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Evaluating your Handyman Skills and Deciding What Services to Offer

Not all handymen provide the same services or even have the same skills.

So the first step to becoming a pro handyman is evaluating your skills and deciding on a list of handyman services you’ll provide.

If you’re reading this, I’m assuming that you are in fact handy. Handy in the sense that you are resourceful, good with your hands, and readily available to perform services on customers’ homes. These are the only absolute must-have qualifications in order to be a handyman.

However, you need many more skills in order to be a good handyman – the kind that can and does charge a premium. Believe it or not, not all self-employed handymen drive a beater truck and make fry cook wages. The good ones have learned how to leverage their skills to generate a six-figure income and continue to learn new skills.

In this article, I will show you how to evaluate your skills and decide what services to offer – the first step in the journey to owning a successful handyman business.

Step #1 – List your handyman skills.

This is an easy step. Take out a piece of paper and write down anything you know how to do around the house. List everything.

Do you know how to change an air filter on a central heating system? List it.

Can you change a light bulb? List it.

Can you hook up a TV? List it.

Even if something seems really simple, you’d be surprised what some people are willing to pay for. For example, one of my best clients regularly calls me to hang pictures. And I’ve been hired countless times to do things like assembling furniture from Ikea.

Hopefully, you have a nice long list and a small confidence boost.

Step #2 – List skills you would like to learn.

What services do you want to provide?  As you may have guessed, the more specialized you get with your services, the more you can charge. Door and window repair and installation is a good one because there is a lot of business out there. Anything that moves tends to need more service. Shelving and organization is another good little niche. Once you get really good at building and hanging shelves, you can make big bucks remodeling closets and garages.

I do recommend you specialize in something you are INTERESTED in. This will help motivate you to learn and advance your skills.

For my handyman business, I’ve chosen to offer “green” handyman services.  To be completely honest, I’m not a professional in this area….yet.  But, it’s something that I’m interested in and passionate about. I’ve centered my business model around being green and making energy-efficient upgrades to customers’ homes. I also offer a full range of other handyman services, too.

Step #3 – Do some research

Go see what other handymen in your area are advertising. Check out their websites to see if they have a list of services. Go to Craigslist and write down any services that you see mentioned often. These are probably going to be services that are in demand, otherwise, people would stop advertising them. However, don’t be afraid to be different. Offer a couple of unique services to test the waters. You may find that hidden gem that the masses haven’t seen yet.

To learn more about uncovering profitable services, listen to this podcast episode.

Step #4 – More research

Check with your state’s contractors board to see if you need any special licensing to offer certain services. I explain handyman licensing and laws in-depth in this article.

My state is a pretty strict state when it comes to contracting. I’m unable to provide plumbing, electrical, or HVAC services without a special license. I don’t want to put the time in to acquire these licenses, so I don’t offer those services. Also, I’m unable to bid on jobs over $1,000 without a general contractor’s license. This eliminates a lot of services from my list, unfortunately. I’d love to offer kitchen and bathroom remodels but I’ve never seen either cost less than a grand.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a license, I don’t and I have consistent work doing small jobs that range from $100 to $1,000. You can always work on getting a license while offering services that don’t require a license.

Step #5 – Make your final list

Take all the information that you’ve gathered in the steps above and decide which services you are going to offer. There is nothing wrong with just offering common handyman services. After all, that’s what most of us do. If you choose to specialize in something, you can and should offer a range of other services as well.

This exercise isn’t a trip to Disneyland, but it’s important.  The better you understand what you’re going to offer, the easier the rest of setting up your business will be. It will help you come up with a name for your handyman business and aid in the next step: Determining a Target Market.

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  • Blair M. September 7, 2012

    This was really helpful! Have done the competition spying on Craigslist and that REALLY helps with finding services to offer. Thanks D!

  • David M. March 29, 2014

    I appreciate this article. Good insight especially for start ups such as myself. I’ll definitely have future questions and would love a few pointers here and their. Until then I’ve got homework to do. Thanks again.

    • Dan Perry March 30, 2014

      You’re welcome!

  • Chris September 24, 2014

    Hi , chris here
    I have been thinking about my own business for years now I am a qualified butcher with contracting experience running fibre optic cable , many mechanic abilitys due to cost saving , I just buy the mechanics hand book ,
    And just reasearh a lot before pulling anything apart. Always since young age had a nac for knowing how my toys worked , and always put back together properly! All house hold dutys include hanging 8 new doors cut n measure so can do that really well includng handle set to using the chisel , home entertainment installs including surround sound , running wires behind walls
    My brother is cabienent maker and got tips from him how do I start it? I’m 27 any info would be Greatly appreciated .

  • Leon January 15, 2015

    Hi Dan, I just saw your picture on this facebook group. Not sure if it’s your but I thought I would let you know..
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/MountainSkillsandTradesPage/

    • Dan Perry January 15, 2015

      Thanks for looking out! That’s actually just some stock photography so they probably just found the same picture and bought the rights to it.

  • adlawceo October 5, 2015

    Thanks this piece of information.
    I don’t think I have any handy skills but I am an entrepreneur who see an opportunity in my area and will want to provide the business in ma area.
    Should I go on and start anyway?

    • Dan Perry October 5, 2015

      If you have NO handyman skills, you can still run a business, but you’ll just need to hire others to do the work for you. Or, you can start out offering super simple services such as furniture assembly and expand as you gain skills.

      • Damilola Oguntoye June 16, 2016

        Hello Dan Perry, thank you for this great article. I’m from Nigeria and I just got this business idea on doing some home repairs and replacement. To render services at your door step. any form of services in different fields. have plan to open a website and have a corporate organisation. But how to go about it is really a challenge for me. please I think i need your help on this. Thank you. From Dammy

      • Dilshad March 6, 2019

        Hi Dan. I live in Centreville, Virginia. I want to become a residential remodeling/handy man but I have no experience but I am willing to learn please guide a training center for hands on thanks

  • Amarjeet Kharour March 13, 2016

    Hello ,
    how i become a handy man in surrey BC Canada,i have no experience in bc, how i become licensed handy man

  • Jeremy May 25, 2016

    Thank you. Very nice to see people thinking of the same things. Makes it reassuring to move forward.

  • Laura Bonn Veleznoble September 8, 2016

    Do I need a handyman licence to use a mower and blower in a mobile home park in Ca.?

  • Steven DEWITT June 6, 2017

    Weird how I became labeled, “handy”.
    I temped at a water company having only oil and gas experience and no full time positions opened until later, (Facilities ). I applied and was immediately hired. I faked my way and used my communication skills (along with youtube) to complete tasks. Fix doors, chairs, paint, change bulbs, etc.
    Now Ive fell into woodworking and love it. Immediately decent at it people are asking me to build things, closets, etc. I still don’t know squat I just learn as I go. Ha.

  • MICHAEL OYE October 21, 2017

    Can fix anything in around the house from automobiles to carpentry to plumbing to electrical

  • Allen Johnson August 25, 2019

    Every family needs a handyman for home repair whether it is related to electricity, carpentry, plumbing, or general repairs. These tips are really helpful for handymen so that they can get the required jobs as per their skills. Also, it is a useful post for those people who are looking to hire a handyman.

  • Dshirk November 10, 2019

    Hi, Just a idea, I don’t know where you’re located/work but you might want to be very careful about stating licensing requirements as they can vary by location/state especially with homeowners protection. laws/requirements

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