How to Start a Handyman Business

A handyman business offers a variety of home repair services, based on their skill set and the customer’s needs. This can include, but is not limited to, both interior and exterior trade skills, maintenance, and repair.

You may also be interested in additional side hustle ideas.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a handyman business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Handyman Business
  2. Form your Handyman Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Handyman Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Handyman Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Handyman Business
  7. Get Handyman Business Insurance
  8. Define your Handyman Business Brand
  9. Create your Handyman Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your handyman business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Handyman Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a handyman business?

Assuming you have a reliable vehicle to transport tools, your start-up costs will be fairly minimal. In fact, experienced business owners indicate you can start your business with less than $1,000. The only items you need are standard home repair tools, marketing materials, and insurance. Insurance costs vary, depending upon your experience and scope of projects you plan to take on. Average cost is $361 to $792. To escalate your business’ growth, consider having a simple website built, where customers can find out basic information and locate contact information.

What are the ongoing expenses for a handyman business?

While your ongoing expenses will be higher than initial start-up costs, most handymen report fairly minimal overhead costs. You will need to maintain the necessary licenses and carry proper insurance. Ongoing maintenance, repair, and replacement of all tools, including your vehicle, will be your largest expense. If you employ a crew, you’ll also need to consider Workers’ Compensation costs, as well as costs associated with payroll.

Who is the target market?

In this industry, you have a large pool of potential customers to choose from. Most consumers don’t have the knowledge, time, or desire to perform home maintenance and repair. Identify your target audience by considering the type of jobs you plan to take on and the customer base you feel drawn to work with. For example, single women over the age of fifty who live alone is a standard target market. They often lack the skills to complete most home repair tasks and are willing to pay to employ a honest, hard-working repairman.

How does a handyman business make money?

Fees vary, depending upon the complexity of the job you’re hired for and are collected once the job is complete.

How much can you charge customers?

Your fees will vary, depending upon location and size and scope of each project. Some handymen charge a standard hourly rate, while others set their fees on a per-job basis. Average hourly rates range from $60 to $125. To avoid under and/or overcharging, professionals recommend setting cost-based fees. For more information on this, consider downloading this handyman hourly rate calculator.

How much profit can a handyman business make?

While the standard, one-man operation averages just around $40,000 annually, there are many handyman businesses that report earning as much as $3,000 per week. Your profits are directly tied to the types of jobs you take on and how accurate your fee structure is.

How can you make your business more profitable?

To maximize your profits, it’s recommended that you employ multiple workers with a variety of skills. The more quality workers you employ, the more jobs your business is able to take on. Those reporting the highest profits also indicate that working with property management companies yields the highest profits.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your handyman business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your handyman business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a handyman company. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Services Contract

Handyman companies should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions and service level expectations. Here is an example of one such services agreement.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Handyman Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Handyman Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a handyman business

The first item on your marketing checklist is to get your business listed in all local, online directories such as Yelp and Google My Business. Some handymen have reported success advertising on free job listing sites such as Craigslist. Unfortunately, this often generates leads for consumers on a small budget, so you may want to set some parameters before taking advantage of this free resource. Small ads in community websites and local publications should also help bring business until you’ve established a name for yourself.

Industry leaders indicate they found the most success through reaching out to property management companies in the area. This is an effective way to ensure a steady stream of jobs.

As indicated previously, it’s important to understand the local handyman laws. There are often rules regarding how and what you are allowed to advertise, which varies depending upon the size of jobs you take on. To avoid the headache and costs associated with breaking these rules, conduct thorough research on the front-end.

How to keep customers coming back

If you have ever been in the market for help with a home repair project, you’ll know that price is only one of the factors. When meeting with a prospective client, make sure you maintain an air of professionalism and are able to educate the customer on their needs. Show them how your work is a step above the rest.

Try to set fair prices, comparable to others in the area. Ignoring this unwritten rule undervalues not only your work, but everyone else’s in the industry. Additionally, always strive to be on time and on budget with your projects. Quality customer service will help spread the word and assist in long-term growth.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

If you are in great physical condition and are ready to take on a career that allows you to set your own hours and be your own boss, starting a handyman business might be the perfect fit. In addition to having the knowledge and skills to repair and replace household items, a passion for helping others would help ensure your new career takes off.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a handyman business?

Unless you decide to focus on just one or two services, each day will vary tremendously. One day you might be drywalling, while another day might be spent fixing a washer and tearing down popcorn ceiling for a rental company you service. A portion of each day will be spent traveling from site to site and purchasing the items you need to complete the work. Those who have realized the greatest success indicate at least one day a week should be dedicated to marketing the business and networking within the community.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful handyman business?

In addition to being skilled and knowledgeable in home repair, it is critical that you be organized, patient, and possess strong interpersonal skills. Each day will offer up a new set of challenges. You must be confident enough to make decisions without hesitation or guidance, eager to face the next challenge as it arrives.

No amount of home maintenance knowledge can prepare you for running a business. The primary reason for most businesses’ failure isn’t their lack of hands-on skill, but rather the inability to make sound business decisions. If this isn’t your strong suit, consider taking a business course online or at your local college. The information gained will benefit you for years to come. The United Handyman Association can offer guidance regarding how to properly run and market your business. They can also assist in standard start-up needs, like insurance and legal assistance.

What is the growth potential for a handyman business?

The growth of your new business venture will depend, largely, on your overall vision and drive to meet those goals. Many handymen enjoy working alone and choose to keep their business’ small and local. With the right knowledge, skills, and crew, however, there is significant growth potential in this industry. If you possess a background in business, starting a handyman franchise would be a very lucrative way to grow your business.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a handyman business?

It always helps to have insider knowledge from the industry’s leaders:

  • Most individuals just starting out feel as though they have to do it all. This is simply not the case. Stick with what you’re most skilled at. Your business has great potential to be profitable, even if you offer a limited range of services.
  • There is no way of knowing exactly what tools you need for every job. Rather than wasting money on something you may never need, purchase tools on an as-needed basis. This will increase your ongoing expenses, but tremendously reduce your start-up costs.
  • Prior to offering your services, make sure you understand applicable laws in your region. This is absolutely critical to your business’ success. Consulting with an attorney and an investigator from the contractor’s board in your area is highly recommended.
  • While not required, being licensed, bonded, and insured is recommended. It displays an air of professionalism that is sure to gain you a larger customer base.
  • Once you qualify, consider becoming a certified handyman professional. The Association of Certified Handyman Professionals offers a great program.

How and when to build a team

No matter how much you charge, there is never enough time or money to do everything yourself. Consider employing a team of hard workers. Hire team members that are skilled in areas you aren’t, as this will make your business eligible for a greater pool of jobs. Once you’ve built a skilled team, your schedule will open up some, allowing you to focus on administrative and marketing tasks.

Due to the complexities regarding local and state laws, many experienced handymen suggest retaining an attorney. This should give you the peace of mind of knowing that research is done thoroughly and help safeguard against issues later on down the road.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading