Handyman Services

[Derek Tuchscherer]

Have any of you ever done handyman type work outside of your regular/day job? What are the up/downsides to doing this? If so did you advertise these services and how did you determine what to charge?

Thanks in Advance
Derek

[Pat Germain]

While I have not done this, Derek, you may be interested in a service a friend of mine provided back in Virginia. My friend Mike was a fireman who often had time off during week days. He and another fireman started a two man company which did nothing but assemble things.

That's right. Whenever somebody bought a bicycle, BBQ, furniture or whatever, Mike and his coworker would show up, put it together in no time, and charge a nominal fee. His customers expanded mostly through word of mouth.

Now, the sucess of this endeavor may have been helped by the fact Mike and his coworker were a couple of hunky fireman who worked mostly for single moms. However, there sure were a lot of people incapable of assembling anything and not having the tools to do so. While department stores sometimes offer assembly, they were more expensive and not nearly as convenient.

Thus, I would think just assembling things would be a good way to get started as a "Handyman". If you're visiting the home of a single mom to assemble a bicycle, dollars to doughnuts you're going to find a few things around the house in need of repair. ;)

As for what to charge, you might try learning what the BORG charges for services and offer competitive prices.

[Derek Tuchscherer]

Hmmm, that's something to thing about...while I was reading your post I thought "how many people would pay for that?" then it occured to me just how easy that might be to do. Thanks Pat I think I will for sure be giving that some thought.

Derek

[Joe Pelonio]

I do it often, but don't have time or the inclination to do it for even a part time living. I do it by word of mouth only, for friends of "family and friends".
Naturally, for the actually family and friends I do it without pay.

The problem as I see it is liability, any time I get paid it's through the business and even if I'm texturing drywall it's part of the sign business so my insurance is covering it. If it requires a permit they have to get it or I won't do the work.

What to charge? It depends, my rate is $75/hour normally for sign work, but depending on the nature of the work and who it's for I might go down to $30,
usually still less than they would pay a contractor.

[Rick Gifford]

I have done a significant amount of handyman work. All word of mouth, I have never advertised.

I mosly do it to help someone out. I charge a low fee. I start at a mere $15 an hour and make adjustments according to what is involved.

The less I know a person the more I will charge and the less I am willing to take on. I am not running a business, just helping out. If I feel I am being used and abused I won't take the job. Believe me, there are folks who want everything for nothing!

Right now I have a great reputation for good work. If I decide to do it for a living a foundation is set. Of course prices would go up...

The best thing to do is figure out the least you will take an hour. Get a few jobs and do your absolute best. Give them more than their monies worth. Pretty soon word of mouth will have people calling you.

Some folks advertize their services in a local bulletin board.

[Mike Henderson]

In this area, there's a demand for handyman services - providing you do excellent work and especially if you're referred by the buyer's friends. The going rate is about $80/hr which sounds like a lot, but you have to keep in mind that you may only work a couple of hours at one place, then have to travel somewhere else (if you have another job waiting). AND you have to have a truck full of all kind of parts since you don't know what the job will require.

This information comes from my wife. She was having lunch with some of her girlfriends when they started complaining about how difficult it is to find someone to do handyman work. They compared prices of the people they use. My wife didn't say anything and finally one of them asked her, "What does it cost you for handyman services?" She just smiled and said, "I sleep with my handyman."

Mike

[Tom Godley]

We have a guy in the area -- my sister has used him many times.


I love his name. "Honey - Do - Man"

[Rick Gifford]

They compared prices of the people they use. My wife didn't say anything and finally one of them asked her, "What does it cost you for handyman services?" She just smiled and said, "I sleep with my handyman."

Mike

Aw! But the question is, is she getting a good deal? ;) lol

[Jim Podsedly]

When I was starting a home inspection business in Colorado many years ago a realtor friend of mine told me there is a huge need for sellers to have things fixed quickly to the buyers satisfaction prior to the sale.

The realtor said she was always scrambling to find a handyman to fix things quickly so the sale would go through on time.

The best way to get the name out there is print up flyers and business cards and go to every realty office in the area. The front desk person usually will let you go to the mailbox section of the office and put the flyers in each box.

just an idea.
Jim

[Derek Tuchscherer]

Thanks for all the ideas up til now, Pat, my wife read your response, and she wasn't real keen on the thought of me going to a bunch of single women's places to "work":rolleyes: Oh well, I am going to look at a small "shelving job" at a daycare at lunch today, this woman advertised in the local free online classifieds for over two months, when I saw it get renewed yet again I thought, "Hey I might as well check it out".

I will let you all know how it goes.

