How much should a handyman business charge?

[@GosforthHandyman]

Watch this vid for a more detailed breakdown of hourly rates and how to calculate them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJjQfJyGqbmCrK8

[@paulrichard4945]

Appreciate Video! Sorry for butting in, I am interested in your opinion. Have you thought about - Rozardner Successful Handyman Reality (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now)? It is a smashing one of a kind product for how to start a handyman business without the headache. Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my cousin at very last got amazing success with it.

[@paulrichard4945]

Lovely Video clip! Forgive me for the intrusion, I would appreciate your opinion. Have you considered - Rozardner Successful Handyman Reality (do a google search)? It is a great one of a kind guide for how to start a handyman business minus the hard work. Ive heard some awesome things about it and my m8 after a lifetime of fighting got excellent results with it.

[@iangoodchild2897]

Andy, I am self employed, started as a handyman now ventured into the title of property maintenance. The thing I found with the term, handyman, is that they do jobs and cheaper than specific tradesman. I have been going for 5 years and never stopped!.. Its not what I thought it was going to be like being self employed, off on holiday and no pay, sick and no pay. The most annoying thing I have found is that when your trusted to do a days fixed price work, I work 9-5 with half hour dinner and work my arse off, you rock up at 9.45 after being to 4 different stockists for materials and you get a 'good afternoon' from the customer. Narks me to death......Awesome video though and you are correct, once you put your prices up people stop using you

[@notsure7874]

Ok - if a customer doesn't trust me to do a fixed price job, they can go elsewhere. I'm not being treated like an employee who's only responsibility is showing up "on time" and completing work. I'm not talking about a days fixed price job, I do mostly fixed price work - I'm talking weeks worth of fixed price work. If the level of trust isn't there, and they want to micromanage me like an employee - I'll refer them to the rent-a-drunk and wish them the best with their project. I'll also politely decline to ever work for them again. Oh, the 50 dollar / day guy you hired didn't work out? I'm so surprised!!! Good luck again with that project!

[@andyjames8612]

My advice to anyone starting out in business is stick to what you know, don’t experiment on someone else’s property if you haven’t done it before. I’m a carpenter and have been for 35 years but I don’t go near roofs for example because I’ve never done a roof before. I stick to what I know, I know exactly what tools I need and what materials to buy and where to buy them. Be totally honest with yourself and your customers and you won’t go far wrong.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup defo - push yourself within the remit of what you know and are competent with. 👍

[@MelbourneAlan]

i actually disagree with you . if you want to try a new area of your field (say carpentry) then do research and learn as much as posible then try it out. once you know what your doing it will be all right. dont cut corners or take short cuts. i never cut a roof up until a while ago . i was doing a porch and the roofer couldnt do it so i desided now was the time to learn. it was a very straight forward roof and only 6 foot square . i studied everything i could find like home bond books and building regs etc and it worked out perfect. the next job i got in th eroofer and helped him do a larger more complicated job and learned loads dont let not knowing how to do something stop you from learning to do it

[@andyjames8612]

I was just using a roof as an example. My work these days is mainly fitted wardrobes and cabinet work so if someone asked me to pitch a roof I would politely refuse. As a carpenter I can turn my hand to most things but there are some jobs I just avoid, not because I can’t do them but because I don’t want to. Find a niche and concentrate on that can often be the best way to start in business then as your confidence grows take it a step further.

[@MelbourneAlan]

@@andyjames8612 choosing not to do it is not the same as saying keep away from it because you never did it before.

[@bighands69]

@@andyjames8612 Andy somebody like yourself could learn to do roofing easily but you are correct taking big risks on somebody else's property is not a good idea.

[@paulmcfadyen689]

I recently had a property developer ask me to quote for fitting a kitchen...She told me how she was not happy with the finish from her current joiner. She had plumbers and electricians etc. so she just wanted me to quote for a dry fit "simple as that" she said...No problem. Gave her the quote for £1200..."oh that's quite high, is there any negotiation with the price? I normally get my kitchens fitted for £650." No wonder you're not happy with your current joiners work, I replied 🤣

[@tlangdon12]

A great reply - well done for coming out with it. Not sure I would have had the presence of mind to tell the customer!

[@paulmcfadyen689]

@@tlangdon12 I just didn't like the way she was banging on about how she was a property developer and could give me loads of work...then expecting me to bang out kitchens week in week out for buttons? No thank you! Lol

[@tonyontrack1967]

@@paulmcfadyen689 Yeah, the old chestnut "do this at this price and they'll be more to follow" You do the job and never hear from them again. Spot them a mile away now.

[@paulmcfadyen689]

@@tonyontrack1967 they think we button up the back 🤣

[@diyengineer811]

@@tonyontrack1967 I hear this in my business too (non trade) - I tell them that if they pay full price now then they can have a decent discount on the next one.

[@tuonier]

Thank you for words. I've started a handyman business this year. This gives me much encouragement. I learn a lot from you.

