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hockeyfan21

posts: 7

Feb 07, 2008 10:45 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Looking for some advice on my idea. I want to start a handyman business but am not a handyman, contractor, etc, other than working on my own home. My idea is to run the business side of things, marketing, accounting, setting appointments, etc. and hire a field coordinator who can do estimates, keep track of contractors on jobs and also do some jobs. I will have around 75k in startup capital and do not want to give half of that to a franchise so I want to start from the ground up. Does anyone have any insight into the feasibility of doing this or is there just too much for one person to do in this line of business? As outdated as it is, I am somewhat concerned about a female being accepted into this type of business but think I would be good at the business side of it.

Thanks

Toni

KevDev

posts: 96

Feb 07, 2008 10:59 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Toni:

I think this is something worth pursuing. I`ve known others with the same idea. The problem will be in convincing your prospective partners that you will be able to actually increase their income by allowing them to work more billable hours. You`d think this would be a no-brainer, but it will take some salemanship (or saleswomanship!).

I`m guessing your being female will not be a significant impediment. Oh, some of the good ol` boys won`t give you the time of day, but seeing as how a lot of male contractors have their wives handle much of their paperwork, I`m guessing you`ll find some will be happy to consider your ideas.

Let us know what you decide to do. Good luck!

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HomeBusinessFrontiers

posts: 2

Feb 07, 2008 1:40 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi Toni,

You may find our site www.homebusinessfrontiers.com to be helpful in finding a home based handyman business to invest in.

Best of luck to you,

-------------------------

Home Business Frontiers

Find a home business opportunity that is right for you.

www.HomeBusinessFrontiers.com

hockeyfan21

posts: 7

Feb 08, 2008 9:53 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Thanks for the feedback KevDev,

I have a male friend who is a contractor that I am hoping I can bring over. I will gather all my expense numbers and see if I can get it off the ground in the next six months. My focus will be on customer service - friendliness, being on time 95% of the time and contacting the customer right away the other 5%, community service, etc. I have had many handymen come to my home and, as soon as they find out that there is no man living here, their attitude completely changes and all of a sudden I`m an idiot and don`t deserve their respect. It`s usually the "good ol boys" so I will be very particular in my hiring practices.

Thanks again!

DoorMat

posts: 289

Feb 10, 2008 1:33 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Toni,

May I ask which state you reside in? I ask because I currently run the call center for the 93rd largest home improvement company in the country and have been in this field my entire adult life, I may be able to help......

SecurityProfessional

posts: 56

Feb 11, 2008 8:44 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Toni,

You may find that being a female is actually an advantage, especially when dealing with homeowners. For example, in a somewhat related field (home alarm systems) one of the most successful salespeople I have ever known was a female. She outsold her male counterparts by about 4:1. One of her major strengths was the ability to explain technical things in a non-technical way to the average homeowner. People just plain trusted her. I think you could do the same thing in the handyman business.

One thing you need to check on right away (if you haven`t already) is the state licensing requirements for a business of your type. In many states, anything other than very minor repair work is considered "contracting" and requires a contractor`s license. This usually entails getting a bond and insurance. Many states also require that the company obtaining a license have a licensed "administrator" on staff. You sometimes need to take a test and/or have a minimum number of years of contracting experience in order to get this credential.

There are lots of legalities and consumer protection laws surrounding the contracting business. You want to be careful that you don`t get stuck in the middle of a transaction where you sold the work and the contractor you hired to perform the job failed to execute. You, who had the contract with the homeowner, would normally be liable in such a case.

-------------------------

Michael A. Silva
Silva Consultants

www.silvaconsultants.com

hockeyfan21

posts: 7

Feb 12, 2008 9:02 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Thanks for the feedback SecurityProfessional, all good points. Oregon does require a contractor`s license and insurance/bond and I am currently studying for it. My understanding is that any employees I hire could work under my license but contractors would need their own.

I am hoping that my "way with people" will help in my customer service efforts as I will be focusing on friendliness, being on-time, communication and customer satisfaction. I know I can do it, just trying to get the nerve to pull the trigger, this forum definitely is helping with that.

I did find a lower-cost franchise, HomeTask that I am investigating, and am meeting with them next weekend in Portland. As much as I really don`t want to pay a franchise fee and royalties it would be nice to have systems in place already rather than having to create new ones, that way I can focus on my second biggest fear, hiring the right people. The franchise fee and other requirements are the lowest of the 6 or 7 I have already investigated and they don`t require you to get an office space, allowing you to work out of your home.

handymanbiz

posts: 4

Nov 07, 2009 5:56 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I am the author of a publication that helps individuals start successful handyman businesses without having to invest in a handyman franchise. Please see www.buildhandymanbusiness.com for more information.

I think that franchises have great benefits and are a good choice for many people. However, you can be successful with developing your own handyman business model without a franchise. Especially, if you have some business experience and start-up funds.

Right now I am consulting with someone to help them establish their handyman business in NC. Please contact me via the web site to see how I could help you.

HandymanEdge

posts: 1

May 27, 2010 11:05 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I would suggest that you start the business on your own without going through franchising. If you would like tips and tricks and great overall advice and solutions for starting a handyman business please check out http://handymanedge.com>

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nevadascul

posts: 651

May 28, 2010 7:05 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Hi Toni ,

With all the high unemployment, many people are looking for a way to replace the jobs they lost. In may area for instance, people that worked maintenance jobs in the hotel / casino industry are now banding together to form just the type of company you are creating. Some of them already had a contractors license and were able to open their business within months of loosing their jobs. You might want to look for these same type of people in your area.

They may even welcome your expertise in the business management side of the business. I know that most of the contractors I’ve met would prefer to have someone else handle the business end of the venture.

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The older we get, the more excuses we make for not chasing after our dreams. But truth is, goals are attainable at any age.

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