by Ron Beauchamps

Created on: June 01, 2009

How to start your own handy man business

In this article I hope to show people who have some construction and home renovation skills how to make money and even a decent primary income with very little or no investment to start. So if you're the kind of person who enjoys building, fixing or restoring things then you will see that it's not that hard to make money while doing what you enjoy. Yes, even during a recession.

I started my business in 2005, the traditional way, as a contractor. I purchased all the materials for the customers and billed them later for it. I had to log in hundreds of receipts at tax time and spent countless hours behind a calculator and computer doing paperwork. I was never wired that way, to sit behind a desk doing paperwork is not for me. I'm a hands on, build it, fix it kind of guy. So, after a year of that nonsense I gave up and went to work for a construction company for 6 months, till I got a lay off notice. This time I was determined to make my own business work, but I wasn't going to do it the same way.

You can start with very little money

I didn't even have a truck or a van to start with, I used my wife's car. Everyday I would load up the trunk with tools that I thought I might need. Yes, a royal pain in the butt, but I was determined to work for myself. I would buy the tools I needed as I made some money. Nothing fancy, as long as it got the job done. I reasoned that I can always buy better quality tools when my business makes more money. One of my customers gave me an older Dodge Caravan. It cost me under $300 to get it on the road and I'm still driving it 12 months later. My point is that you don't need to get everything new and top quality to start your business. A van works great for me because I always get the building materials delivered. All I use the van for is my tools and some smaller items.

So, I bet you're itching to know how I run a very successful handy man business in these tough economic times?

It's a very simple concept. Low overhead, which allows me to offer my customers a low labour rate. I started out with very basic tools, my wife's car and the internet where I go to get most of my information on how to do things properly. That is where I learned to do ceramic tiles. My first ceramic tile floor was perfect. When a customer asks me if I can do a certain thing I tell them yes, even if I have never done it before. There are many excellent website where you can get the information you need to get the

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