[@MelbourneAlan]

great video andy. its frightening the amount of costs it takes to run a business. customers dont see these costs and assume that all the labour charge goes straight into your back pocket. realistically a lot of tradesmen would be financially better off stacking shelves in tesco

[@markbryan9989]

All excellent advice. Back when I was in the security business, there was nothing more frustrating than newcomers charging rock bottom prices because they thought it was the only way to get business. They soon failed but made life difficult for those of us that were more professional. Keep up the good work!

[@richardhughes258]

I could listen to you all day, so much great advice it's hard to process it all! I'm trying my hardest to set up a multitrade and handyman business, and I'm soaking up your help and advice like a sponge. Please keep em coming! Cheers! Rich...

[@ksp1278]

Excellent video. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am not thinking of starting a business but it has given me a better understanding of the trades. I have recently moved home and have had a lot of work done. I would say for the most part prices of quotes were what I would expect. Getting my fences replaced though was a different story. It was 23panels that needed replacing and a new gate to be built. One quote from a fencing guy was £3400 (£200 per day X 4, skip £300, materials £2300). The other company's quote didn't break down the costs but they wanted £8,000. I went with the cheaper guy and was very happy with the work he did. He did the job on his own in the time he quoted. I watched him like a hawk and saw no shortcuts. Materials and skip would surely cost similar for both companies and it should take a similar amount of time. What are they doing for the extra £4.6k? I appreciate you saying you can charge what you like, but I feel that if you appear to overcharge it can ruin your chances of getting further work (and we do have a lot that needs doing).

[@GosforthHandyman]

You've touched on a separate issue that I might chat about on the podcast... too much to go in to on here but yup defo seen a lot of that too. Vastly varying quotes from ultra cheap to ridiculously overpriced. Friend of mine recently got quote for an extension - ranged from about £30k to £90k. 👍

[@georgescholey8978]

I really enjoyed this video which is unusual as I would normally stop a 'talking head' video. I have been a lifelong amateur woodworker. I was a cop for 31 years and on retiring wondered about setting up a woodworking business, perhaps specialising in distressed look furniture. I didn't have the confidence to do it and have always regretted that. My regret is mitigated by the fact that my second career allowed me to change the lives of many young people for the better but I often reflect on 'what if'. Now I'm 'retired' all my relatives & friends thinks I have the time to do their jobs 'for nowt' as we say in Yorkshire. Keep up the good work! George

[@markroper6188]

Such a good video. When I started out I undercharged ( not intentionally) as I didn’t want to be seen as a rip off and also thought I would never get any work. What actually was happening was that I was being ripped off. Some very good advice in here for anyone starting out!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup, there's lots and lots of people out there who will take advantage of your good nature. 👍

[@MrBarrytommy]

Too true ,I'm 64 being charging not enough for far too long -not anymore but the work has taken it's toll but for younger person its good job ,wish I had your advice many years ago Cheers

[@robbristow]

Andy. Outstanding advice. I am now retired and was self employed for over 40 years, employing a receptionist and an assistant. All my customers came to me by word of mouth. I never advertised, just one line in Yellow Pages. It is pertinent that as a 'sole trader' I only earned when I was working - go on holiday and the income stream stopped but the overheads continued!! My charges were always considered reasonable but If a customer used the term 'that's cheap' I always said I would gladly charge them more if they were concerned about the cost.

[@briansworkshop01]

I don't know how you fit all this in and have a life with your family and friends friends well done 👍👍👍👍

[@johnbenson9009]

Fitted 5 solid veneer doors and me mam asked what I'd been doing that day. I said £200 for 5 doors and me dad straight away chipped in with "That's 40 quid a door, me mate down the pub would of done it £20 A door" I said yeah bit he'll probably turn up with a bent hammer and a rusty saw🤦‍♂️ Even 40 per solid core door is cheap I'd say bit it's a good day rate if you get 5 on. They're not the lightest

[@superseven220]

I'd say that was a good price, £50 per door would be reasonable

[@simpleman1545]

Hi could you do similar movie for 2023, I'm watching you for a while and thinking about starting my own handyman business.

[@steveclen-murphy582]

Thanks Andy. I have fallen into that trap just to keep work coming in, and it irks me. Decided to stand up for myself and charge a reasonable amount again and this vid confirms all the reasons.

[@VapourTrailz]

Spot on, so relevant for me at the moment. Where were you ten years ago when I needed you? Particularly enjoyed giggling at you gesticulating with a sieve - undertones of fast show in there I think. Seriously though thank you very much for putting the time and effort in to help your fellow trades-reprobate out.

