How to Make Money as a Handyman

The key to making a living as a handyman is knowledge, ability and customer service skills. Like any business owner you have to know your trade, and know how to handle people. Lot's of people make the mistake of thinking a handyman is just a guy who does little jobs on the side. This is not always the case. The true handyman is a person who is providing a professional service to the members of their community using their knowledge and experience.

The handyman is the original jack of all trades customer service representative. For the handyman of any skill level, there are a few general rules to follow in order to ensure quality service. Quality service leads to repeat business and word of mouth from your customers is the number one thing that helps you get your business going. Other important keys to success include the following factors.

Knowledge and ability: If you don't know how to do it, don't. Although the handyman is known for having the understanding of several construction trades, many will find that they know more about one or two specific fields than others. If a job calls for a skill with which you are only semi familiar or do not have a lot of experience in, let them know. Customers will appreciate the fact that you are honest with them. While you may loose that particular job to a more skilled worker, you will gain the trust of your customers and be the first person they think of for a job they know you can do. This also gives them the option of deciding if the cost of having a specialist doing the job is worth it. Many handyman services will give references to clients who have a specific job that they may not be as proficient in.

Networking: A big fancy word for talking to a lot of people about a lot of things. It never hurts to know other people in your trade. This gives you the inside scoop on difficult customers, information on different types of jobs and references. It's also nice to have a few skilled persons you can call to help you out when a larger project comes your way. Also don't limit your networking to just other handypersons. Being on friendly terms with several different contractors helps you land jobs because they will give your name out as a reference to clients who have smaller jobs to be done or who have requested jobs that the particular contractor doesn't do. Word of mouth spreads your advertising like nothing else. If a client is pleased with your work, they will tell everyone they know who needs something done to their home. Always leave a card or contact information with your clients. Leave a couple for them to give to their friends.

Legal issues: Do you need a license? Make sure and check with your local building codes authority before doing any large scale jobs. Some places require a license to do certain types of work that fall into the handyman service category. Having a license will help you get better paying jobs as clients always prefer someone who is licensed to someone who is not. You can also charge more for your services if you have one. Most places have several levels of license you can apply for depending on how specialized you want to get. For most types of jobs you will encounter as a handyperson, a general contractor license is not required, it is however advisable to go ahead and spend that few hundred dollars on a general handiwork license.

Insurance: This is one thing that the general handyperson really needs to look into when plying a handyman service. While the average handyman doesn't need something as grand as small business general liability insurance, general self employment insurance such as worker's comp is advisable. It is also necessary if you plan to obtain a business permit or handiwork license. The self employed workman's compensation insurance is not very expensive and covers you in case of injury, any laborers you may have on the job and negates the homeowners responsibility if you are injured on their property. Many homeowners would prefer to hire someone who has their own insurance. Also, many homeowners insurance companies require the person doing the work on the home to have insurance before they will pay the homeowner for having the work done. So this works out well for everyone.

Tools: Most clients expect their handyman to have their own tools. It makes you look more professional and eliminates extra costs because you can take on more jobs knowing you already have the tools to do them. Now while you don't need to keep the whole power tool section of the home improvement store in your basement, you will need basic hand tools and a few all purpose power tools such as a drill, a reciprocating saw and a circular saw. If you have more specialized power tools, you can add a surcharge into your bid for work for already having the tool available and not having to rent one to do a job. Always carry your basic hand tools to a job site and any other specialty tools that you know you will need. No one wants to drive 45 minutes to a job that will take a half an hour and then realize they need a hammer or a drill to get it done.

Pricing your services: While having a set list of charges for specific services is not necessary, it is helpful if you retain the same general price range for similar jobs. For instance if you know you want to be paid $25 to hang and finish a sheet of drywall, maintain this price throughout your bidding process. The number one mistake new handypersons make is bidding too low in order to get the job. You don't want to bid low to get the job if you are going to end up in the hole on time and labor after it is finished. You have to take into consideration all necessary elements of the job before bidding, that way it's worth your time and the customer will know what charges to expect before taking your bid.

Here are a few examples of things to consider when giving a client a price on a job: transportation expense (to and from the job, hardware store and specialty store trips during the job), labor per hour charge for yourself and any additional help, tool rental or tool insurance, tool usage charge, materials, any permits needed, license and insurance fees, research fees (for those clients who just have to have a specific item), design fees (for remodels, landscaping etc.) and service call fees. Depending on what the job will entail determines how many of these charges will apply. It is not necessary to give a total break down of all these charges to the client when giving the bid, but these are all things that need to be considered before determining your price for a given job. Most handyman services will include at least the transportation charges, insurance and license charges, service call fees and a small charge for their tools into their hourly rate if they provide one to their clients. Some handyman services simply charge by the job. Whichever works best for your services and your clients is how you should charge.

When to contract: Generally speaking, most of the jobs the handyman service will run into will not require a contract. However, there are those few jobs where contracts are needed or clients who would prefer one. Follow these guidelines for determining when you should have a contract.

Any type of work being done for a homeowners insurance company should have at least a handwritten agreement of some type for the homeowner to give to the insurance company as a courtesy to the client. Any large scale job, something that is going to cost over $500 to fix or build or is going to take more than two days should include a contract. Anything that requires you or the homeowner to have a permit needs to be put into writing. Any job that can possibly incur more than what is already agreed upon for charges needs to be contracted. This would include things like, fixing a leaky roof or basement, as once you tear up the area to replace it there may be additional damage that has to be fixed before you can do the agreed upon work. Anytime you are called out to fix more than two things at the same location, simply because it clears up the understandings and expectations you and the client have on what exactly is covered in your price and what is extra. Anything that your service guarantees or requires repeat maintenance services should be hashed out with a contract.

You do not need to be a lawyer to draw up a contract. A simple handwritten agreement that outlines the details of the job being done, the expected charges and timeline should suffice. To check legal guidelines to home improvement contracts in your area, contact the local building codes authority.

Downtime: Staying busy when the your in a slump. There is always a need for handyman services, but for the times when business is slow, here are a few ways to keep your head above water and your business up and going. Branch out. While you may want to limit your services to one or two trades, consider taking on less prestigious jobs. Lawn services and cleanup services are always a nice addition to general construction services, and even when not many people are looking to remodel their bathroom, they still need things like yard work and cleanup done. This is also a good service to offer to real estate management companies as they often prefer to work with people they already know. If you offer cleanup services for rental properties, leave a card and resume with the client so they will know you offer other services and they are more apt to call you when odds and ends jobs come along than contacting a specialty company because you are less expensive and more readily available.

Other things to do during slow periods include, hiring yourself out as a ready call labor person, especially to those who operate in fields you are skilled in. as skilled laborers are apt to be paid better. You can also consider applying as a temporary crew member on jobs in fields you want to learn more about and use the time to gain valuable knowledge that will help your own service company. Go to school. If there is a particular trade that you would like to specialize in, consider taking part time classes at a trade school during your slow time. This increases your knowledge of the area, opens up all kinds of opportunities, and looks really good on a resume.

Advertise. Let people know you are out there! Spend your down time drumming up more business. Good ways to advertise your services include sending out flyers, posting ads on free community boards and internet sites and attending trade fairs to network with specialty service companies. You can also visit local real estate agents, property management companies, auction companies, mortgage companies, mobile home sales service companies and hardware stores leaving your contact info and a flyer listing your services. When your out driving around, stop anywhere that looks like they could use your services and leave a card. Yard sales, flea markets, anywhere that attracts a large amount of traffic from the general public is a good place to advertise your service. Also look for new construction sites and leave your information with the construction foreman.

Always be professional. A professional appearance goes along way towards a clients decision to hire you vs. the competition. Of course the obvious, no cussing, drinking or smoking on the job are essential. A clean, neat well groomed appearance is important when representing yourself to a client. Although the general stereotype of the handyman is a mental picture of the plumber in his overalls and a tool belt, most clients expect to meet a sales person when seeking professional services.

Last but not least, keep your customers happy. Clear communication is the most essential part of any business and the handyman industry is no different. Be receptive to answering any questions a client may have and try to give detailed responses if possible. Let the client know ahead of time if extra charges are going to come into consideration and always give them options whenever possible. Judge your clients communication style and try to tailor your service to their needs. Some clients will know exactly what they want while others will have no idea what needs to be done. Some clients will be direct and to the point while others may need a detailed explanation of work to be performed before hiring you. Spend a few minutes introducing yourself to your client and going over what type of work they want assessed before diving into the job. This gives both you and the client a friendly and positive working atmosphere and makes it easier on both of you. Never hesitate to offer a receipt for your services and always make follow up calls after the work is completed to ensure the clients satisfaction. If your clients are happy, so is your pocket!