A friend of mine suggested that I start a "Home Handyman service. he stated, his words, "with you knowledge of all the trades, you would be a natural."

I don't know at my stage in life if I am ready to start a full time business but I would conceder a part time service to help folks out.

I could also offer a "Second Opinion" should someone want another persons view.

This brings to mind the little old lady whose refrigerator just went out and the guy wants to charge her an arm and leg to replace a part she really don't need. And yes, I see it happen to many times.

I have see them take the old part out to their truck, clean it up and intall it as if were new.

Question:
How many times in the last years have you hired someone to help with home repairs.

I am not talking about home remodeling but a Mr. Fix it kind of guy.

Choices:
Never, I do it my self.
At least one time in the last 365 days.
More then one time in the last 365 days.
At least once in the last 5 years.
More then once in the last 5 years.

 

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Walks On Water,

We do all stuff ourselves but I know several people who just are not handy at all and always hire people to do whatever they need done from painting to electrical, etc.... With a lot of single women and older widows you would probably have a nice little business.

I voted “ never, I do it myself ”.

As a side job it might be good for you to experiment with as there are lots of people out there who don’t know the difference between a Torx and Phillips screwdriver. An honest repair man who knows what he is doing is hard to find.

I do all my own maintenance and repair work on my vehicles and home, but I do have a weakness. I despise doing finishing molding work and I am not very good at it either. (Maybe that’s why I hate it )

Last year I put new flooring down upstairs and while that looks great the molding work leaves something to be desired. It is not awful, but it is not great either.

If I could find someone who would do the job at a fair price I would seriously consider hiring them. I looked around, but they wanted too much $$$.

A good guy doing it on the weekends or in the evening as a side job would cost a lot less, but I have not found one yet.

How are you at molding work WoW?

WoW, I think that would be very rewarding for you. I don't think it would be financially rewarding to a great extent (because I doubt that you would charge a great deal), but, judging from what I have seen in your posts, you like helping people, and there would be your real reward. Your knowledge certainly qualifies you (over-qualifies, if anything), and you certainly could be a god-send to some people who just can't afford the more standard repairmen.

There's a lot of demand out there, at a guess. In Antibes there's a man from Sweden who thought to retire down here but got bored and so offered handyman services to homeowners. Within a year he's had to buy a second truck and take on an assistant !

I think you would like doing this kind of work. I would suggest buying a small ad in a "Senior Center" newsletter or any publication that targets the older population of your city.

I would think the need for "Fix it" people would be greatest among the elderly and they would be most appreciative of less expensive but honest repair services.

Dwight

I have a good friend who does kitchen units fitting and he works with a neighbor

He is always busy and does other joinery work as well He worked for a Barfitters as a Laborer/joiner and was laid off but put a few Ads in the Store offering to put together Self assembly units and one thing led to another has got work, and has had to turn away jobs, so He got his Pal and another guy helping him out
All he charges is a fixed sum for the job plus parts at cost plus a few pennies, unless The part are already there.
And people have given his name to their friends and its Just snowballed
There is also another 2 Guys who do electrical and Gas Repairs (certified) and they started the same way and the word of mouth about their workmanship has got them recognition.Now they also do Subcontract work for their old Employers


On the Flip side If they do a bad job or rip off people over a job News travels fast
There's somebody in a nearby town who would try to sell you a whole roof without inspection and for perhaps 1 cracked tile!
and often had been known to pocket the money and claim poverty /or disappear and jack up the Price Now when he did do the work the entire roof was left in an unsafe condition meaning another reliable person has to risk their life to try put things right by stabilising the roof or more often condemning the "workmanship"

Has been"featured" on Both the Consumer Watchdog programmes(BBC) and the House of Horrors(on the other channel)

Yet he's still in "Business"

WOW The Second opinion/Improver type of checkup service is a very good Idea

I also voted "Did it myself" because I can...but many can't.

And my friend? I know you are very skilled and I think you'd get alot of business. If you are able to, I think it would be a good idea to get a contractors licence...Even if I knew a person was skilled at something, it would carry alot of weight if they had a license.

When the time comes that I'm not needing to give 150% to my current job, I would probably be farming myself out to those that could use some help too!

I voted 'once in the last year' because, I have always done everything myself on my own home, I am now 85, I've sold my house and live in an apartment. There are a lot of people in my circumstances. One important consideration is that many jobs are just too small for the average contractor to want to bother with or estimate. Another is that you probably already have all the tools, while it would cost me too much to go out and buy a new supply just to do a small job that required an assortment of tools and supply of materials. I think it sounds like you would be fulfilling a real need. I'd go for it. Good luck, if you do.