If you have always wanted to start your own business, a handyman business can be a great way to get started. You’ll be able to use the skills you already have while creating new opportunities for yourself and earning extra income. It’s not an easy road, though—starting any small business takes hard work and perseverance. To help you avoid some common pitfalls and get off on the right foot, we’ve put together this guide to making sure your handyman business succeeds:
1. Communication Skills
The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills for any small business owner. This is especially true if you’re working with clients who may not be able to articulate what they need or simply don’t know how to ask for it properly. You’ll also need these skills when working with other employees in your company and contractors who work on projects for your clients.
2. Customer Service Skills
A good customer service attitude will go a long way towards keeping customers happy and coming back for more work. Many homeowners hire handymen because they don’t want to deal with contractors who might be pushy or overcharge them unnecessarily — so keeping customers happy while they’re still looking for someone else can help keep them from leaving altogether once they find someone else who can do the job better than you can.
3. Being Organized
You can’t be a good contractor if you’re not organized. You’ll need to keep track of your supplies and tools, as well as the projects you’ve taken on. If you don’t have a good system for this, it will be difficult to efficiently manage your time and money as well as complete each job on time and in budget.
In order to be a good handyman, you have to know how to solve problems in creative ways. Handymen are often called upon when something goes wrong — whether it’s a leaky faucet or an electrical issue — so being able to come up with solutions quickly is key.
4. Plumbing
The plumbing industry is one of the most lucrative in the world; however, if you have no prior experience with this trade, it can be difficult to get started. You will need to know how to install and repair pipes and fixtures such as faucets and toilets. You may also need to know how to replace valves and other components that are part of your plumbing system.
5. Electrical skills
Electrical work is one of the most important skills a handyman can have. You’ll need to be able to install new wiring and repair old wiring if there’s ever an issue with it in your customer’s home or office building. You’ll also need to understand how electricity works so you can troubleshoot problems when they crop up, such as outlets that don’t work or power outlets that get too hot and melt their plastic covers off.
6. Painting skills
Painting is one of the most common tasks that homeowners need help with, whether they want to paint their house or just touch up some walls and trim. If you’re good at painting, then you can offer this service as part of your business and charge more than what other handymen charge for simple repairs like hanging pictures or installing light fixtures.
7. Quality equipment is essential
You can’t do good work if you don’t have quality tools. If you don’t have access to them, buy them yourself! Get everything from screwdrivers and hammers to drills and saws from the best brands available. This will help ensure your work is done correctly and last longer than if you had used cheaper tools instead. Use quality toolboxes for storing and transporting tools. In this way, you will ensure that your equipment lasts a long time and is protected from corrosion and breakage.
8. Knowledge of different trades is important
If you’re going to start your own handyman business, then it’s important that you know how each trade works before getting started with any work. Not only will this allow you to better understand what needs doing when asked by customers; it’ll also help ensure that your customers get exactly what they want when they hire someone with knowledge of different trades!
9. Construction and remodeling
You need to know how to build or repair everything from a door to a roof. This is a broad category that can include everything from plumbing and electrical work to building a deck or patio, installing drywall and painting. It is best to learn from experienced masters. When you come across something you don’t know how to do, call on your colleagues for help. Don’t turn customers away, find a solution.
10. Marketing skills
Handymen must be able to market themselves and their services if they want to attract new clients and grow their business over time. Marketing skills include knowing what kinds of ads will reach your target audience (which isn’t always easy), creating effective marketing materials like flyers and brochures, and knowing how much money you should spend on advertising without going overboard on costs that won’t pay off for months or years down the road (like expensive websites).
Being a handyman is less of a business and more of an art. It’s an art that you have to be born with the natural ability for, but that you can learn through experience and hard work. People who decide to take up this craft need to be willing to roll up their sleeves and do what needs to be done. It also helps if they are passionate about transforming homes into true works of art, but even if they aren’t, they will still find success – as long as they follow these 10 tips.
As time goes on, you will be able to work on improving your skills and be able to invest in your business. Don’t forget – it’s only important to start and be directed towards your goal.
