Handy Business

Startup Costs: $2,000 - $10,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Franchises Available? No
Online Operation? No

If you are handy with a hammer and able to build IKEA furniture without losing your mind, you can really nail success as a handyman or handywoman. There is a national shortage of skilled workers, which is why many people find it difficult to get to show up for smaller jobs. So if you have a variety of skills — from hanging shelves to painting to solving minor plumbing issues — setting yourself up as an all-around fix-it person is a surefire way to build a lucrative business.

"Handy person services paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems, among other tasks," the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports of this profession. In 2022, adds the BLS, the median pay for a "handyman" was $45,000, or about $22 an hour (which may be a low estimate; see our handyman's quotes below.)

Clearly, there is an unending need for handyman services; individuals in this segment are limited only by the extent of their training and the state certifications they hold (i.e., you must have a plumber's license to legally work on plumbing issues).

Want one-on-one help? Book a session with a small business development expert now

How much money can you make as a handyperson?

"The lowest, you'd probably make the same as someone working in a fast food restaurant -- if you're just a guy jumping around on a bus or bicycle and they don't have vehicles. Once they reach a level like mine or higher they're definitely in the six figures"  -- Alan McNair, licensed contractor/handyman and owner (doing business in the five boroughs of New York under the name Got Work?).

What are the startup costs?

"There're different levels: you're looking at $100,000 minimum. At my level I have vehicles, I have equipment, supplies, warehouses, manpower, a payroll, licenses. For someone smaller the mandatory legal part is  you have to have half a million dollars of insurance; workers compensations -- ar least $2 million -- you should have a membership with the Better Business Bureau, not to mention social media and paying somebody to do that for you as well. There's lots of overhead; you can't start by just handing out flyers anymore" — Alan McNair, licensed contractor/handyman

What kind of experience do you need to have?

"Got to a technical school like Apex Tech and get a journeyman's license, which is a license you get for certification by working for a plumbing or electrical supply company; they can certify you as a journeyman" — Alan McNair

What’s the most important thing to know about this business?

"Having hands-on experience because books don't teach you anything. The most important thing is expertise: knowing what the problems are, the solutions arae before you get the job" — Alan McNair

Booking customers

“[Breezeworks] has saved me a lot of stress with handling appointments alone. It has literally saved me hours, even days, of work a week with my receipts, my invoicing and my books. It keeps me organized and gives a professional front to my brand that I think really sets me apart from the competition.” — Ramon “Ray” Gonzales III of Nashville, Tenn.-based Hey Ray Handyman

Related: Get the No.1 Guide to Starting Your Own Business

 

Handy Business Ideas

Pest and Critter Control

If you don't get grossed out by creepy crawlies, help people get rid of them.

Graffiti Removal

Love your neighborhood? Keep it spic and span with a graffiti removal service.

Litter Pickup

Help keep your area clean with a litter pickup service.

More from Business Ideas

Leadership

She Turned Her Pandemic Hobby Into a Full-Time Business. Now Her Heritage-Inspired Candles Are Sold in Retailers Like Nordstrom and Barnes & Noble.

Melissa Gallardo creates premium home fragrances in candle form, all inspired by her Latin heritage. As she continues to build and grow her business, these are the lessons she wants to share with other founders.

Marketing

How I Found My Voice and Built a Life as an Entrepreneur — in 3 Acts

I want to share my journey as an entrepreneur and what led to me starting my own company.

Business Culture

Love Doesn't Have to be Tough — 3 Things to Do to Keep Harmony in Your Family-Owned Business

Family matters. So does being intentional in the workplace.