Now offering phone scheduling!
Now Offering Phone Scheduling & Support! Call to Book 1-866-A-HERO-4U
Now Offering Phone Scheduling & Support! Call to Book 1-866-A-HERO-4U
Homeowners across the nation face an ever-growing list of repairs and improvements on their homes. These range from relatively simple jobs, like changing a fuse or replacing old fixtures, to more challenging ones that require a skilled professional, like remodeling a bathroom or building a new patio. Handyman work allows those with construction-aligned skills to help their community improve their homes while also earning great supplemental income.
The statistics surrounding the handyman services industry show that skilled workers of a wide variety of ages — the average age is 46 – can make a living wage or generous supplemental income by offering their skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown that between 2008 and 2018, the unemployment rate of handy workers consistently dropped from 8% to less than 2%.
The Chief Economist for HomeAdvisor has found that homeowners have averaged over $6,500 in spending on home improvements in the last 12 months. Additionally, home improvement sales are projected to increase to $465 billion in 2022. This shows that there is quite a bit of money to be made if you choose to offer your handy skills and services.
In addition to improving your community while simultaneously earning an income, there are many benefits to providing handyman services, including:
Of course — as with any job — there are downsides as well. It can take time to build a client base that brings in the income you want, and some of the work you do may only be seasonal. Also, some areas require a license to legally provide handyman services, so you’ll want to check out your state’s licensing requirements before you begin.
How to Start A Handyman Business
Once you decide to pursue handyman work, it’s generally considered best to decide on an area of expertise. You might want to try to specialize in everything, and take any job there is out there. But it’s beneficial to ensure that you’re making the most of your time. Ideally, you want to pursue services that are in high demand, where you can do well for yourself relatively quickly.
If you’re looking for big jobs, most home renovations are done in the kitchen, guest bathroom, and master bathroom. So, focusing on those demanding jobs will help you to start marketing yourself for those services. However, many part-time handymen focus on smaller jobs that may seem easy, but others require help with. These include:
Decide whether you want to work on large or small-scale jobs and then go from there. Remember, all ages of your community need services, so just because a job seems small and simple doesn’t mean that it isn’t of great help to someone else.
Next, it’s helpful to put together a business plan. Though you may be offering handyman services only as a side gig, you’ll still want to answer a few questions to help provide direction and you reach your full potential. Ask yourself:
Depending on the work you decide to take on, you may also want to look into getting licensed. Licenses do more than fulfill a possible requirement by a given jurisdiction, they also serve as a marketing tool that lets your potential clients know that you are uniquely qualified for the work you are offering. Different licenses will qualify you for different types of jobs, so be sure to do the research to find the license that best suits you.
You’ll want to explore exactly how you plan to offer your handyman services. Many people do it alone and spend a lot of time and resources building their word-of-mouth reputation and marketing expenses, and competing with others who are offering the same services. Also, those who decide to offer handyman services as a business will have to weigh the expenses of insurance.
Alternatively, some handy workers choose to work with an online matching service that pairs them with clients in search of various services. These online matching companies let you get straight to work by removing the work of having to find clients and spend money on advertising and insurance costs on your own. There are many options for online matching services, so you’ll want to research and choose one that best fits what you have to offer.
Of those available, Hidrent is a top resource for off-duty firefighters who are looking to supplement their income with easily arranged work. We pair firefighters with homeowners and businesses who need repairs and improvements that they can’t do themselves. We list various jobs from small- to large-scale, show you the pay being offered, and help you to schedule a time and date for the job. We even have the insurance component of your handyman service covered.
From helping people live more comfortably in their homes to narrowing down what handyman services you want to offer, Hidrent is here to help. Download our app to find out just how easy it is to get your handyman business started today and grow your income on your terms.