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Whether you’re just starting a handyman business or have been running one for a while, finding ways to grow is key to long-term success. For new business owners, this means gaining clients, building credibility, and establishing a solid foundation. For existing businesses, it means scaling operations, increasing profits, and expanding your team or services. No matter where you are on your journey, our guide will help you grow smarter and faster.
These strategies draw on our work with over 200,000 home service professionals. We also consulted the following experts for firsthand advice:
- Jeremy Winnie, owner of JW Handyman
- Yoni Assulin, founder of ASL Remodeling
- Jessica Lauren, a construction contractor and real estate investor who runs Fire Damaged House Aid
- Lauren Waterson, general manager of Koehn Painting
- Jeff Lexvold, a 20-year construction crew veteran and owner of Tropic Renovations
- Andrew Fisher, owner of Valley Patios Inc.
Positioning your handyman business to grow
Before you market your services or hire new staff, figure out where you fit in the market. This may mean defining a niche or refining your current positioning.
Defining your target audience
If you’re just starting out, begin by identifying your ideal customers. Are you targeting homeowners, property managers, businesses, or a niche like seniors needing regular home maintenance?
If you’re already running your business, take a fresh look at your existing clients and sales data to determine what’s most profitable. Housecall Pro lets you track customers and recurring jobs so you can focus on marketing to the clientele that’s bringing the most repeat business and referrals.
Deciding whether to specialize or generalize
You can choose to offer a wide range of services or focus on a specialty. Generalizing helps attract more customers and provides variety, while specializing lets you charge more, build expertise, and stand out.
If you have an established business, consider refining your focus. Analyze revenue and customer satisfaction for each service. Promote the services that drive profit and loyalty, and consider phasing out low-demand offerings.
Your “purple cow”—the thing that makes you unique—can evolve as your business grows. For example, Winnie’s business JW Handyman gradually became recognized for bathroom remodels. He started with smaller projects that built customer trust and led to larger opportunities, including remodels recommended through a Home Depot partnership. As his team gained experience, testimonials, and pricing insights, it made sense to focus on remodeling projects while still offering other services.
Updating your branding and messaging
Your branding should clearly communicate who you are and what you do. If you’re just getting started, focus on defining your core services and how you want to be perceived by clients. Ensure your website, social media, and marketing materials reflect this message.
If you’ve been in business for a while, now may be the time to refresh your website, social media, or marketing materials to reflect any changes in focus, services, or market positioning. Make sure your messaging highlights what makes you different from competitors.
Setting pricing and services to grow your handyman business
It may take a while to find the best services and prices that work for you, but it’s one of the most important steps in building a successful handyman business.
Choosing the right services
If you’re new, start by listing the handyman services you do best and enjoy the most. These are the ones that will help you build a strong reputation quickly. Begin with a manageable set and expand only once you can maintain consistent quality.
If you’re established, review your current offerings. Emphasize the services that are most profitable and consider phasing out any low-demand or low-margin jobs.
Creating pricing strategies
Many customers prefer flat rate pricing because they know the total cost upfront. But handyman jobs can vary widely, making it hard to set flat rates. We’ve seen more of our Pros use a hybrid model: charging a flat rate for common jobs and hourly for everything else. Tools like Housecall Pro’s estimating software makes it easier to create quotes quickly, ensuring your rates are profitable and competitive.
As you grow, test small price increases on high-demand services, monitor client response, and adjust as needed to maximize revenue without driving customers away.
Establishing contracts and terms
Formal contracts set expectations and protect your business if disputes arise. Use contract templates and review terms regularly to ensure they reflect current services, rates, and policies. Always present written estimates with the exact details of what will be done and require a signature on that paperwork.
“If there’s a problem that requires modification of that document, let the client know immediately before you continue the work,” Lauren of Fire Damaged House Aid says. This builds trust and keeps you and the customer on the same page.
Marketing your handyman business
Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, but it does need to be consistent. You want the right people to see your business and understand why they should choose you.
Building a strong online presence
Your website is often the first impression people have of your business. Make sure it’s professional, highlights your services, and is easy to navigate. Use SEO tactics to optimize for local search so customers nearby can find you quickly. If it’s been a while since you set up your site, refresh it with updated services, client testimonials, or portfolio projects to attract new leads.
Engaging on social media
Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X to share helpful posts, before-and-after photos, and project updates. Highlight seasonal promotions, introduce new services, and share tips, tutorials, and success stories that demonstrate your expertise and engage your audience.
Running paid advertising
Consider running targeted ads to reach the right people. Platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads let you zero in on specific locations, demographics, and interests, bringing leads straight to you. Housecall Pro integrates with Google Local Services to help your business appear in local search results, making it easier to connect with ready-to-book customers without constantly managing ad campaigns.
If you’re already using paid advertising, analyze which campaigns, keywords, or audiences are generating the most high-quality leads. Pause or adjust underperforming ads, test new messaging or visuals, and use retargeting to reconnect with visitors who didn’t convert the first time.
