What You Need To Start A Handyman Business
There are many homeowners and landlords out there looking for someone to hire who can help with maintenance and repairs. You can choose what jobs you want to take on, what hours you want to work and what you want to charge. All in all, it could be a great way to use your skills while working on your own flexible terms. This post delves more into some of the steps required to start a handyman business.
Get certified and licensed
Trades such as plumbing, electrics and HVAC maintenance typically require certification. The type of certification and licensing you need depends on your state laws. In California, you need a license to carry out any jobs over $1,000, while in Alaska you can carry out many handyman jobs up to the value of $10,000 without a license.
Do your research into your local state laws to see what training courses you may need to undertake or which licenses you may need to apply for. At the very least, you will need to register your business with your state authorities.
Buy your tools
The next step is to invest in the right tools. The tools you need will depend on the types of jobs you’re willing to take on. Some basic tools that every handyman needs include a tape measure, spirit level, hammer, chisel, screwdrivers, drills, pliers and a utility knife. Other tools to consider could include wire cutters/strippers, saws, sanders, oscillating tools, stud finders, electric finders, adhesives, painting tools, a ladder and extension cords. Health and safety gear is also recommended when doing certain tasks to protect you from injury.
You may also want to consider investing in a van or a car with plenty of storage. This is essential if you’re carrying bulky tools like ladders.
Business loans or rental services could help you to afford all of this gear. Alternatively, you could buy equipment in stages and work only on projects that you have the tools for, expanding your services as you grow.
Take out insurance
While being insured as a solo handyman isn’t required by law in the US, it’s highly recommended that you take out public liability insurance to protect yourself against potential accidents. This insurance will pay out compensation for any injuries or damage to people’s property that you cause. You’ll hopefully never need this cover, but it’s still useful to have.
If you take employees, you will need to apply for worker’s compensation insurance by law. This covers your employees if they are injured at work and need medical treatment. You could consider taking out a multi-insurance scheme that includes public liability and worker’s compensation.
Market your business
In order to attract customers you will need to market your business. There are many ways in which you can do this, but the fundamentals typically involve setting up a website and social media pages. This allows you to promote your services online through SEO and advertising.
You can also try traditional marketing tactics such as handing out flyers and business cards. Don’t also forget the power of word of mouth, as well as customer referrals - talking to people in your community and going above and beyond to satisfy customers could help you organically attract business without having to do much legwork.
Set your rates
Your business needs to make enough of a return to cover all costs (including licensing, tools, insurance and marketing) while also making enough of a profit to take home and continue developing the business. Assess your finances so that you can decide how much to charge. It could be worthwhile also doing some research to see what other contractors are charging in your area.
Decide whether you will provide a quote over the phone, or whether you will need to visit each job location first. For more complex jobs, it could be essential to assess the property to work out the size and complexity of the job so that you can charge accordingly.
Conclusion
Setting up a handyman business doesn’t have to be difficult. Take your time to get all the above fundamentals in place. If you have another job, consider starting your business as a side hustle in your free time. Once you start picking up work, you can then consider dropping your hours in your current job or quitting entirely to focus on your business.