Thinking about starting Odd Job Man business

topaztiger1983

I am thinking of starting an Odd Job Man business

Offering gardening services, lawn mowing, DIY, Painting & Decorating, clearing guttering, assembling flat pack furniture, and any other services I can do, possibly including computer services in there too, and maybe some general minor car repairs or valeting

I am wondering if anyone has experience with this business model

Also would I need public liability insurance for this venture

fishybusiness

Yes to insurance. All you need is a stone picked up by a strimmer going through a patio door or car window and you have a large bill.

There's a business near us popped up last year advertising handyman services. They are mainly advertising on Facebook. I met them to ask for a job quote and also had a good words said from other people they had worked for.

They always seem busy now and it looks like their business is thriving, so yes there is definitely a market for those kinds of services.

One thing I will say is that they were cheap compared to specific tradesman, for example the quote the gave me was roughly half of the quote the local builder gave me for the same work. That may be the reason they are busy, but business may not be sustainable.

topaztiger1983

I have thought about pricing and was going to go for £10 per hour or pricing larger jobs up via a quote (e.g. lawn mowing at £20 -£30 dependent on size of garden)

I have looked into insurance and it is about £28 per month for £1,000,000 of cover with £250 excess

I am still looking into things, I want to start a business and this seemed the the most viable, with little start up costs

Anyone have any other ideas for businesses with little or no start up costs

Was looking into property lettings management, but seems like online only agents don't get on very well

Pennywise

Personally, I think £10 is far too cheap. After paying your overheads, vehicle costs, tools, etc., and downtime travelling and giving quotes, you'll be earning under the minimum wage. Yes, you'll probably end up being busy, but you'd be a "busy fool" making nothing.

I'd suggest you should be looking at nearer £15 for the first hour and then maybe discounted to £12.50 for the second and subsequent hour. That way, you'd earn £90 for a 7 hour working day which is little enough considering your overheads/expenses and to cover all the time you can't work due to weather etc.

fishybusiness

Agree with Pennywise.

You''ll soon get fed up of £10 per hour, £80 day minus all your expenses AND you will need money to invest in tools and equipment.

To work it out, start with your costs, give yourself an idea of your hours per week and also what you want to earn. Add it all up and divide it out to get your hourly rate required for the business to sustain itself.

That's your starting point.

Oh, and handyman/ gardener will have start up costs which will grow enormously when you work out the diversity of work you will be asked to do. Wouldn't be surprised if end up purchasing lots of equipment early on to get your jobs done quickly and effectively.

Savvy_Sue

Another vote for £10 ph being too cheap. Can't remember what our work handyman bills us, but our gardener at home is £15 per hour and I nearly bit her hand off! She is fantastic ...

BTW, one suggestion to keep costs down is to make sure you ask customers to buy / order / pay for any supplies you need up front. We've got through a ton of bark in the garden, and it's much simpler if I'm told what to order and it's delivered here.

paddyrg

A tenner an hour isn't sustainable once you account for your own holiday pay and NI, etc., however I can see it being used as a promotional rate to get started. Instead of advertising "£10/h" from the go, advertise at "£15/h" offering a time limited discount.

You may also be surprised what old tools people have, I've got a whacking great SDS drill that I barely use, some people might like to offer some in return for labour, swapsies. Similarly if there's any offcuts or leftovers from materials they order for you, ask where they want to keep them when tidying up - I'll bet many will let you take them. Just builds up your resources a little

fishybusiness

Forgot to say, try not advertise an hourly rate - goes against other advice here, but at that end of the market when starting up someone will always undercut you. Plus people really do sit down and dissect your quotes and put a value on your hourly rate.

Try to quote for your work, job by job, a fixed price you are happy with.

greenface

If you offer services like grass cutting and gutters cleaned etc you may just manage 3 jobs a day when you factor getting to each job and setting up . No ones going to pay you for getting there . might only be coining £50 a day on a good day on £10ph

fishybusiness

If you offer services like grass cutting and gutters cleaned etc you may just manage 3 jobs a day when you factor getting to each job and setting up . No ones going to pay you for getting there . might only be coining £50 a day on a good day on £10ph

Very much disagree, easily 7 or 8 average size lawns in a working day, more if they are small and local to each other. There is a good days wages to be earned in lawn cutting.

greenface

fishybusiness wrote: »

Very much disagree, easily 7 or 8 average size lawns in a working day, more if they are small and local to each other. There is a good days wages to be earned in lawn cutting.

no disagreeing but not physically possible unless you have them all in the same street . & you get a full hour or two in on each . gutters are possibly easier than lawns but the same issue .