Start A Handyman Business - Business Ideas
Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.
A handyman business covers a wide range of home repair and maintenance services, making it an easy entry into the industry.
You can start with minimal resources, and by providing valuable assistance to customers, you'll quickly establish yourself as a trusted professional in the field.
To start a handyman business on a budget, identify your skills and the services you can offer confidently.
Then, create a basic business plan outlining your services, target market, and pricing.
Next, obtain any necessary licenses or permits, and invest in basic tools and equipment.
Finally, promote your services through word of mouth, local advertising, and online platforms to attract customers and gradually grow your handyman business.
Starting a handyman business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.
If you're interested in how to sell handyman services, or selling handyman services online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.
Want to learn more? You can check out our full guide on how to start a handyman business ➜
Key Stats
Startup Costs
| Min Startup Costs | Max Startup Costs | |
|---|---|---|
|
Office Space Expenses |
$0 |
$7,000 |
|
Employee & Freelancer Expenses |
$151 |
$352 |
|
Website Costs |
$223 |
$7,215 |
|
Business Formation Fees |
$5,600 |
$20,400 |
|
Vehicle Expenses |
$2 |
$4 |
|
Software Expenses |
$162 |
$3,094 |
|
Advertising & Marketing Costs |
$0 |
$1,000 |
|
Equipment & Supply Expenses |
$3 |
$1,000 |
|
Specific Industry Expenses |
$0 |
$500 |
|
Total Startup Costs |
$6,141 |
$40,565 |
Case Studies
•
$8K/mo
•
$21K/mo
•
$30K/mo
Successful Businesses
| Business | URL | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
TaskRabbit |
taskrabbit.com |
18,057 |
|
|
Mr. Handyman International LLC |
franchise.mrhandyman.com |
138,099 |
|
|
Home Repair and Do It Yourself Tips and Advice |
naturalhandyman.com |
374,116 |
|
|
Handyman Startup |
handymanstartup.com |
391,068 |
|
|
Handyman Connection |
handymanconnection.com |
464,254 |
|
|
Ace HandyMan Services |
acehandymanservices.com |
604,493 |
|
|
Handyman Reviewed |
handymanreviewed.com |
978,752 |
|
|
HandyPro Handyman Services |
handypro.com |
1,477,259 |
|
|
Handymann |
handymann.ee |
1,529,307 |
|
|
Vfix Maintenance |
vfixmaintenance.com |
1,954,514 |
|
|
Fixer |
fixer.com |
1,998,671 |
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Description |
|---|---|
|
Flexibility |
You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own. |
|
Little startup costs required |
The cost to start a handyman business costs significantly less money than most businesses, ranging anywhere from 62 to 40,565. |
|
Rewarding work |
Starting a handyman business can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about. |
|
Meaningful business connections |
You never know who you will meet as a handyman business. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity! |
|
High margins |
The gross margins for your handyman business are typically around 65%, which is considerably high and allows you to grow your business and manage costs easily. |
|
Quick build time |
The average time it takes to build your product is quick - typically around 8 months. This will allow you to bring your product to market faster. |
| Cons | Description |
|---|---|
|
Stressful work |
This line of work can be stressful for both you and your clients. This type of transaction is a significant financial decision for your client, so expectations are very high for you. Although this career path can be very rewarding, it also comes with its challenges and stressful moments. |
|
Work can be repetitive |
You may find creating the same product over and over repetitive and tiresome. One way of avoiding this is to diversify product lines and revenue streams - this will keep things interesting! |
|
Time commitment |
With starting a handyman business, all responsibilities and decisions are in your hands. Although this is not necessarily a negative thing, work life can take over at times. This can place a strain on friends and family and add to the pressure of launching a new business. |
|
Impatient customers |
You may offer an engaging user experience for your customer, but customers expect a lot and may be impatient if they aren't pleased with your product or service. |
|
You might struggle financially (at first)! |
If you bootstrap your business or choose not to pay yourself (or pay yourself less than you were making at your corporate job), this can be financially taxing. It's important to adjust your lifestyle and set a plan for yourself so you don't find yourself in a stressful situation. |
|
More of a challenge to run your business from home! |
Running your business from the comfort of your own home is a big appeal for many entrepreneurs. With a handyman business, you are more likely to run your business out of your office or storefront space. |
Marketing Ideas
-
1
Direct Sales
Direct sales strategy implies a direct contact between a seller and a consumer without the involvement of any third party. Direct selling is popular in sectors where sellers communicate with their clientele personally. The sales technique occurs at non-store locations which include at home, work, or online.
For direct selling to succeed, hire a few (or many) salespeople to support the sales conversion process. It's critical that you assign them specific roles and responsibilities to nurture the client and provide excellent support.
-
2
Word of mouth
Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.
Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.
According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.
Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.
-
3
Partnerships
A partnership is a formal agreement between two or more entities to oversee business operations and share profits and liabilities.
Creating strategic partnerships with an existing business can be a huge win for a startup.
This is considering that a partnership creates a new slate of future options for your startup.
On the other side, pursuit of partnerships could suck up a ton of time, and bunch of resources, and fail to materialize.
Therefore, entrepreneurs need to do proper research and evaluate the possibilities of achieving success through partnerships.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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