Cash In On Home Repair Business

Hello again,

In my last post I talked wrote about how we are already into the second month of the year and I ask you all where you are with your handyman business. After thinking about this questions for a bit, I believe the is a more fundamental question that everyone needs to ask them self: whether you are starting a handyman business or before doing anything else.

That question is: What is your why?

What do I mean by this? Why are you starting a handyman business? What do you hope to achieve? Is starting a handyman business in line with your purpose? You do have a purpose don't you?

Why are these questions important to ask. Because if you do not have a big enough why for what you are doing, then you will give up at the first time you run into an obstacle. Successful people not only know their why, but they write them down, and read it several times a day. Doing this will help keep you going when things get tough. Knowing your why will help you make better decisions with when it comes to your handyman business, your time, your money, and everything else you do.

So your assignment is to sit down today, not tomorrow or next week, today and figure out what your why is for how you spend your day. If you can not come up with a why, or it does not excite you, then maybe you doing the wrong thing. If that is the case, figure out what you why is and what you can do to accomplish your why.

Until next time,

Denise

Hello again,

Here we are already into the second month of the new year. Time is flying by. So where are you with your handyman business? Have you started it yet? Have you sat down and written out your plan for the year? Do you want to make your goals this year, or will you be like most other people: they make resolutions but then do not follow through?

It takes a lot of commitment to stay focus on what you want to accomplish. Most people will give up at the first obstacle that hits them. Will you be different? Will you be one of the few people that wants to make a change and actually does it?

Think about this.

Until next time.

Hello again,

This will be a short post. In case you did not hear Congress passed a bill extending tax credits for home buyers. How does this help people who are starting a handyman business? People selling will want to fix little things to make the home more appealing. Buyers may want to make changes after they buy. Get out there and let your community know you can help.

Here is a link to an article that explains the tax credit a little more. http://www.builderonline.com/legislation/breaking-news-congress-extends-expands-housing-tax-credit.aspx?cid=BLDR091105002

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,

Today I would like to chat about contracts. Not an exciting subject, however, when you start a handyman business you will need to decide how you will handle giving people estimates. Will you use verbal agreements or more formal contracts?

I am not a lawyer and I am not giving you advise, however it has been our experience that going by a verbal agreement, no matter who the customer is, is not a good idea. Even if the job is small, doing work by verbal agreement can lead to big head aches. It only took one bad experience going on verbal agreement with a friend to realize not matter what, always put the main points of your job in writing. Even if it was a small job I always made sure that I would send a written agreement to the customer.

The problem with verbal agreements is that people have short memories. And if there is a problem with the job, that will really lead to head aches. Also if the job really got out of hand and one party wanted to take the other party to court, without something in writing it would be very hard to prove anything.

While you may not need a long, formal contract, you do need something. How much detail should you include? We will discuss this issue in the next post.

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,

Yesterday I received an email from a company called ServicMagic.com. Some of you might be familiar with this business. When you start a handyman business getting established in the community can take some time. This company may be a way to receive referrals to potential customers that you might not have had access to.

First, I do not have any kind of relationship with Service Magic. Several years ago we did sign up for their service to obtain leads, used it for a couple of months, and then dropped it.

What they do is they have a list of people who offer handyman services, or does some type of home repair, including landscapers, inspectors, painters, movers etc. When a potential customers goes to their website and answers a few questions about what the customer is looking to have completed, Service Magic will contact someone in the customers area that provides the service, give the company the customers information, then it’s up to you to follow up with the customer.

The service is free (I do believe) to potential customers, however the people receiving the leads are charged a monthly fee, based on which level they choose to belong to.

Like I said earlier, we did subscribe to their service and we did receive leads. Most of the leads were tire kickers, people thinking about doing some work; however these tire kickers if approached correctly can become good customers. I will admit we did not spend the time to really try and convert these people into customers. This was an error on our part. We were pretty busy at the time and made the mistake of not following up properly. Learn from our mistake.

Service Magic also offers helpful tips for business owners to help them get customers.

Since we have not used them for quite some time, I am not endorsing or saying not to try the company. When you start a handyman business, getting customers can be a challenged and this might be a way to generate more leads. You will have to decide if the cost and the leads you receive are worth your money and time.

Until next time.

