The handyman is that person who can do a little bit of just about everything from small repairs and home renovations to fixing plumbing and electrical problems. He isn’t tied down to just one specific profession because he has practical and useful knowledge in multiple departments related to building maintenance and, sometimes, even electronic appliances. If all this reminds you of yourself more than anyone else, then you are most definitely a handyman. However, having skills that make you popular among the neighbors isn’t the same as getting paid for it. In case your skills are good enough to turn your handyman ventures into a full-time business, you should definitely do that because it can be a very profitable occupation, as long as you consider the following five points first.
Insurance
Most places won’t hire you or anyone working in your company unless you buy handyman business insurance and for good reason. The job of the handyman isn’t the safest job in the world and there is always a chance of a worker getting hurt at a client’s property or causing accidental damage to the property itself. Not only is handyman insurance necessary to protect you from lawsuits related to injuries or property damage but working without even the most basic form of insurance is liable to get you kicked out of this business altogether. Go with an option that’s simple, affordable, and can be customized to your business’s specific needs.
Certification
It is true that even a lot of the most skilled handymen do not have much in terms of formal degree or certification to back up their credibility in the field, but that is essentially a disadvantage which can easily be taken care of by getting certified by the Association of Certified Handyman Professionals (ACHP). Making that extra bit of effort is well worth it because it will open up your business to a lot more opportunities than before. If you want to specialize in some departments more than the others, you should consider hiring individuals who have a degree in relation to that field of work.
Legal Documents and Licenses
Depending on the state that you are working in, the licensing requirements will vary, but you will still need to get the following documents in order pretty much everywhere in the United States.
- Business license
- Business plan
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Insurance
- Applicable building permits
- VAT certificate
- Contractor’s license
- Operating agreement, employment agreement, and non-disclosure agreement
- Company bylaws
- Tax identification
- Memorandum of Understanding
Employees
There is no law in the United States of America that states you cannot start a handyman business all by yourself as a one person company, however, there’s only so much you can do all by yourself. If you are serious about starting a business, you will need at least a few other handymen to work for you. Now, the best part about the handyman business is that you don’t necessarily need to invest a lot of money or keep employees on a fixed salary right away. When you are just starting out, you should hire them for freelance jobs and share profits. Eventually, you will need to keep at least a few fixed employees, but wait until the financial situation of your business is favorable enough to afford that.
Customers
There is always work available for a handyman, but in order to get those jobs, you will need customers willing to give them to you. In the handyman business, word of mouth carries a lot of weight, so the best way to get new customers is to maintain a good relationship with your current ones. If you don’t have any customers because you have never tried getting paid for the services you provide, use the people that you have helped. Even if you have never worked professionally, you probably have a number of grateful people who you have helped out over the years, so it’s time to give them a call and let them know that you are now willing to take up professional work. Having said that, it is the age of technology that we are all living in and digital marketing has made it possible to market even the smallest of businesses. Use social media, email, and SMS marketing to get your name across. The best part about marketing a handyman business is that it is one of those businesses which actually doesn’t need too much of an effort to stand out if the actual work you are doing is good enough.
Aside from these five, there are quite a few other aspects of the handyman business that you will also need to take care of, but you will learn the rest along the way. If possible, do consult with and take the advice of more experienced people in the field because that could potentially shave off a number of beginner’s mistakes from your venture.