Working as a handyman doesn’t sound like a lucrative business to most people. I can see why: The average maintenance and repair worker made about $37,000 in 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But what if I told you how one handyman earns $3,000 per week? Would that make you reconsider this business?
My husband, John, has been working in construction for more than 15 years. He specializes in painting, drywall and general handyman services, including plumbing, carpentry, deck repair, general appliance repair and ceiling fan installation.
After so many years in the business, he’s willing to take on just about any project.
Here’s how John has developed his skills and built his business to the point where he can earn up to $3,000 a week as a handyman.
Do You Need Certifications to Start a Handyman Business?
This is probably the first question you have, because many high-paying jobs require some sort of degree or certification program.
You can get many types of certifications in the construction field, including a degree in construction management or certificates in electrical work; plumbing; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
John doesn’t have any of these certifications.
Instead, he has learned through self study and experience while working with other tradesmen, and he’s a jack of all construction trades.
How to Make More Money From Your Handyman Services
Ready to earn higher pay as a handyman? Here are the strategies John recommends:
1. Work for Yourself
The average handyman’s salary includes the wages of people who might work for the government, large construction companies, college campuses or apartment management companies.
To bring in the big bucks, you’ll have to work for yourself. While this rule may apply to many industries, it’s particularly true in construction, where employers often take a large cut of the rates they charge clients.
2. Charge a High Rate for Professional Service
You’re not just selling a handy services — you’re selling yourself.
Clients are hiring you to work inside their homes for a few hours or a few days. They’ll want someone who’s professional, trustworthy, reliable and punctual — and they’ll likely be willing to pay more for services they know they can count on.
By returning calls promptly, being professional and always showing up on time, you can charge a higher rate than someone who doesn’t take their business as seriously. Your clients will be happy to pay it.
3. Find the Right Clients
To charge a high rate, you have to find the right clients. If someone only cares about price, they aren’t for you.
There are plenty of folks willing to pay more for better service — those are the people you want to work for.
John goes on plenty of bids — visits to the client’s home to look at the project and provide a cost estimate — where he knows he won’t get the job no matter how much he sells himself.
Some people only care about price, and they will always go with the lowest bidder.
Clients who want more than a cheap price will want to know a little bit about John’s history, the exact steps he’ll take to get the job done. They’ll often ask for references from previous clients, who can emphasize his professional qualities and the value of his service.
Successful bids require getting to know the client. They can last anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour.
If you develop a rapport with the customer and earn their trust from that initial consultation, they’ll have a hard time turning you down, even if your price isn’t the lowest bid.
4. Hire a Crew
No matter how high your rate is, you can only physically do so much work each week. By hiring other handymen to do some of the work, you can focus your attention on completing the work more quickly, finding other projects, advertising and growing your business.
Often, the more people you have working for you, the more money you’ll be able to make.
Note: If you have a crew, you’ll need to workers’ compensation insurance. Prices and guidelines will vary by state, so look into the details before growing your business.
What a $3,000 Week Looks Like for a Handyman
The more jobs John has lined up, the more money he’s able to make in a week. Here’s what his schedule looks like during a sample $3,000 week:
Monday to Wednesday
Rental property turn: Turning a rental property is kind of like flipping a house or apartment, with the goal to get it ready to rent out rather than to sell.
This home needs its walls freshly painted, appliances installed, drywall repaired, ceiling fans hung, light fixtures replaced and more.
The total pay for the job is $4,400. John hires crew members to do some of the work and he works on the job site himself for three days.
John profits $2,200 over the six days it takes to complete the job.
Thursday
Popcorn ceiling removal: A client needs a popcorn ceiling removed in her kitchen on a day’s notice. John heads over early one weekday morning and works for four hours.
He profits $150.
Thursday and Friday
General handyman services: A new client just moved into her house and needs help with general tasks. John hangs ceiling fans, installs a security door, hangs pictures, mounts a television and more,.
He earns $350 in less than two days.
Saturday
Painting: John lines up a painting job with another client. He arrives at the client’s home at 6:30 a.m., paints the family room, kitchen and dining room for 11 hours, and comes home.
He profits $450.
Total profit for the week: $3,150
Miscellaneous Time Spent on the Handyman Business
Keep in mind this weekly schedule doesn’t include the time John spends on advertising or invoicing.
He wakes up early each morning to advertise (e.g. posting ads on various sites, responding to emails, working on his website) and spends another 30 minutes each evening sending bids and invoices to current and prospective customers.
Running a handyman business does not give you a 40-hour workweek!
What a Low-Income Week Looks Like
In this profession, your income might not be consistent. Self-employment can be a constant battle between feast and famine. While business is great some weeks, plenty of weeks John’s income is significantly lower (and others when it’s higher!).
For comparison, a week where John has fewer jobs lined up results in a much lower income. Here’s a sample week with a low profit.
Monday
Two bids: The weekend was slow, but John received one phone call for a bid on Monday morning.
While on the bid, he gets another call from a new client. He visits that home later in the day and sends the client a breakdown of the job via email that evening.
Tuesday and Wednesday
Drywall repair and ceiling painting: A regular client is fixing a house to make into a rental property. He needs John to repair drywall in two of the main rooms and paint the ceilings in the garage and kitchen.
It’s 15 hours of work for a profit of $250.
Thursday
Advertising and networking: John doesn’t have anything scheduled today, so he focuses on advertising and looks for ways to grow his business.
He hands out a few business cards to real estate agents in the area, follow up on all pending jobs and call previous clients to see if they need additional work.
Friday
General handyman services: Luckily, John has a few go-to clients who usually need something done whenever he is available.
These projects can be anything from repainting a laundry room to hanging ceiling fans and replacing light bulbs. John contacts one of these customers and books six hours of work for $180.
Total profit for the week: $430
The Challenges of Self-Employment
As you can see, being a self-employed handyman is not a quick or easy way to earn a living.
It can take years to build a handyman business to the point where you have more good weeks than bad, so it’s smart to save a substantial amount of money before starting your own business.
John recommends having at least six months of living expenses saved before striking out on your own.
In addition to low-income weeks, John faces other obstacles.
When we moved to a new area, he had to grow his business from the ground up. With no connections to family or friends who could help John find work, he needed to work hard to grow his business and generate referrals from satisfied clients.
He also sometimes can’t complete scheduled jobs because of the weather.
One February, our entire city shut down for a week due to ice on the roads. He’s also had to reschedule two outdoor deck jobs due to rain and humidity.
When the weather is bad, business slows down drastically, as home repairs usually aren’t the first thing on people’s minds.
For us, though, the benefits of running a handyman business far outweigh the challenges. Once John has a steady stream of clients, we know business will be more consistent and we’ll be seeing a lot more of those $3,000 weeks!
Sarah Brooks is a personal finance writer and blogger living in Charlotte, North Carolina. Combining her bachelor’s degree in finance with her passion for writing, she’s been able to make a career out of doing what she loves from the comfort of her home!
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. In 2016, Inc. 500 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the U.S.
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