Starting a Home Repair Service

When most people want a wall painted, pictures hung, a ceiling fixture installed, or a new wall where one did not exist before, they do not feel capable of performing that task by themselves. This is especially true of older or retired people. If you are physically able, you do not have to be a skilled carpenter, electrician or plumber to perform minor home repairs.

Yet most people, when they think of having home repairs per­formed, feel they have to go to a contracting service, and it is likely that the charges will be substantial for such a service. If you have even a hobbyist's knack with tools, you can advertise that you do minor home repairs at reasonable rates, and you could find yourself in full-time business quite quickly.

Make it understood to a prospective client that your home repair service is limited to simple carpentry (such as making book­cases), light fixture installation, picture and mirror hanging, paint­ing, even minor plumbing repairs (such as fixing a leaky faucet). Older homeowners, in particular, will be one of your most lucrative markets. Advertise your service boldly but tastefully in the classified section of the newspaper. List the specific services you perform rather than just a general "Home Repair Service."

Your fees will be based on your time plus the cost of materials. Once you are in business you can talk to a local home building sup­plier and impress upon the supplier that you are a professional and would like to receive a professional discount in return for giving the supplier your exclusive business. You should, of course, have your own tools, which may require an initial investment of as much as $400. But if you have lived in a house for any length of time it is likely you already possess most of the tools you will need for this trade, such as a hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches, a drill and a selection of small hardware.

Aside from tools, anything you must buy from a building supplier to complete the job should be billed extra. It will be up to you whether you want to add on to your "wholesale" cost for materials. You should get at least $20 to $32 an hour for your time. Bear in mind that skilled carpenters, electricians and plumbers frequently command in excess of $60 an hour for their time.

Home repair service, although not really seasonal, is done most frequently in the spring and summer months. Carpenters, electri­cians and plumbers find that the winter season brings little work. Therefore you will probably have more competition in the colder months. When a client has asked you to come over to discuss a project, go with the notion that you might be suggesting other projects to your client at the same time. For instance, if you are called in to do minor renovations for a child's room, you might also suggest that the client consider a low-cost platform bed or double-decker beds to create more available play space.

Of course, your "overhead" for this business should not include any kind of facility except a desk and telephone in your home. Your work will be done exclusively outside. As your business grows, you will be in a position to hire a staff of part-time helpers who may not need your degree of skill but who can be very helpful with assistance on the job (at a lower scale of pay). It is possible to de­velop this business to the point where it can net you as much $100,000 a year or more.