[@romand123]

I started my handy man business about a year ago and was charging $25/hr. After a month I quickly realized that I needed to charge a flat $90 for a house visit which covered me for 2 hrs starting from the time I left my house. After the first two hours I charge $30/hr. Nobody has batted an eye. I think i may bump it up to $35/hr after the first two hours because at best I only average about 6hrs of paid work per day. The rest of my time is spent unpaid doing estimates and maintaining my equipment. Good advice!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers - heard of several folks over in the states charging $100/hr+ for handyman work. Obviously don't know the areas etc... but loads of work out there if you do a decent job. All the best! 👍

[@MartiA1973]

Great point on charges. My "My Builder" page starts with the words "not the cheapest electrician"! I lose a lot of work to to those racing to the bottom. Thanks for sharing all your years of learnin'!

[@davidfoulds1620]

On the money as usual. I would add that customer service is number one priority, nothing causes acrimony more that leaving a customer hanging not knowing what’s happening, it only takes a few seconds on the phone to update them if you know you’re going to be later than expected, and stick to the facts, customers are not interested in excuses. If at all possible, don’t over commit and give the customer time ‘windows’ rather than specific times. Also, if changing from being an employee to self-employed be prepared for two big changes; forget the notion of still doing 9 to 5 and income is not going to be like a fixed wage, I’ve had swings from 2K one week to £50 the next. Lastly be flexible and adaptable, how I earn my living today, although in the same business, is vastly different from what it was 30 years ago.

[@yrification]

Totally agree...I work as a electrical engineer in a maintenance department. I earn £35k which I think is too low. For the YEARS we have spent at college/night school and university learning our trades. To get paid a low wage in comparison to people who I’m sorry but sit on a phone all day with everything provided is disgusting. Final bit of the rant...people described as ‘professionals’ really get my goat. I personally think that it discriminates against trades people.

[@MrSawdust85222]

Awesome info! Thanks for sharing. I’m in the states. It absolutely drives me nuts seeing guys that are doing this work for for 20-30 an hour. As you stated, these guys and their “Business” is short lived and in the mean time all they are doing is cheapening the industry as a whole. Thanks again.

[@mikes6844]

Very useful information for all those budding entrepreneurs, be confident in your own ability and be prepared to walk away from jobs that don’t pay. Great vid 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@jamesrodgers3132]

Wow. Thank you so much for putting the time into this and sharing your insights. The £100/day man: that's his sideline on the QT, while he's also drawing unemployment benefit. All-cash only, and no guarantees.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup - I think a lot of businesses still operate on a cash-in-hand basis which is insane when there's so much demand for decent work. 👍

[@bighands69]

Keeping a good attitude is very important and that means paying taxes as well. People respect a good attitude when it comes to work. Arriving on time, doing as you promised and performing to the best of your abilities everytime is a good way of life. Doing things behind the scenes that clients cannot see is also good such as being disciplined.

[@scottmclean6301]

So glad you did this video. Its been spot on so much its as if you've been with me on jobs. My problem is I lack enough actual time served (so to speak). Did joinery in college but its really not easy and I like to do perfect work. Last 2 customers major twats. I gave price of 100 and they were happy. Then I finished in 2hours so they said I'm not paying you 50 per hour! I said I am not charging you 50 per hour. If it took me 1 hour or 10 I'd stil ask for 100. They said they think 70 is more than enough so basically told me what I am worth. How frustrating. I jus took it and will not work for them anymore.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Sadly there'll always be a minority of asshats out there intent on ripping you off. For new customers especially try to get written confirmation of all quotes even if it's just a txt - "That'll be £100 fixed price - is that OK?" - don't start until you get a "Yes" by txt. I don't refer to time at all unless I'm literally charging by the hour (rare) - fixed price for the job, take it or leave it. But yeah, sometimes you just can't win - I had a customer once wanting me to drop everything and come out to do a 'quick fix' job for £20. I told them no and they left me a bad review. As I say, asshats - just have to move on from those. I'm in the process of putting formal T's & C's together for my business for bigger jobs - just to keep me covered. Onwards and upwards - keep it up - you'll do well. 👍👍👊

[@scottmclean6301]

@@GosforthHandyman excellent thanks very much

[@scottmclean6301]

@@GosforthHandyman after watching and listening to your video on not under pricing ourselves I was really happy. But again get customers saying I'm far too expensive and I'm really not. I must jus be getting the wrong people. I see a post on Facebook asking for qoutes then they are like oh I will keep looking thanks I think maybe Facebook isn't the best way to find customers. Any suggestions on new ways of finding customers that I might not of thought about. Thanks for your time

[@GosforthHandyman]

Good web site and Google My Business work out more than enough for me! www.google.com/business/ 👍

[@chrischandler7930]

Love the Mumsnet example! I sometimes think people live in dreamland when it comes to how much it costs to make or fix something!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Yup - very frustrating. 👍

[@tevalia]

That was the most forthcoming description of how this works!!!! Thank you!!!