Hello again,

We just finished up a 7 part series outlining the steps to take when you want to start a handyman business. Today I would like to talk about what type of tools do you really need to start a handyman business?

The tools that you will need will vary somewhat depending on the type of handyman work you will be doing. There are basic tools that everyone who start a handyman business will need to have. Some of these include: hammer, screwdrivers, tape measure, crescent wrench (small, medium, and large), channel-lock pliers, utility knife, regular pliers, needle nose pliers, extension cord, saw horses, level, crowbars. This is not an exclusive list, but it gives you a good start.

I would also suggest that you invest is a good cordless power tool combination kit. When doing smaller jobs, these tools will be much easier to use and carry with you, rather than a corded tools. You will want to look for a kit that includes a drill, reciprocating saw, circular say and maybe a flashlight. This kit will cost some money, however having the correct tools is essential for your handyman business.

You will also want to have a small ladder, something around 4 foot. You do not want to have to borrow a ladder from your customer. You may also want to have a camera, calculator and estimates sheets with you at all times. You never know when you will be on the job and a customer will ask for a price to do more work for them. Always be prepared to give an estimate.

Why would you want to have a camera with you? If your customers give you permission, taking before and after pictures of jobs is always a good ideal. You can then use those pictures to show other potential customers. Pictures will also help you possibly remember things when you are doing estimates such as replacing kitchen cabinets.

There are some specialty tools that you may want to pick up. Such tools may include, electrical tester, wire strippers, a 10" portable table saw, sliding compound miter saw, portable belt sander, and possibly a set wrecking bars. These are tools that you may not need when you first start your handyman business, however they maybe items you want to add to your tool arsenal as times go on you and you are ask to take on different types of jobs.

One thing you want to be careful of is not to get caught up in all the fancy gadgets that are available. It is easy to go into a hardware store and see all the cool tools that there is and want to purchase the latest and greatest gadget. Ask yourself these basic questions before you make a purchase: Will this new tool be needed in the next couple of weeks? Will this new tool really assist me in doing a job, better or more efficiently? Will I use this tool more than once? Can I rent this tool if I will only be using it once in the next several months? Will this tool help me expand the services I offer. If the answer is yes to most of these questions, then making the purchase maybe warranted.

Remember, when you start your handyman business you want to make sure you have the tools you need to do the jobs you will be doing, however, you do not want to being buying tools that you do not really need.

Until next time.

Hello Summer! I am in the Midwest and summer has officially started with high temperatures and high humidity. When you start a handyman business, you cannot just stop working because its hot. So here are a few tips to help you deal with the summer heat and humid.

If possible, if you are doing outside work, start as early as possible. Also be sure to bring with you, and drink, lots and lots of water. Stay away from soda, tea, and even drinks like Gatorade. These all have sugar which does not help to keep you hydrated. Stick with water to keep you hydrated.

If you will be doing several jobs in one day, you may want to avoid using the a/c in your car while you are driving. By not using your a/c, your body will stay acclimated to the hot weather better. Yes it will cool you down for your drive, however it will make it harder on your body when you reach your next job, (if its an outside job).

Be sure to bring an extra shirt or two with you and maybe even carry some deodorant with you. Changing your shirt (not at the customers house) will help keep you feeling fresh, and is a good idea if you are going to be doing estimates later in the day.

While you cannot stop working because its hot, you do need to use some common sense when doing outside jobs. If you do roofing, you would not roof a house if its 10 degrees outside. so why would you climb on a roof when its 100 degrees outside? Yes, some will, however you need to use caution if you decide to do major work outside when its very hot.

People assume that when they start a handyman business common sense will always prevail. However I have found from our years of having a handyman business that this is not always the case.

Because of this I have a list of helpful tips that if you remember to do business by, will help your business be around for a long time.

You must give good customer service. This should be a no brainier, however you would be surprised by the number of complaints we heard from customers about receiving bad service.

Make sure you show up on time, and if not call. Again, another one that seems so simple to do, however for some reason does not get done like it should.

Be nice and do not cuss. Give more than your customer expects. Charge a fair price

Return phone calls. You have no idea how many times we heard customers complaining about this one. My policy was to return calls the same day if at all possible or the next at worst case. I would even call people back over the weekends.

These are just a few examples of what to do, however these are probably the most important ones that need to be adhered to, if you want your handyman business to be around for the long haul.