How do I Start a Handyman Service?

As a handyman (or handywoman), you want to be competent in a variety of repair, maintenance and trade skills. Although many jobs can be simple work - the more skilled you are, the money money you can earn.

Handyman jobs can range from small projects for homeowners to ongoing maintenance and repair projects for large corporations. Once you've completed a few successful jobs, it's much easier to get referrals and build up your client base.

It may be simpler than you think to increase your income. Try to stand out from your competition. Offer better or more convenient service by responding faster to customer calls or offering evening or weekend hours. Offer your customers ideas on ways they can save money. If a repair job is due to lack of maintenance, you can offer ongoing maintenance services for a fee so your customer can avoid future repair expenses which tend to cost much more.

Starting a handyman business doesn't require a large investment or even overhead to operate. You can start small and grow your business as your income grows. You also don't have to spend lots of money advertising your service, unlike other types of businesses.

That said, you don't want to start your handyman company without knowing some business basics. With a Handyman Business Start-up Guide, you can get the expert guidance that will help you start your company - successfully. See what you get:

• Follow a Step-by-Step Outline from a business expert, so you understand exactly what you need to do to start your handyman business. Find out about start-up costs, licensing & insurance requirements, billing and get all sorts of handyman business forms essential to running a professional operation.
• How to Save Money and Avoid Mistakes working efficiently plus certain types of jobs that you want to avoid
• How to Get Customers Fast: marketing tips, including advertising templates and sales letters you can customize (to make the job easier)

Starting a Handyman Business Checklist:

1. Obtain the necessary business licenses. Check with your local government office to find out which licenses you need as a handyman.
2. Set up a business bank account with your local bank. Make sure that the bank is FDIC is insured. It is important to keep your handyman business and personal finances separate, and often your banker can help with small business loans or financing if necessary.  
3. Meet with an accountant to discuss tax strategies and ways to maximize your business tax deductions. Other business owners you know can often be the best source for accountant referrals.
4. If you want a specific business name other than your personal name, file your fictitious business name with the county clerk.
5. Meet with an insurance agent to discuss insurance you may need for your handyman business. The IIABA (Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America) has a database of qualified agents. If you first want to get an idea of costs, check out business insurance quotes online. 
6. Set up your business phone system. Whether you use a toll-free 800 phone number, a multi-line phone system, VoIP or simply add an additional phone number to your existing service, a designated business line will help give you a professional business image. 
7. Order business cards. This is a very simple, but often overlooked market technique. Create your own professional business cards online >> Free Business Cards 
8. Get a website. Nowadays, you can set a business website up for under $50/year, and it's worth it. Save money by creating your own website with simple online design programs, or outsource the job to an affordable website designer. Whether you sell home repair products online - or you use a website to display your handyman services and prices, it's important to take advantage of this low-cost marketing resource that can help you get more customers.

Start Your Own Handyman Business Now