[@superiorbeing95]

This man is right on everything he says, I'd also add that as somebody who runs a business it's a good idea to keep as big a buffer in your bank as you can. It takes discipline but there's always that quiet period, it's great if you have the bills covered, you can do your own thing but if you're living month to month it can be stressful.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Totally agree. 👍

[@tonyontrack1967]

Wise words indeed. I’m always prepared to say “no” to a job and never negotiate on price. Know your worth and have pride in your work 👍

[@GosforthHandyman]

Completely agree. 👍

[@javashak]

Really good info there. I think consumers need to see this as well, not just the guys with aspirations to becoime a handyman.or whatever People make estimations based on no real facts or data and (convniently) miss out all the hidden costs like equipment depreciation, travel time and costs, taxes, shop rent and power etc. Looking forward to Saturday video.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Hopefully a few folk with point customers in the direction of this video. 👍😀

[@strobie42]

I wasn't sure I was going to watch this one, as I have no intention of setting up a handyman business, but I really admire your methodical approach so I did watch to the end! That's some impressive avoidance of doing your own accounts, by the way ;-)

[@HazaraAfguk]

Honestly mate, you’re right when you said I’m giving information for free! Iv recently started in around West Midlands it’s great a lot of work!

[@jesterraj]

Im in Trinidad in the caribbean ,,,lots of tradesmen not much work...

[@chrislogan8283]

People always moan and say cowboy builders ,but theres more cowboy customers always trying to knock a fair price down ,or the favourite one can you just do this while your here.or they will pay £15000 for a kitchen and white goods but want to pay £500 to have it fitted.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Ha yes, the "while you're here" comment sends shivers down my spine. 😂

[@bighands69]

While you are there should normally be responded with " I will look at it and give you my opinion".

[@scottmclean6301]

Yep. Agree there. Last qoute said ooh that's a bit too much it's only mdf and screws. Yet she paid 500 for a chair for the dog!

[@Mark...]

Get the same here as an electrician, people pay hundreds or more for a fancy light fitting yet they want to pay peanuts to have it fitted.

[@smartermanager123]

@@Mark... i have the same problems working as a carpenter and also customers seem to think its ok to talk to you for 8 hours a day, i not a muli taskers

[@jesterraj]

PPL tend to treat tradesmen here where i an as un educated ppl who cannot do nothing else and as such pay them small money......which is a misconception..A trademan is just as important as someone who works in a bank or doctor......

[@jacko7488]

You have become one of my favorite YTers. Content is always great and apply to real life. Keep it up mate. From Wales

[@TimBox]

I was moaning at £300 a day (which I did pay) now I see it's about right for London. But I have decided to do everything myself now. Just like I did in the past.

[@krisruchomski9294]

3 years running a handyman business here - completely agree with Andy to the letter

[@matthewhook3375]

Ahh man that MumsNet post had me fully raging. I'm not in the trades but I dabble with DIY stuff and call in a pro for tasks beyond my comfort zone. Winds me up when they say "it's a simple shelf" - OK, if it's so simple just bloody fit it yourself then!

[@MdaMda-ky7zd]

great video Andy, this is putting every skilled tradesman thoughts to words, moved here recently and was shocked by some people pricing expectations, many times Ive done jobs were costumers had to pay twice to get done right because they were looking fir the cheapest quote.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thank you! 👍

[@orbepa]

I really enjoyed that Andy. I work in IT and now in my 40's, but I'm sure the City will kick me out sometime soon. As a 40 year old I now enjoy DIY and especially Carpentry. I'm hoping I can build my skills ups over the next 10 years and have a retirement industry. I watch Peter's channel quite a bit and have made a few cabinets now - not to your level yet, but on the right path. I'll probably be remaking my kitchen in 2019 which will be a fun projectwith a steep learning curve. As a commenter below says - "Don't experiment on somebody elses property", so learning by practising on my own place

[@GosforthHandyman]

Great stuff - yes, don't experiment but do push yourself (safely). Best of luck! 👍

[@levdogofficial1946]

Hi pal gonna be paint mate 2021 what do I charge to hang a door . Tv brackets to a wall . Curtain poles . Flat packs just starting out mate in Stockport near Manchester

[@michaelburton9638]

hi thanks for making and posting this excellent episode. I'm a carpenter in London doing bespoke furniture. Only been in business a year or so and learning fast as I can. Good to have folk like you and Peter Millard out there. PS not too many jump cuts in that one.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Ha ha - I like jump cuts. 😂

[@007lutherking]

I work for a company as a contractor but they charge too much fee so I'm thinking about doing what i do for them by myself and cut the middle man. Build my own client base while I'm still working for them

[@jimmyburn1059]

Hi Andy, you're right about not having this kind of info when you were starting out. I'm just starting out now and can't believe that this kind of incredibly useful information is so freely available! Thanks, will be supporting you on Patreon. Regards. Estuary Handyman.....soon to be Estuary Carpentry. (after some good advice to specialise)

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thanks bud! 👍👊

[@jimblack2331]

Brilliant Andy. Just starting out myself a self employed and this has already made me review my business plan! Looking forward to part 2! 👍👍👍

[@richardhughes258]

Love the rant at the end! Absolutely spot on!

