How To Start Your Own Handyman Service

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How to start a successful handyman business. Learn how to start your own handyman business, including how to get licensed, where to advertise, how to set up a website, and more!

Are yous ready to acquire how to start a successful handyman concern? Working for yourself as a handyman has tons of advantages, such as setting your ain schedule, choosing the types of jobs and people you volition piece of work for, setting your own pay rates, and being in complete control of your income.

Don't remember you demand to do all the work yourself, either. The virtually successful handyman business owners take crews that either help them with the labor or do all of the labor, allowing yous to focus on growing your business concern, generating more sales, and increasing your profits.

Here is how to start a successful handyman business organisation.

Updated August 2017

Steps to Starting a Successful Handyman Business

Stride i: Get your business license

Choice out a name for your business and brand certain it's not already taken. Go your business name registered in your state, then obtain a license in the metropolis yous're going to exist working. While this tin seem confusing at first, it's really pretty easy. The forms are all printed online and we had to make 2 trips to downtown Charlotte and 1 trip to the city municipal edifice. It took most 2 days total for everything to be taken care of.

Tip #i: Merely do a Google search on "How to get a business license in [your state here]" and you'll notice exactly what yous need.

Tip #2: Build a website for your business. You tin can utilise Bluehost which costs merely ~~$3.49~~ $2.95 per month and they requite your domain name for Gratis! Nowadays, y'all have to have a presence online. Even if your page is basic, people need to be able to find your business concern on the internet.

I recommend purchasing a domain name that you remember people will exist searching for in Google to discover you. Example: www.yourcityhandyman.com

Here'south my tutorial on How to Start a Website for Your Business .

And, y'all tin can check the availability of domain names below before choosing your business name:

Step 2: Get business insurance

A basic insurance policy is roughly $850 for the year. This protects yous and your business in case of an emergency. Information technology's always best to get insurance – plus y'all can advertise that you're "licensed and insured in the state of [your state]."

Footstep 3: Get a business concern truck

Hopefully you lot tin skip this pace if you already take a working vehicle. Merely if not, you'll need to purchase a business truck to haul all of your tools and equipment. I recommend something used and affordable, but something that runs good and is congenital solid. Store effectually in order to go the best bargain – both at dealerships and through individual sellers.

We purchased an older Chevy for $4000 and it's even so going stiff subsequently three years. We've had to do a few major repairs costing ~$1000, but information technology's yet cheaper than purchasing a new work truck. My advice is buy something that volition make do for about a year, then you tin always upgrade in one case you can afford it!

STEP 4: Advertise

If your budget is low, utilise Craigslist and other free task listing sites. Some neighborhoods accept neighborhood groups online (such every bit Nextdoor.com) where you can listing your services and respond to people who have piece of work for yous. Craigslist, though, is an incredible way to generate leads for those with little to no budget.

Your ain website will also exist a form of advertizement since yous'll hopefully start to rank in Google.

HUGE TIP: Reach out to rental belongings companies in your area and see if they demand contractors/sub contractors. Our main business is now rental properties. We do individual residences, also, only the rental companies are significantly less work because at that place's no bidding or chit-chatting. Jobs are sent our way and completed past the due date. I highly recommend building your business concern upward and gaining experience, and then reaching out to these companies in your area to meet if you come across the requirements.

Pace five: Purchase tools Equally NEEDED

Instead of buying all of your tools at once, purchase them as you demand them. Also, check Craigslist for used tools before purchasing new. Nosotros purchased a paint sprayer off of Craigslist for $175 (retail $500+) and it nonetheless works great subsequently 3 years.

Pace six: Report all your income, expenses and mileage

Ane disadvantage (that's also an advantage) of owning your ain business is you have to keep runway of EVERY expenditure. Gas and tools tin be written off, which is not bad. Yous can also write off role of your home if yous take an office, your piece of work truck and every other expense that comes with owning the business. Keep a few dissimilar excel spreadsheets to track everything.

Tip: Every time you get paid, we put 25% of that money into a separate savings account. That'due south your tax money, and every bit a bonus – if you don't owe all of it to the government – you lot tin either reinvest that money into the business by buying new tools, add together more to your personal savings account or maybe have a fun vacation!

And that'due south it! Owning your own business organization is a lot of work, only the benefits oftentimes majorly outweigh the downsides.