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Handyman business plan template (free, fill in the blanks)

By Nicholas Lipari, founder of PlainJob · Updated · 6 min read

Short answer: a handyman business plan fits on one page. Write down what you do and where, who you do it for, your prices, what it costs to start and run, how you'll get customers, and how many jobs a week you need to hit your income. The template below has a blank for each.

Banks want a long plan only if you're borrowing. For most handymen the plan is for you: one page that says what you'll charge, what it costs, and how many jobs you need. Copy the template, fill in the blanks, and look at it again every three months.

The template

HANDYMAN BUSINESS PLAN: ____________________ (business name)
Owner: ____________________   Date: __________

1. WHAT WE DO AND WHERE
   Services: ______________________________________________
   Not doing (needs a licensed trade): _______________________
   Service area (towns or ZIP codes): ________________________

2. WHO WE DO IT FOR
   Main customers (homeowners, landlords, property managers,
   real estate agents, small offices): _______________________
   Why they'll call us instead of someone else: ________________

3. PRICES
   Hourly rate: $_______   Minimum charge: $_______
   Trip charge: $_______   Materials markup: _______%
   Flat prices for top 5 jobs:
   ______________ $____   ______________ $____
   ______________ $____   ______________ $____
   ______________ $____

4. STARTUP COSTS (one time)
   Business registration / LLC: $_______
   License (if your state needs one): $_______
   Tools and ladders: $_______
   Vehicle setup (racks, bins): $_______
   Website, cards, signs: $_______
   TOTAL: $_______

5. MONTHLY COSTS
   Insurance: $_______   Truck/van: $_______
   Phone and software: $_______   Tools/supplies: $_______
   Other: $_______
   TOTAL PER MONTH: $_______

6. GETTING CUSTOMERS
   Google Business Profile: set up by __________
   Reviews goal: ____ in the first 3 months
   Other (Nextdoor, flyers, agents, cards): ___________________

7. THE NUMBERS
   Take-home pay goal per year: $_______
   Billable hours per week: _______
   Average job size: $_______
   Jobs needed per week: _______

8. RULES AND PAPERWORK
   License checked for my state: yes / no
   Insurance: general liability ____  tools ____  vehicle ____
   Bank account separate from personal: yes / no
   Quotes in writing, signed or approved before work: yes / no

How to fill in each part

  1. What you do and where: list what you're good at and like doing. Writing down what you won't do keeps you out of licensed-trade work. Check your state's handyman license rules.
  2. Who you do it for: landlords, property managers and real estate agents send repeat work. Homeowners are most of the calls.
  3. Prices: use the rate calculator for your hourly floor and the handyman price list to sanity-check flat prices.
  4. Startup and monthly costs: write your real quotes, not guesses. Insurance quotes are free; see handyman insurance.
  5. Getting customers: a Google Business Profile and reviews bring most local calls. See how to get handyman clients and getting more Google reviews.
  6. The numbers: divide the yearly income you need by your average job size to get jobs per year, then by working weeks. If the number of jobs looks impossible, raise prices or go after bigger jobs.

Start with these

Questions

Do I need a business plan to start a handyman business?

Not legally. A one-page plan helps you set prices, know your costs and see how many jobs a week you need. Lenders want a longer plan only if you borrow.

What goes in a handyman business plan?

Your services and area, your customers, your prices, startup and monthly costs, how you will get customers, and how many jobs you need to hit your income goal.

How many jobs a week does a handyman need?

Divide the yearly revenue you need by your average job size, then by your working weeks. A $500 average job and $100,000 a year over 48 weeks is about 4 jobs a week.

How much does it cost to start a handyman business?

It depends on the tools and vehicle you already have, plus registration, any license, and insurance in your state. Write down your own quotes in the template rather than using averages.

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