[@martinevans8524]

Hi, I'm a full-time dad, a qualified electrician and a qualified mechanic. Currently unemployed as I actually enjoy the school run (some mental health history) I was intrigued to setting up a handyman business rather than specialising in one sector, but unsure where to get advice. Have no issue learning new trades, nearly 40 but can turn my hand to fix almost anything, I'd really appreciate it if you have any pointers towards me starting my own business as I'd like to show my daughter (she's 8) that a man (yes sexist 🤦🏻) should work hard and look after his family. Hope this comment doesn't get missed, kind regards Martin

[@leonski100]

Hi Gosforth, very motivational to watch and being a Joiner myself...I want to have my own workshop...eventually!. Thank you for these videos and keep up the good work!

[@PurpleWhirple]

So many good points in this video. Love your channel and, like many others, wish it had been around earlier in my career. I came back to Woodwork a few years ago and have been scraping along the bottom financially. I like to think my work is excellent but never seem to be able to charge enough to make it pay. I think this is partly down to confidence and comparing my rates with others who are concentrating on price rather than quality. Your bit on Mumsnet was particularly interesting to me, I’ve often looked at posts on here to check my rates and thought, you must be joking. In future I’ll file it under ‘get stuffed’ and rely on my own calculations. Thank you.

[@chrisbradshaw7273]

So, when you say 'charge £30/hr' are we talking about day rates of £240? I've just set up as a handy man and most of my jobs so far last between 1/2 day and 3 days. I charge £160 a day currently and I'm wondering whether to just give fixed prices.

[@diyengineer811]

Another great video! I totally agree with the advice on charging and £30 p/h sounds a reasonable number to me. Here's one that irked me recently though - I asked a local plumber/heating engineer what has hourly rate was. £30 per hour he said. Fair enough. I then asked him how much it would cost to install a new boiler...oh - that will be £1000 plus the cost of the boiler and materials and should take me about 6 hours. How's that then? Some gigs are better than others I guess. :-)

[@GosforthHandyman]

Wow! Yes, see my reply to ksp1278. 👍

[@paulmcfadyen689]

Boiler install and general plumbing are two different jobs to be fair. Heating engineers pay thousands of pounds every few years to keep their tickets(and knowledge) up to date.

[@diyengineer811]

@@paulmcfadyen689 So is changing brake-pads and changing a gearbox, but my local garage still charges the same hourly rate for each.

[@paulmcfadyen689]

@@diyengineer811 yea I get what you're saying, but what I mean is not every plumber can install a boiler. It's a specialised area which is heavily regulated. That's all I'm saying

[@diyengineer811]

@@paulmcfadyen689 Yep, true I see what you mean Paul. To be honest, I though the price was good and went ahead with it anyway and have been really happy with it ever since :-)

[@Thom4123]

Awesome information And I’m here to back you up I’m in my 50’s and there’s more aches and pains in just the last 5 years lol it’s the truth. Take Care.

[@jonesconrad1]

100% correct mate about skills and tools and required in relation to pricing. Not only do you need to run the business and have overheads but you also need to cover sick and holiday.

[@adventuresofahandyman4446]

Thanks for you insights. I'm in the states but I'm sure your info applies here. I've been pushing my handyman business on the side hard for a little over a year. Planning on taking it full time Jan. 1st. Thanks again.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Great stuff - how do rates compare in the States? Best of luck! 👍

[@adventuresofahandyman4446]

@@GosforthHandyman I try to make a minimum of $300 per day but shoot for $500. Most jobs are priced per job but when people say they have a list of small jobs, I give them an hourly quote of $60 to $70 per hour.

[@michaelchapman4269]

Great stuff as usual Andy, will be watching this again later. Subscribed to new channel too. Thanks for making and uploading mate.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers and welcome to the new channel too! 👍

[@rimmersbryggeri]

In sweden 50K a year of gross earnings would just barelypay your wages. roughtly 50% goes away to costs You'd have to go up to nearly £100 an hour to cover wages and other costs like renting a space tools and sundries. If you have space where you live like a garage or so you might be able to go down to £75-80.

[@rimmersbryggeri]

To put it into perspective. I'm in Auto repair and last year a Service department executive from the main Mercedes dealer in my area came by to talk about carreer options and economy. HE asked us all about how much we thought we had to take home in the shop per month to keep management happy. Obne of the younger guys said 40k swedish I saif 130-150k. The guy sai my answer the management would be very happy indeed but between 90-100k so about £8500 per month they charge aboout £200 per hour int the merc shop though so not so hard there but the thing is most jobs are not hourly but rather flat rate and discounted. Many jobs might take longer than the time that has been assigned etc. All of this has to be taken into account which is why I'd say as you grow hire an accountant to do the job they are good at and you keep doing the job you are good at.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Really interesting! Most independent mechanics around here charge about £30-40/hr but yes, 3-4 times that from main dealers. 👊👍

[@rimmersbryggeri]

Then they must do huge markups on parts. They do here to but not as much as they did in the past unless you go to the main dealer.

