OT - Help! Minor repairs to home needed

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Fairy nuff. But a local group might be a better place to ask for tradesmen

- and or your neighbours. This one is really for help with DIY.

[Andy Hall]

First one appears to be a loose cooperative, which is fine but not a franchise

Second one is more like it.

[The Medway Handyman]

To some extent that's what I did - I saw what the existing large companies did & learned from it. The last 18 months have been a huge learning experience though. Whilst there are many people out there with the DIY skills, they may well lack the business & marketing skills required.

Not sure about franchising, but I might well write a 'how to' book. When I did my research I could only find two - one from America and one from Canada - no 'how to be a handyman' book relevant to the UK.

Might be a few bob in it.

[Andy Hall]

Not a bad idea at all, although I suspect that there is still the situation of those who know how to market themselves and those who don't and never will.

The business aspect is something else and a key part is to be firm but fair about pricing and not being afraid to ask for a good price for the work done.

[meow2222]

Youre quite right about franchises.

But explaining to the world how to outcompete you is not such a good idea.

NT

[Andy Hall]

There's a big difference between reading and doing.

[Ed Sirett]

Indeed so. The customer who says give me a range of options and prices can be dealt with fairly. Likewise the one who says I want a cheap job just so long as it works/is safe. Likewise the one who say I'd rather pay a bit more for a good job.

Jobs that have a high (perhaps implicit) expectation of the finish can be very time consuming which is the really big cost. E.g. Decorating,

[The Medway Handyman]

To be honest it wouldn't bother me if another 10 handymen started up in the area - one thing there isn't is a shortage of work.

[The Medway Handyman]

Very true. Repairs to rented property or jobs for people putting their house up for sale are good earners IME. The customers want a quick 'bodge'. As long as you (and they) are clear about their expectations.

That's why I don't do much of it!

[Inge Jones]

This is somewhate related to the subject of small repair jobs, and I have noticed a growth in the handyman businesses, which is good... Anyway is there anything on offer for helping people with limited fitness move stuff around? Get boxes of stored household effects out of the loft? Carry an old TV or washing machine out to the front garden where it can be collected by the council? My husband and I are not pensioners nor formally disabled, and we have a reasonable income, so we don't qualify for social services help, but for various reasons are not fit enough to scramble around in the loft or lift heavy objects. And we are not related to or friends with anyone who is.

So what nature of tradesperson is available for this type of task?

[Huge]

IME, even otherwise excellent tradesmen are deeply crap at administration and other paperwork. I guess it's because they get into it because they're "handy" and good at it, but then they hate the paperwork.

[Stuart Noble]

It pays to cultivate your neighbours. There are always youngsters loafing about who would jump at the chance to earn a few bob. "There's no such thing as society" is a great philosophy until you get old.

[Inge Jones]

No I would want someone who was in business and insured in case of injury to themselves or damage to our house - and preferably someone used to lifting regularly. Neighbours might not like to refuse and then it could turn out they had a weak back or something themselves. And we're not old anyway, just physically unfit in ways that don't necessarily show. :)

[meow2222]

I dont think you could slot that into a successful business model. Hence the need goes unmet.

NT

[Cicero]

================================== Realistically, it's more a question of changing your life style. Discarding old TVs or washing machines isn't an everyday occurrence so the main problem appears to concern moving furniture and other household effects. You could store things in an outbuilding rather than in the loft and a carefully chosen trolley would help for other things. It would be worth contacting one of the disability groups or stores for some advice.

Cic.

[The Medway Handyman]

I'd take on that sort of work as a Handyman - provided the client was willing to pay my standard rates - never been asked to though.

[Owain]

There's a "Universal Aunts" agency - one would think there would be a "Universal Uncles" - or for the older generation, "Universal Nephews".

Owain

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Sounds like something you'd find hanging around Soho...