,000). Make sure you have this permit before you sign any long-term contracts with clients.
Then, on the normal business side of things, you need to apply for an employer identification number from the IRS to identify your handyman business as an official entity and make sure you’re compliant with tax laws.
4. Get Insurance
Depending on the job, clients may prefer to hire a handyman with coverage for accidents and unexpected claims. You may also want to check that it’s not a legal requirement by the state you live in that small business owners must have a small business insurance policy.
Whatever the case may be, if you do decide to get insured, do your homework before deciding. Make sure you find out what the claims process is like, what items or events are covered, and most importantly, what it is going to cost you per month. You don’t want to end up paying for something that isn’t suitable to your handyman business.
5. Market Your Business
The not-so-fun part of starting your own business is out of the way; now you can be creative as you think of ways to get word of your handyman business out to the masses.
There are so many ways of marketing and the most successful approach is usually one that combines a variety of these methods. Yes, it is going to take time, but everything that’s worth your while usually does require effort and time. Give it a shot; see what works for you and drop the rest.
Paid Ads
You have to spend money to make money, as they say, and this is really the only time you’ll have to pay anything. Paid ads are great to announce the opening of a new business, but you don’t have to stop there.
If you have a special running, you can place an ad on Google, Facebook, or elsewhere online to give yourself more exposure. The good news is that these ads aren’t super expensive and they’re a worthwhile option to spread the word that there’s a new handyman in town.
Referrals
Surely you’ve helped a few friends or family members out around their homes? Ask them to refer people they know to you. You can even run a special; for example, 10% discount on referrals. As long as you’re doing a good job, people shouldn’t have a problem with spreading the word.
Social Media
Facebook opened up the world of marketing. It made life so much easier and in the same breath, much more difficult. For you to use social media successfully, you need to keep your pages active and engage followers with posts related to your business.
For example, as a handyman business, you may want to share DIY tips or to keep it fun and light-hearted, videos or photos of failed do-it-yourself projects tagging it: “That’s why you need a handyman!”
You can get creative in your marketing approach. Play around. Just remember that the posts you make should correspond with your business image. If you want to be seen as this super professional, high-class handyman to the rich and famous, then comedy may not be the way to go on your social media.
Website
We spend a lot of our time on the internet. Think about it; if we have a question, who do we ask? The internet!
That means if someone is looking for a handyman, they’re going to type it into a search engine and visit their website. If you don’t have a website, it’s likely that your competitor does, so they’ll go to their website instead and will probably end up using them.
The bottom line is that a website is a valuable tool you can’t be without as a handyman or any business owner. You don’t have to worry that you need to pay someone thousands of dollars to design you one; you can do it yourself using WordPress. With many templates to choose from, you can get a look and feel you like and customize it to fit your handyman business.
What’s more, you can then look through various plugins that can help you run your business more smoothly. Webba Booking is an example of an online booking system that not only offers appointment reminders but can help you out with an online payment system that will streamline your business even further. One thing you’ll soon discover is that customers love convenience, so the more you can speed up their dealings with you, the more they’ll like you! This makes Webba Booking a must-use plugin.
6. Time to Hire Some Employees
If your marketing approach was successful and you’ve done a good job keeping your clients happy, then it’s more than likely that you’ll need more than two hands pretty soon. To help ease the workload and to grow your business, you may want to consider hiring an extra pair of hands.
The only thing you need to ensure is that they have the same skill as you and that they will keep your company’s name high. They’re representing your business, so if they don’t have the same work ethic, they may be helping in the short-term but doing more harm in the long run.
BONUS Tip: Take Appointments Online
It’s not always possible for you to pick up your phone—a hammer in one hand and a nail in the other, while balancing on a ladder, for example. This means you miss many potential clients and lose money.
Webba Booking can help you out. It’s a reliable and easy to use appointment booking and scheduling app that integrates with apps such as Google Calendar.
So, instead of phoning you, potential clients go to your website, make a booking online using Webba Booking and both their and your calendars get updated.
What’s more, the email and SMS appointment reminder function will remind them with a customizable message when you’ll be on your way to fix whatever problem you’re on your way to help them out with!
You may be a handyman, but you can be a handyman that runs his business like a pro thanks to Webba Booking.