[@mozu517]

When I was in the print business, we had a saying "Do you want the job done quick, cheap, or well-done? Pick two."

[@sakatan1985]

I'm just here to tell you that for SOME REASON my Pixel 5 is activating the Google Assistant thingy from something you're saying in the first 10-20 seconds of the video and searching for gibberish. It just called a community college in Germany.

[@NorfolkRed]

Great Video and very informative Andy. Love your no nonsense approach.Went to look at a job last week, just one door to supply and hang, really is one of those jobs you don't really need sometimes but working on the assumption that you never know what it might lead to ha ha, how many of us have fell for that old chestnut !Anyway I digress, decided to not go in my van and took the wife's car instead which is a Jaguar XE. On being greeted at the door he saw the car in his drive and said this is going to be expensive, I asked (already knowing what was coming) why is that, well you must be earning to much to be swanning around in a car like that. Peoples conception of what you drive or have does my brain in. They don't understand the logistics of being self-employed, no money if you don't work, no paid holidays etc etc.Sorry for the rant, and keep up the good work.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Great points! AND so what if a joiner turns up in a Jag? The notion that trades people aren't allowed nice things is crazy. 👍👍👊

[@fivestring4653]

Man I subscribed and liked 4 minutes in . Thank you for sharing sir . I look forward to seeing your other videos

[@TheFurnitureArtisan]

👍Love the rant about people wanting things done for next to nothing, undercutting, handyman instead of trade etc. I'd be interested on your take on what I call 'over the shoulder know it alls'. People who stand over you scrutinising and saying things like 'the last bloke didn't do it like that' or 'I googled it, and it says to do this' etc. You then realise why the last bloke hasn't come back for more work. 'Google isn't here doing it for you though is it' Also you to touch on gaining a reputation. The thing that people new to self-employment in any sector should remember is that it can, and usually does take hundreds of jobs to gain a good rep, but it can only take one bad job to lose that rep.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Can't stand the 'over your shoulder' clients too. 👍

[@amlcknz]

my hourly rate is $50 per hour, $75 if you watch and $100 if you help

[@isaachanley2593]

Just found your Channel it's Awesome mate , former scaffolder turned handyman 👍

[@RoanOC]

A Yankee here. What is a "joinery" business? Is joinery the British word for carpenter?

[@jofasable]

Easily the best video on KZbin, great tutor. your advice is very valuable to anyone in this business. Gosforth Handyman, you are the image and same manner of Yul Brynner the leader of the magnificent seven western in 1960.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thank you Jope! 👍

[@jonhandle]

Great advice we need to start upping are pricing, Even site work is the stale £16-18 pound an hour.

[@GosforthHandyman]

👍👊

[@marccole2825]

Sound advice Andy - must say really enjoyed your delivery. Look forward to Saturday's output:)

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers - hope the Sat one is useful. 👍👊

[@MrBazza72]

Absolutely spot on...too many trades undervalue their work. Customers will try and dictate...takes a while but you can quickly sniff out the rogue customers.

[@paulhanson6008]

Excellent video. Appreciate the time you took to produce this:)

[@MrBishbashbosh2012]

I really love this video Andy, lots of great information, definitely worth watching, thanks very much.

[@scottmclean6301]

If only things was easy as what everyone is saying here. People will never pay you 150 a day now days. I qoutes 250 for boxing in pipes in a bathroom, and making and fitting shelf in cupboard. Supply and fit plus painted. By time get materials it's 100 ish so only getting 150 after that but then there is petrol to think bout ect

[@GosforthHandyman]

Now's the perfect time to put your rates up Scott! 👍

[@Chimp_No_1]

Incredibly helpful and positive. Thanks.

[@smartduke4739]

Hi Mate Can you do a video about how to set up a building contractors firm. I won't be doing the job myself but subcontracting. Cheers

[@Flat-Five]

That quote at the end for all that worked seemed well cheap!

[@TheBrick2]

Hi, Do you have any tips on getting your first customers? This has put me off starting and I can't see a the first step. All the work I have done previously including some substantial building jobs is a long time ago and out of the area I now live or has only been for myself and close family. I am in PAYE world and not currently in the building trade so no opportunity to chat to regular customers and having moved no contacts. Thanks P.S. Do you have a buy me a coffee link?

[@samrichards8251]

I would say absolute minimum 30 pounds. Can easily double if not tripple that. Charge per job then get the job done quickly and efficiently. I average closer to 90 pounds per hour and never do jobs under 55.

[@FarcasAndrei]

Great video! Is any phone app or web sites where I can get handyman jobs?? Thank you!

