In many communities around the world, there are enterprising individuals who start working as handymen to provide homeowners with the services they need to maintain their properties. Small young companies often find themselves competing with more established firms in the fields of electricity, painting, carpentry, plumbing, and many other construction and maintenance fields. If you want to start working as a handyman for customers in your area, read these instructions that will help you build a strong and durable business.
Steps
Step 1. Get the capital you need to start buying equipment
As the handyman's craft is based on manual labor and construction techniques, you will need tools to get up and running. Make sure you can get hold of these tools by investing initial capital or by using other creative methods.
- Get a commercial vehicle. If you don't have one, you can buy it in installments or borrow it at the beginning. Some of the smaller companies of this type start out with a loaner vehicle, then buy one as soon as they get the chance.
- Invest in tools. Regardless of your field of application, you will need some of the most common tools. Hammers, saws, drills, compressors and even larger tools. You need to have what it takes to do the job. These costs will be part of your initial investment, and you can probably deduct them as expenses, but you will need them before starting any work.
Step 2. Define your services
To give customers a clear idea of what you can do, you'll need to clearly state which projects your business can accept.
- Get a specialization. In most cases this helps to identify your main field of action to your customers. You can introduce yourself as a carpenter, electrician, bricklayer, tiler or even a technician for the removal of hazardous materials. Narrowing down your business helps you get found by customers who need your services.
- Create references. Those who are about to become a handyman usually want to submit a list of jobs they have done in the past or jobs in which they are more qualified. Customers will take a look at this list and choose the services to request based on it.
Step 3. Get in good standing
Young companies also have legal and fiscal responsibilities. The handyman's job requires insurance, records, and a company name to help identify you.
Step 4. Build your customer portfolio
One of the fundamental steps to start doing this job is to build a customer portfolio to strengthen your initial capital and establish yourself as a business. Over time you should see orders become more and more consistent and continuous, creating profit for your business after so much hard work.
Step 5. Run your business
By the time you are established you may be too busy with your customers, but you will always have to make time for some important administrative tasks. If you are self-employed, you will need to keep your invoices and all the documents you will need to pay your taxes in order.
- Be well informed before choosing your form of business. Small businesses have various configuration options that include VAT, limited liability company (srl) or sas. Each of these has advantages and disadvantages. Find the best one for your purposes.
- Prepare your business tax return. One of the biggest tasks for a young company is figuring out how to communicate income, expenses, and other key information to the taxman. Try to get it over with as soon as possible to focus more on growing your business.
