Tips and Tricks for the Beginner Handyman Business

Starting a small handyman business? Helping others while working with your hands can be a rewarding experience, but it still takes a lot of work. This short handyman business guide covers quick beginner’s handyman tips that could help set your small business up for success.

1. Write a business plan

Business plans aren’t just for big companies. Even a small handyman business could benefit from having one. This important document contains research, budgets, financial forecasts, and other information that can help you make decisions as you go.

A business plan guides you through the early stages of planning your business and beyond. It can help you make decisions about the services you offer, your prices, and how you advertise (among other things).

2. Consider handyman insurance

Business insurance is one way to protect the business you are building. For a handyman, insurance options include standard policies such as General Liability and tool coverage. You may also need Workers’ Compensation coverage if you have employees—even part-time or casual workers.

Handyman insurance removes the stress of expensive claims and lawsuits from your shoulders. Without it, you could be responsible for medical bills, compensation, replacing broken or stolen tools, and other events that might bankrupt your small business.

3. Get organized

This tip might seem obvious, but many tradesmen don’t follow it! Before starting a job, make sure you have the right tools and supplies to finish the project. If you don’t, you run the risk of wasting time and money on rush orders.

Good organization is also good customer service. Completing projects as quickly and efficiently as possible shows your customers that you value their time. It also helps you write accurate quotes that are priced reasonably.

4. Take care of your tools

Proper care can help your tools last longer. Needing to repair or replace them due to improper maintenance could quickly become expensive and waste money that could go to other parts of your business. This means reading the manuals. Even if you’ve been using home repair tools for decades, you might not be cleaning or storing them correctly!

Your skill and knowledge are also valuable tools to keep sharp. Learning new skills and techniques could help you work more efficiently, offer more services to customers, and stay current with safety measures.

5. Ask for help

Handymen are the “jack of all trades” in the home maintenance world. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll know how to do everything. Projects may come your way that you’re unable to complete on your own.

There’s no shame in asking for help. You may want to reach out to a more experienced mentor or hire a subcontractor to assist on larger projects. There may also be times when it’s appropriate to refer customers to a specialty contractor to ensure the job is done right.

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