[@aaronbell8527]

How much do you charge to fit a interior door

[@jorgejimenez1877]

"If it's that simple do it yourself." Hahahaha! I love that.

[@notsure7874]

I've told people just that. I'll hand them the $130 invoice for the service call and wish them the best.

[@audibleadventures9004]

Can I ask did you do any formal apprenticeship for carpentry I am 29 and getting no where for a couple of years now! no one will take me on as I'm over 25 and that would mean paying me minimum wage, so whats the best thing to do, I still need to earn money for my family...

[@cgillies91]

I'm just starting out myself at the moment. These will be good vids to watch

[@GosforthHandyman]

👍👍

[@Mister_G]

Good points well made. I went from corporate to self employed and back again (electronics, not wood butchery). I also reckoned that £30/hr was the bare minimum to cover the costs of being self employed - no holiday pay, no sick pay, no 'economies of scale', Don't get paid for quoting for jobs, need to pay professional liability insurance, etc. It was sustainable, but nothing special. Having found out what people were paying for similar work, I reckon I was under pricing jobs by a factor of 5-10 Took the corporate shilling again when it was offered and now get paid whether I do anything or not, 6 months sick pay & 6 weeks a year off. If I went into it again, I'd go for the handyman side of things (I am pretty handy), price accordingly, but do the job right. Yourself and Peter Millard are very good at this sort of thing, but neither of you live near me! :D

[@mrharker1905]

Great video Andy. Really interesting! 😃👍 Interesting the section where you read a reaction to a quote. I think people just think all the time ‘Rip off Britain’. But that is really not the case. It’s annoying when people do not value someones time and knowledge to get something done. I’m a video editor/animator by profession and I find in my job, experience isn’t taken into account. For example. If I’ve been asked to remove someone from the background of a shot. That could take a few days for someone with lesser experience. But because I have experience it could only take a few hours. But because I did it quicker you get the comments of, ‘Well it didn’t take you long, so it must be easy/no skill required.’ .. But the reason it is ‘easy’ is because I’ve spend 10+ years doing it for a living. and like you said Andy ‘If it’s that simple, do it yourself.’ 🙌🙌

[@GosforthHandyman]

Exactly - cheers bud! 👍

[@horatiofluffytop]

So much good advice and common sense. Thank you.

[@xxnonstopdancingxx]

The musical transition when reading the mumsnet post 😂😂😂

[@hansdegroot8549]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. I'm happy that you published it publicly, not only for your Patreons. (I'm still missing your direct sponsoring button :-) ) I'm looking forward to the second part. Imho an hourly rate of 30 GBP is quite low for the UK. . Being self-employed you are not working 170 hours a month (as like an average employer) Everybody needs a break from time to time (need not to be longer holidays), do administration, etc. Even a Handyman is sometimes ill, etc. And jobs come ten at the same time (which you pointed out in your video) and then there is a vacuum. I think 125 payable hours a month is max. That is 1500 hours a year. 1500 times 30 = 45000. Only depreciation of tools and car 10 000 a year. Leaves 35000. But you pay all social securities yourself (also the part of the employer would pay if you were an employee) + insurances and taxes. Maybe for that reason it is probably better to specialize. In that case less tools are needed and the car can be less expensive. I'm curious what the fields are which you are going to mention on Saturday.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thank you! Forgot to mention I've added the direct support thing now - haven't actually tried it yet! 😀 gosforthhandyman.com/support/

[@hansdegroot8549]

@@GosforthHandyman I'm going to try it (and hope that I'm not the only one)

[@hansdegroot8549]

It seems to have worked.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Got it - thank you!! 👊👊

[@hansdegroot8549]

@@GosforthHandyman You're welcome. I've finally completed the triangle (you, Peter Millard and Keith Brown)

[@800Viffer]

Great video Andy As Harry Enfield's Smashey & Nicey would say "Wise words mate"

[@hgodfrey]

Hi folks. Any recommendations for handyman insurance?

[@newrisingsun6785]

3 bob if its in Fawdon

[@lapisredux]

i,m glad i,m adept at diy....trades people charge way to much these days....yes,tools are expensive,yes materials are expensive....but labour ia astronomical!!!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Out of a matter of interest, what do you think is an astronomical labour rate (per hour)?

[@lapisredux]

@@GosforthHandyman well,the very last time i had some work done by an electrician he charged £500 labour for less than a days work....so now i do my own and just pay for testing.....domestic trades are not rocket science so should not command rocket science money.

[@GosforthHandyman]

I would always advise getting a fixed price for the job - if you're happy with the price for the job the amount of time they take should be irrelevant. £500 is a high day rate but I wouldn't say astronomical. 👍

[@lapisredux]

@@GosforthHandyman so you think it's fine that in this day and age when there are so many young people struggling with over inflated house prices and rents and minimum wage employers that they should also have to cough up their weeks wages in less than a day if they need a sparks or a plumber?