Tip: People often search for general terms like “handyman” rather than specific services. Use these insights to target advertising and keywords more effectively, such as focusing on “handyman Brooklyn” rather than “light fixture installation.”
Using offline marketing tactics
Don’t forget traditional marketing. Business cards, vehicle wraps, print ads, networking events, and community projects can all help get your name out there and build local trust.
Word-of-mouth is especially valuable. Ask happy customers to share reviews, and consider partnering with realtors or property managers to generate leads.
Offering customer incentives
Referral bonuses, loyalty programs, or seasonal promotions encourage repeat business. Housecall Pro’s automated messaging and promotions tools make it easy to remind clients about referrals and rewards.
Providing exceptional customer service
Your reputation is everything. Delivering a great experience keeps clients coming back and encourages referrals.
Delivering on (and exceed) your promises
“Nothing has helped me more than being reachable and reliable. Return calls fast, show up on time, and you’ll get more referrals than any ad can buy,” Assulin of ASL Remodeling says. Lauren recommends leaving the space cleaner than you found it and adding small touches to make your business memorable. “Use shoe covers when you need to walk through a home to get to the worksite, lay down tarps to keep the area clean, and bring a small air purifier if the job is indoors and involves lots of dust or particles.”
Communicating clearly and personably
Go beyond polite conversation. Ask questions that help you anticipate future needs (e.g., “Are there other repairs you’ve been putting off?”). Explain your process clearly. Send progress photos if clients can’t be home. After finishing, check in a few days later to make sure everything’s still working perfectly.
Streamlining the client experience
Use software like Housecall Pro to simplify scheduling, send automated reminders, and keep clients informed about progress. When customers know exactly what to expect and can handle everything from booking to payment in one place, it creates a smoother experience and makes them more likely to hire you again.
Budgeting to grow your handyman business
Keeping records and planning for unexpected expenses will help you stay profitable and scale strategically.
Tracking expenses from the start
Waterson of Koehn Painting says one of the biggest mistakes business owners make is not tracking business expenses from the beginning. “It’s easy to let paperwork pile up, [but] having a solid financial record and understanding your tax implications is crucial,” she explains. Housecall Pro records job costs, payments, and client history to make organizing your finances easier.
Building financial buffers
Even established businesses need to account for cost fluctuations and unexpected delays. Lexvold says Tropic Renovations nearly went under at first because he didn’t factor this in. “Now, I build a 15% buffer into every estimate and require progress payments every two weeks, not one month like other contractors.”
Use financial data to drive growth
Reviewing your financial reports to see which services, clients, and projects are most profitable is important. But go beyond simple profitability. Look at metrics like job completion time and materials used versus budgeted to identify bottlenecks, reduce waste, and improve efficiency.
You can also use this data to make strategic decisions. “New handymen sometimes focus too much on keeping costs down to the detriment of growing their business,” Fisher of Valley Patios says. “Buy high quality tools. Invest in marketing. If you’re good at what you do, clients will be happy to refer you, leading to low-cost leads in the long run.”
Hiring and growing your handyman team
Growing your team is a big step, but with the right approach, it can open the door to larger projects, more clients, and greater long-term stability.
Developing a hiring strategy
If you’re turning down work or struggling to meet demand, it’s probably time to hire more employees:
- Review finances: Determine exactly what you can afford, including wages, benefits, payroll taxes, and any equipment or tools new employees will need.
- Check compliance: Research local hiring and labor laws to avoid legal issues.
- Create detailed job descriptions: Go beyond duties. Include performance expectations, work hours, and any physical or technical requirements.
- Use a structured hiring process:
- Advertise in local trade schools, community boards, and online job boards.
- Prepare interview questions that assess both technical skills and customer service ability.
- Check references thoroughly.
- Onboard effectively: Use an onboarding checklist to ensure every employee is trained on your processes, safety standards, and tools from day one.
Investing in employee retention
Invest in training, recognition, and growth opportunities. Schedule regular check-ins and encourage employees to share ideas for improving service or efficiency. Recognize good work publicly and support ongoing skill development with courses, certifications, or ride-alongs with more experienced crew. Reliable, motivated employees are invaluable, even if they don’t tick every box immediately.
Where to go from here
Growing a handyman business takes time and persistence, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Connecting with peers and resources
Connect with other pros through local meetups and online communities to share strategies and learn from peers. Leverage resources such as the following for business guidance and support:
- The Small Business Administration (SBA)
- The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
- The National Small Business Association (NSBA)
- The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
Taking action and track progress
Download our “Handyman Business Checklist.” Use it to track your progress, evaluate growth opportunities, and continue improving your services. Keep improving step by step, and you’ll set yourself up for steady growth and lasting success.Ready to grow your handyman business smarter and faster? Start your free trial of Housecall Pro to manage scheduling, payments, marketing, and client communications all from one app.
