Cash In On Home Repair Business

Hello again,

Today I would like to chat about getting more customers by promoting going "green". When you start your handyman business keeping busy in the winter months can be a challenge. I have given some ideas in the past about ways to get customers in the winter. Today I want to expand into the green area.

I am sure most of you have heard about the stimulus package that Congress passed earlier this year. Inside that stimulus was money for homeowners to make upgrades to their home (and businesses) to make them more energy efficient.

So how can a small business owner get a piece of this money. One program is for homeowners who want to upgrade doors, windows, appliances and insulation. The homeowner will receive a rebate if they replace their old with new more energy efficient items. This is where you come in. If you offer or can get into doing some of this work then you have a way to keep busy all year long.

Start by educating your self on what is available in your state and the rules that apply. Then go out an educate your customers. Here is a link to some information that can get you started

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

This is only a start, you will need to be sure you understand the ins and outs of the program to be sure your customers receive their rebates.

I hope this helps. Until next time.

Hello,

Yesterday I wrote about why using verbal contracts when you start your handyman business is not a very good idea. Today lets talk about why using a written contract is a good idea and some things that I think should be included. Remember, I am not an attorney and I am not giving out legal advise. I am just giving examples of what we did, you should talk with your own legal adviser about your specific needs.

When a customer would contact us and ask us for a price to install something, I would sometimes give them a ball park figure over the phone. I would preference it with the fact that this figure was on a guess and we could not give a firm price until we check out the job. Even small jobs like replacing a light fixture or ceiling fan can turn into problems and you do not want to commit until you actually see what you will be facing.

So after we would go out and look at the job, then we would either give them a written estimate on the spot, if it was something fairly simple or we would have to mail them the estimate if it was more complicated. Either way, we also put our price and terms in writing. If the customer wanted the job done while we were there, we would still make out a written estimate and have them sign it before we would begin work.

Our estimates would include things like, price for labor, if any material was needed beyond the normal stuff, and a disclaimer that if we run into any hidden problems that there maybe additional charges.

Why did we have a disclaimer for hidden problems? Even for simple jobs like replacing a light fixture, until you actually remove the fixture you can not be 100% sure that there is not a hidden problem and the job will take longer than you first thought.

Our estimates were not complicated and I created them on my computer using Quick Books. The guys also had some generic forms that they could use in the field. These forms were purchased from an office supply store and were in duplicates. One went to the customer and one was our copy. The customer had to sign the form before we started work. If I mailed them an estimate I would state that by scheduling the job the customer agrees to the terms of the estimate.

My estimates also included a sentence about payment. I did very little billing. Most jobs were paid the same day we did the job. Exceptions to this would be if we were doing a large job, like finishing a basement, then payment would be in stages.

Depending on the type of jobs you do a simple estimate made on your computer or by hand at the job site may work just fine for you. If you are doing more complicated work, like additions to homes, then you will probably need a more formal, in-depth contract.

I hope this helps. Until next time.

Hello again,

For most of us in the country, the weather is turning colder, the days are getting shorter, and old man winter is creepy in. What does this have to do with your business? When you start a handyman business your keeping busy in the winter can be a challenged. So what can you do to keep the phone ringing?

In my last post I wrote about a possible service you could subscribe to as one way to possible obtain business. But that will cost you money and you are placing your leads into someone else’s hand.

My suggestion is to take a look at what service you are currently offering and see what you can add that would give you business in the winter time.

For instance, if in your area people have fireplaces, cleaning chimneys is something you can look into offering. Also hanging Christmas lights might be a service people are willing to hire out. Water heaters repairs/replacements always seem to pick up for us.

Water heaters will tend to go out more in the winter than in the summer. When the temperature drops outside the water coming into homes will be colder and can cause a water heater to stop working properly. Electric water heaters are easier to learn how to fix than gas water heaters. In an electric water heater the main part is the element, and that is what heats the water. We would charge around $65.00 plus material to replace an element.

