# Help with pricing handyman services (TEXAS)



## fez-head (Mar 15, 2005)

handyhoppe said:


> Jesse, would you mind sharing the data you mentioned with me also. I have also spent hours on research and gathering data from the net, that is how I stumbled accross this site. We are a Remodeling and handyman company located in St. Louis, MO. I enjoy reading your posts they are very informative and your web site is very impressive. Thanks for all the information.



I will dig them up for you and we can trade info. 

As far as the web site goes that is all Aaron Ohanalon's doing from FootBridge Media. I came up with some of the content and he did the rest. It has a long way to go (better pics - etc. supplied by myself) before I will be satisfied but it is a hell of a lot better than what my buddy made for me.


----------



## handyhoppe (Jan 20, 2007)

That would be great, is there any particular data you are interested in?

My Husband and I started our company about 4 1/2 years ago and have grown steadily. We now have two full time and one part time employee,
Rob (husband) and myself. Rob took early retirement to start business and I am still working as a Sr. Design Engineer part time with the intension of going to work full time for us later this year.


----------



## fez-head (Mar 15, 2005)

handyhoppe said:


> That would be great, is there any particular data you are interested in?
> 
> My Husband and I started our company about 4 1/2 years ago and have grown steadily. We now have two full time and one part time employee,
> Rob (husband) and myself. Rob took early retirement to start business and I am still working as a Sr. Design Engineer part time with the intension of going to work full time for us later this year.


I am interested in anything that may help my company prosper. :thumbsup: I usually just stumble across things that I like and save them. 

Lately I have been researching employee leasing alternatives without much luck. The ones I have spoken with require a minimum of 6 employees. I am also talking to temp agencies to serve the same purpose but have had no luck yet.

I am beginning to realize that independent contractors are not going to work out and without health insurance and the other benefits I will never get the quality help to stick around.


----------



## handyhoppe (Jan 20, 2007)

Jesse,


I have found info the same way mainly stumble across it while surfing the net. I am going to leave you my email on your website. Please email me back with your email so I can just forward directly to you.
I will have to dig through my files to get most of the stuff I have accumulated.


One source of data is a publication call St. Louis small business monthly it is available on line and has some good info.


I would recommend looking into your local BNI groups (Business Network International) my husband joined a local chapter and it has been a great resource for leads. There are 2 chapters in the Jeff city area and it appears neither has a Handyman or a Travel Agent ( may be good for your wifes business also). When I get your email I will send you their contact info.


We started out using guys on a 1099 (independent contractors) and found like you that was not the way to go. We now have 2 full time guys in their early 20's they both spent 2 yrs in trade school and had about 4 yrs experience before we hired them. Our local community college has two tech programs one in building repair technology and one in residential carpentry. You may check and see if there is anything like this in your area. We do offer health insurance for the employee and they can add their family, but they have to pay for the family. Our guys are young enough that there insurance is not that high for alliance blue cross blue shield. We do not pay vacation or holidays yet, but as the business grows we would like to add those. We Pay them for travel and mileage between jobs. We do not pay them time or mileage to the first job of the day or from the last job of the day and try to organize jobs so there is the least amount of travel as possible. We feel this only fair since they use their trucks and have and have our signs on them.


Our part time guy is our son, he is a freshman in college and has arranged his schedule so that he is in school 2 days a week (carries about a 16 hr course load) and works for us 3 days a week. He does a lot of the grunt work, debris removal, tear out , etc... We also use him a lot when you need 2 people to do a job, but both do not need to be highly skilled for example hanging cabinets, siding, hanging drywall. He catches on quick and is a hard worker, by working him in the field with experienced personnel he gets a good feel for how things are done. We also have been having him do some of our smaller estimates (of course we always review them). I guess you could say we are trying to groom him to run things in the future. He plans on majoring in business with emphasis in construction and a minor in Spanish.


We have also found that people with remodeling experience are a good fit, because they can think outside the box and are able to solve pre-existing problems on the job site and are usually skilled in more than area.


We have been toying around with an idea of trying to build a network of retired tradesmen who would like to work part time. What do you think?


----------



## ButlerDesigns (Nov 27, 2006)

Jesse,

If you can share that info as well with me. I have gotten alot over the net already, but anything new would help. Thanks


----------



## fez-head (Mar 15, 2005)

Thank you for the tip on BIN - it is something that I had not heard of around here but will now check into.



handyhoppe said:


> Jesse,
> We have been toying around with an idea of trying to build a network of retired tradesmen who would like to work part time. What do you think?


I have the exact same idea. All these Baby-Boomer's are retiring and have a lot of good years left in them. Many are not interested in full time work but may be happy to put in 20 or so hours a week doing handyman work....especialy on the residential side. As long as they can just show up and work (without the hassle of the office work) I think they would be quite happy. 

I am a Free Mason and hope to get some of my brethren on board in the near future. I cant imagine anyone more dependable. Many are retired police and firefighters so the little old ladies will feel even more secure than usual while we are in their home.  

Thanks again for you tips and here is my email [email protected]


----------



## fez-head (Mar 15, 2005)

ButlerDesigns said:


> Jesse,
> 
> If you can share that info as well with me. I have gotten alot over the net already, but anything new would help. Thanks


John,

You bet. 

I still am trying to find the main file in word that most of it is in. I have to much crap saved and cant stand to delete any of it "just in case". 

I am a digital pack rat.


----------