Derek

[Pat Germain]

...Pat, my wife read your response, and she wasn't real keen on the thought of me going to a bunch of single women's places to "work":rolleyes: Derek

Doh! Sorry, Derek. I didn't mean to suggest anything tawdry was going on. I think it helped to add buzz to Mike's company. No doubt after he helped a customer, she'd tell her friends, "You should have seen these two fireman I had over at my house yesterday". This would lead to they why and another referral.

I do indeed a great need for such services. In addition to single women with no handyman skills are most men these days. It seems the ability to fix things and perform minor construction tasks are dying arts for the average homeowner. I have a friend who's a highly intelligent engineer. He was building a deck and doing a bangup job. One day he complained he couldn't figure out how to crosscut some boards 12" wide and 12' long. I asked him if he tried a sliding compound miter saw. He had never heard of such a tool. He rented a SCMS and it worked great. ;)

The big problem with being a part-time handyman is getting licensed, bonded and insured. That's a lot of money and effort for part-time work.

[Leo Voisine]

Have any of you ever done handyman type work outside of your regular/day job? What are the up/downsides to doing this? If so did you advertise these services and how did you determine what to charge?

Thanks in Advance
Derek

Yes I did it for a couple of years, full time.

I bought a Mr. Handyman franchise. Lots of potential. Income potential is high - BUT - it is a business, and needs to be treated as such. I was not able to get it to the point where I could draw an income in the time that I needed. (long story) Please don't take that as a negative.

If you just want to be a handyman and you are the only worker - you will make money ONLY when you are out there banging nails. January, February, and for the most part March are to be considered "no income" months. You will need to deliver the goods. In other words, you will NEED to be a professional and DO professional work. If you are out sick - no pay. If you go on vacation - no pay. Bad weather - no pay.

You will NEED liability insurance. you SHOULD set up a corporation and, do NOT, let yourself fall into the trap of being a personal guarentor. You WILL be sorry for that.

There are several professional handyman services out there. Look up their web sites and learn from their advertisemants.

If you are OK being the only worker - you will be busy.

If you wish to run a business and hire workers to do the work - there is great potential. If you wish to purchase a franchise - be careful. Advertising - is VERY important, answering the phone, is VERY important, HOW you answer the phone is very important. Advertising is VERY expensive. Your VAN is very important, and it IS advertising.

Remember too - as the housing slump continues - every carpenter that is out of work now becomes yet another independant handyman, at a lower pay rate than you would care to compete with.

You will also need to content with customers. Most are good - but there definately are those that absolutely PLAN to screw you over.

You asked about doing it FULL time - not just as a part time.

Going rates across the country for professional handyman services are $80 to $110 per hour, with a service charge for the first hour of $30-$50 in addition to the first hourly charge.

If you have 5-10 vans with technicians doing the work and you have a customer service rep or two answering the phones, and you control your expenses, and you have the right combination of advertising and call volume and you close 50% of the calls, you could potentially have an income of $100k to $300k per year. P.S. - if you think you are going to get every caller to accept your service, it's not gonna happen. Income should be measures at about $100k to $150k per van.

That sounds like BIG numbers - but don't forget. Liability insurance, Workers Comp insurance, payroll, and lots of other expenses.

Ohhh - I could write more than you would want to read - but -

[keith ouellette]

I have done everything from tile to roofing. Drywall, painting, minor plumbing,
moved furniture, bathroom vanities, garbage disposals, ceiling fans, hot water heaters, window replacement, rotten wood replacement, siding, soffit and facia repairs. All without a licence. I'm a real scab.

Only one complaint and It was trivial. On average I earned about $30 per hour including driving and picking up supplies.

I get board easy and like to do different things.

[K. L. McReynolds]

I set up a handyman/minor remodeling one man company when I retired. Spent about $4,000 buying tools and a covered 5' by 10' utility trailer to carry the tools.

Started with friends---charging a flat fee for most easily defined work---installation of material, repair of items, etc. I did not buy material, the customer bought. I would charge a small delivery/handling fee and actually purchase the material---with client money. That eliminated loosing material money if there was a problem---all I could loose was time and gas.

For undefined work---remodeling, for instance, where there is always unforseen complications, I charged an hourly rate, depending on the clients ability to pay---this was a retirement business and I did not have to make a living wage.

Mo need to advertise, neighbors could see the exterior work and hire me, most clients gladly recommended me, and just the sight of me getting tools out of the trailer often garnered jobs.

I set up the business as a sole proprietership and had $250,000 liability insurance. But, I did not have enough personal assets for someone to go after---and I picked clients carefully.