If the water heater needed to be replace our charge was $225.00 plus material to replace an electric water heater. Gas water heaters were more.

Some municipalities may require a permit to replace a water heater, so if this is a service you are considering, make sure you find out what the requirements are in your area.

You could also offer to do a winter check of someone home. This is where you would go into a home and make suggestions about what the owner can do to help reduce energy cost and possible catch a potential problem before it becomes a big problem. You could charge a nominal fee for doing this, with the hopes of getting some work.

You could also offer a package, where for a certain price you will come out and do things like, clean clothes dryer’s vents, clean drain hole and pain on refrigerators, caulk around windows, doors, sinks, tubs, showers. Clean exhaust fans and range hood fans blades, making sure they are working properly. Check the attic vents to make sure they are fine. Leaf blowing is also something people need to do.

I bet if you walk through your own home and make a list of things that need to be completed, you can find many ideas for jobs that you can do that will not cost you much to offer, but may add nicely to your bottom line, and help keep you busy this winter.

Until next time.

Hello again,

So if you are still reading this, then I am assuming you have decided that starting a handyman business, or any business, is something you really want to do. That you are willing to do the things others are not willing to do and that you have decided what type of help you may need with running your handyman business.

If that is the case, lets move on to step 2, some of the nuts and bolts of beginning a business. You will need a name for your business. Something that gives people an idea of what it is that you do. It can be something catchy, but keep it short and simple if possible. it would be a good idea to include either the words handyman or home repair business or something similar. Just remember to keep it simple.

Next you need to decide how you will set up your business. What type of legal entity you will choose. This topic alone will take several post, or in reality an entire book to cover. I have posted on this topic before. To help you get started I suggest you go to your local library and get a book on the subject. Most libraries will have several books on this topic. You want to spend some time educating yourself on this topic. It would probably be a good idea to consult with an attorney and accountant before you decide anything. How you set yourself up is very important and you do not want to do it wrong.

I am neither an accountant or lawyer, but these are your basic choices when deciding on an entity. Sole proprietorship, corporation, sub chapter S corporation, LLC, partnership. Each has their pros and cons, so again you will probably want to consult with the professionals for help in deciding which one to choose.

Since this is a pretty heavy topic and if done correctly will take some work on your part (remember when you start a handyman business you must be willing to do what others are not) I will end this post on just this topic.

If you have any questions just post a comment or send me an email and I will get back to you. dcmense@centurytel.net

Until next time

With the economy being challenging for business owners, keeping existing customer returning and getting new customers is a main concern for business owners. People who are just starting a handyman business will need to think outside the box when it comes to keeping and obtaining customers.

Get letter of references that you can use to show other potential customers. Make sure you hand out your business cards to everyone and put them everywhere. Partner with someone who does work that you do not do (like painting or roofing) and make up flyer's to put up around your area. You can also mail these out to past customer or customers that have inquired about hiring you.

Get trained in other areas. Find out what your customers are having a hard time getting done around the house and see if its an area you can expand into. Some possible areas might be locksmith, pest control, property management. Ask your customers what they need and then find a way to fulfill their need.

The most important point is to make sure that you keep your name in front of people. so that when they need a handyman for their home repair project, you are the person they call.

For more tips on obtaining customer, enter your first name and email address in the box to the right and download my free report.

One way you could start your handyman business is buy purchasing a franchise. There are several companies that offer franchises for the home repair business. Just do a goggle or yahoo search and check to see what you find. You may also find some listed in your local yellow pages. I believe that a handyman business can be started easily enough without going the franchise route, however for some people having the support of the franchise is just what they need.

Be sure to check very closely into before signing any agreements to purchase a handyman business. Know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

When you have your own business, keeping current customers coming back and obtaining new ones is always a challenge. Offering incentives for people to do business with you will sometimes give you an edge over your competitor's. This article on Lowe's web site give some tips on reaching out to people. Although it is geared to finding tenants, the concept works for any business.

http://www.lowesforpros.com/marketing-in-a-down-economy