[@GosforthHandyman]

If you're happy with the price what's the problem? If you're not happy with the price don't go ahead with the work in the first place. After running costs of a business the spark is unlikely to be on anything more than average wage (£30k or thereabouts). Is that too much?

[@willjones7682]

Andy your a pro and i love your videos. One question that's been bothering me for a while now. You use a 2 part filler on a regular basis, filling in gaps, screw holes etc. Peter Millard seems to do the same so I know if your both doing it there must be an excellent reason for doing so but can you tell me why you don't use simply pollyfilla? Thanks for all the top videos keep up the great work

[@GosforthHandyman]

Main thing with the 2-part filler is that it dries much quicker than normal filler (10 mins and ready to sand) and it leaves a smoother finish. It also smells awesome. 😜😂👍

[@willjones7682]

@@GosforthHandyman Thanks for the swift response Andy. So is it ok to paint (primer/undercoat 10 minutes later or would you still want to allow 24 hours?

[@MartinDoyle]

Good video - thank you. I’ve been on the edge of scaling up my very occasional handyman work for friends etc into a proper business. One question - I have done basic electrics but am not qualified - it’s something I might aim at in the future, but what are you permitted to do with electrics if you’re not a qualified electrician? Change sockets? Light fittings? Upgrade a socket to a socket + USB? Looking forward to part 2.

[@GosforthHandyman]

It's a grey area - from an insurance standpoint it was anything regarded as 'maintenance' but this varies depending on who you talk to. 👍

[@KevinBower-gy5be]

Changing sockets (direct replacement of old to new, including USB) - yes. Replacing light fittings (on single 1-way circuits only, not 2-way switched) - yes. Spurring a single extension from a ring main (to fit a washing machine under a worktop, for example) - yes. Literally everything else - no. You'll contravene Part P of Building Regs.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Not sure it's that cut and dry Kevin - I haven't seen anything saying you need part P to replace a light fitting on a 2-way switched circuit. Although it does massively scare me when I see customers having a stab at this themselves 😥. I think you can also extend a ring main without part P. I know part P got relaxed a fair bit a couple of years ago but I'm not up to date on it now - generally don't touch electrics these days. Last I heard you're not even allowed to use plastic cable clips any more?!? A few years ago I think the big no-no's were consumer units, new circuits, bathrooms and outdoors... no idea now.

[@eddyflynn213]

Fantastic advice I wish it was on a poster on every high street

[@pi1171]

I am probably not the first but you could start an Andyman business...

[@GosforthHandyman]

Gosforth Andyman? 😂

[@diyengineer811]

@@GosforthHandyman Only if you move down to London (preferrably somewhere near Arrods).

[@KevinBower-gy5be]

I totally get this video in the spirit of encouragement in which it's intended. Fact is though - I'm a time-served professional joiner with 30 years under my belt. I spend at least 10% of my entire working month fixing shockingly bad work done by 'handymen' who've gone in cheap, who haven't really got the first clue what they're doing, and because too many gullible householders aren't savvy enough to appreciate the difference between a bloke who turns up in a car with his tools in an Aldi bag, and someone who turns up in a £30k van with £20k of kit in the back. All they see is me at £27.50 an hour, and him at £10 an hour. Apart from the great advice given on the video about pricing etc. - my own personal advice for every prospective tradesman/handyman watching this video is simply this - If you don't know EXACTLY what you're doing, and you don't have the kit, skills or experience to deliver a quality result - don't do it. Just don't. Please. Stick to DIY dentistry or surgery instead.

[@kimidri]

Just because a guy turns up in a 30k van with 20k tools dont mean he knows what he is doing

[@GosforthHandyman]

Unfortunately in all walks of life there are people who give a damn and people who don't give a damn. The label attached to them makes no difference - they just don't care and never will care. This applies to joiners, plumbers, handymen and pretty much any job. A good starting point for not caring is charging less than you'd make at McDonalds (no offence if you work at McDonalds - excellent for customer service experience!). I don't agree with not to doing anything you don't have experience in though - you gain the experience by doing the work. You do have to make sure it's in your skills set though. Just make sure you do a first class job. 👍

[@johnlofts]

Great video and thank you.

[@patmos72]

Get Yourself a hat and glasses because "You're the one who knocks". And great video, I needed that. 👍

[@GosforthHandyman]

👍👊

[@hughtattersall7583]

My favourite rant as an employee: "don't let the customer run the business", generally ignored; got taken over!

[@GosforthHandyman]

👍😂

[@olrenison]

Really interesting video thanks. I'm just starting out as a bespoke furniture maker and joiner having taught it at a college for many years. What to charge is Very difficult I find. I want to win the jobs of course but as you say, have a massive investment of tools and workshop to maintain, plus I'm a bit older at 45. Really good advice though and I'll definitely seek out your small business videos too. 👌👍👊

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers! Would be interesting to hear your views on the education side in the UK - feel free to drop me a note via web site. 👍👍🛠