Careers in Home improvement

Hi all,

I just wanted to say that this is a great group. I have a question regarding careers involving home improvement. If one likes home improvement projects and fixing up old homes what kind of full time career is available? I assume a generic track would be to pursue a handyman and/or a general contractor career. How much money could one make doing home improvements? Am I on the right track or is home improvement not feasible to make a stable career and living??

Thanks,

Reply to
txoutdoors
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Well, carpentry and other specialties, of course. I know of several people for whom this is a second career, after spinning out of the white collar office job market for one reason or another. You can work for yourself (or more accurately, for 100 bosses instead of just one!), be outside a lot, and you get to claim a tax deduction for everything you buy at Home Depot, too.

But probably the most feasible for most people is to pursue a side career of real estate investment. Serial home remodelings, profiting on each one, or rental property improvements, are both methods with great tax advantages and long-term stability.

Reply to
Dan Hartung

Depends on how good you are. I know of one that I worked with part time that made well over 100k a year and that was 25 years ago.

He contracted out most plumbing and electrical, but did most of the brick laying, framing, finish carpentry, did his own design and drawings. The amazing part was that he could do each of the skills as well as the top specialist in a particular trade.

He did not bother with doing aluminum siding as there was not enough money in it and siders were cut throat in pricing. Same with roofing. The money was in doing things like converting a house to a doctor's office. That would sometimes mean ripping the entire front off a building and starting over, as well as all the interior rooms needed building to specialized specifications .

Kitchen remodels are big $ also. Gut the entire kitchen to the studs. He'd even pick out the cabinets for those that had no clue as to style.

Sadly, he was sidelined due to health. Even then, a wealthy man wanted special trim in his home and could find no one that knew how to do it. He paid to have this guy picked up in the morning and brought to his house to show a finish carpenter how to do what he wanted and supervise, then he'd have him taken home.

He sure had talent. While a lot of knowledge did rub off on me, the talent in his hands could not be taught. You have to be born with it. If you have that ability, you will never be out of work and will always make a good living. And you'd never have to take a job cheap just to get work.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

If you are dependable and fairly good, I would think that within a few years you would have more business than you could handle. The Handyman / Home Improvement area is overpopulated with people who: A: Don't know what they are doing. B: Are highly unreliable due to problems with alcohol, drugs or just a shitty work ethic. They get a few bux in their jeans and you can't find them unless you scour the local taverns. C: Are terrible money managers and do not pay their bills for the materials they buy. If the Supplier delivered the materials to the jobsite, he may put a lien against your home for the Contractor's non-payment.

Good Luck!

Reply to
Loose Cannon

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