Working as an independent tradesman can be a very prosperous career. Having a specialist skill such as plumbing, roofing or construction means that you will be in high demand. Even becoming self-employed as a handyman can lead to a comfortable lifestyle, as many people either don’t have the skills, time, or patience to do general home maintenance. It’s not limited to work on residential properties, either. A lot of commercial buildings have local handymen come in to do these general repairs, too. If you’re thinking about becoming an independent handyman, here are some things you should do to help you get started.
Experience
If you’re going to charge people for your services, make sure you know what you’re doing first. Handymen tend to cover a range of jobs, from simple things like putting up shelves, to more complex jobs like electrical work. It will take more than a passionate DIY enthusiast to become a qualified handyman, and you should get some professional experience first. Only offer services you are experienced in and make it clear to customers what you can and can’t do for them.
Website
All businesses have an online presence nowadays and the majority of consumers use the internet to find services like yours. Set up a professional website (you can use website builders like Wix or GoDaddy) for potential customers to find you. You should also consider using social media to help market your services to a wider audience. In addition to creating a website, list your business name, site, and contact details onto other tradesmen sites.
Stock Up on Materials and Tools
A handyman without the right tools and materials isn’t a professional. Don’t let yourself get caught out on a job by running out of your essential items and materials! A well-stocked toolbox needs to be at your side on all jobs, so remember to buy plenty of nuts and bolts, screws, drills, and all the other handyman must-haves!
Ask for Feedback
Reviews are how a lot of potential customers are going to decide whether or not to hire you for the job. As a new independent trader, this can be difficult in the early stages as you might not have had a lot of reviews from previous customers. To make sure your business gets off the ground, ask customers to leave a review on your website or on the tradesmen sites you’re listed on. You might want to consider emailing them asking them to complete a survey about their customer satisfaction as a gentle reminder to do this after you finish the job.
Get an Accountant
You can always do your accounts yourself, but if you’re busy doing other jobs it might be easier to hire an accountant. If you’ve not had experience with accounting before, this is recommended as it’s important your books are kept up to date and your tax returns are filed on time and correctly. Otherwise, you might end up facing large fines or risk getting into bigger trouble with HMRC.
It takes more than simply enjoying DIY at home to become a professional handyman. Make sure you’re considering the points above carefully before you go into business for yourself.
