Do you have a passion for home repair? Are you skilled in everything from carpentry to tile work? Do you have a meticulous eye for detail and a can-do attitude when it comes to home improvement? If so, you may be considering starting a handyman or handywoman business. In Ontario, handyman professionals are crucial for ensuring properties stay in tip-top shape year-round, and due to the varying weather conditions and needs of property owners, demand for a professional handyman is high. But starting a handyman business can be daunting, especially if you don’t know where to start.
At Morison Insurance, we want you to have a successful handyman business, and that’s why our commercial insurance brokers provide expert advice on what you need to consider when starting a handyman business. Starting any business can be tough, but with our expert team on your side, you can have peace of mind knowing you are getting the help you need to launch your handyman service successfully.
Before starting a handyman business in Ontario, or any other business for that matter, you first need to research your chosen business and develop a business plan with your business goals. Researching your potential business field will give you a better idea of the type of services people will expect, any regulatory requirements, and allow you to craft a step by step plan for how to start a handyman business.
Your handyman business plan should include:
By skipping this step in starting a handyman business in Ontario, you could potentially be leaving yourself open to a lot of issues later down the line. Not only will you have an improper idea of what is required, but you will also struggle to get potential partners or financial institutions to give you the support you need to start a handyman or handywoman business.
If you begin by doing research on starting a handyman business in Ontario, you will ensure you better understand your market, service, and industry, and it will allow you to set up a suitable business structure.
Common business structures for Handyman businesses tend to be either sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation businesses, each with its own pros and cons.
When deciding the type of business structure, consider your business goals, liabilities, and tax implications. Don’t be afraid to speak to a professional lawyer and/or accountant, as they will be able to provide valuable insight as to what structure may work best for you when starting a handyman business.
Now that you have your business plan written up and know the business structure, the next step in starting a handyman business in Ontario is business registration. Please note that you are required by law in Ontario to register a business, and skipping this step in starting a handyman business can lead to steep fines and other legal consequences, which is not a good way to start any type of business.
You should have come up with an appropriate business name (and a few backups, just in case) and checked to ensure it isn’t taken during the initial step of starting a handyman business. In Ontario, you can also search the Business Name Database at ServiceOntario to ensure that your preferred business name isn’t taken. Once you have the all-clear to use your chosen business name, then you will need to register your business, either online at the Service Ontario website, by mail, or in person at a nearby Service Ontario location.
Once it’s registered, the next thing you need to do when starting a handyman business in Ontario is to register for a Business Number with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and a harmonized sales tax (HST) account with the Ontario Ministry of Finance.
With your business now registered, the next step in starting a handyman business in Ontario is to ensure you have all the needed handyman insurance, business licenses, and permits to conduct your business safely and properly. You will be exposed to common handyman risks while fulfilling the demands of your job, so it’s important to speak with a professional insurance broker at Morison Insurance to ensure that your property and liability insurance needs are taken care of.
Additionally, depending on the type of work you will be doing, you may need to have certain permits and licenses in place before officially starting a handyman business. In Ontario, for example, handyman service professionals likely don't need a license for general home repairs, but they will need a general contractor's license if they are doing certain types of home improvement projects, as well as municipal licenses in the areas they are working in, but you may need specialized licenses for any work such as electrical or plumbing work. Before starting a handyman or handywoman business, check with your local authorities and any relevant regulatory bodies to ensure you understand your permitting and licensing needs so you don't run into legal issues by not being licensed to handle plumbing issues but do anyway.
Additionally, you can check online at Service Ontario to ensure that you understand the legal requirements you will need to abide by, or if you have any questions, speak to a lawyer before starting a handyman business in Ontario.
With insurance and your legal requirements now squared away, the next stage in starting a handyman business in Ontario is to set up your business. This involves setting up things such as bookkeeping and getting essential tools, equipment, and supplies you may need when starting a handyman business.
Bookkeeping is important because regardless of whether or not you have a physical location from which you do business, you need to have a way to track your finances for tax purposes, business growth, profit analysis, financial statements, cash flow management, and budgeting. Without proper bookkeeping, you end up running afoul of any legal compliance or into some serious cash issues not long after starting a handyman business. Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional to handle it for you, ensuring proper bookkeeping is crucial.
In Ontario, there are a wide variety of buildings, and so to ensure you can expertly handle any home repairs or improvement projects, you will need a wide range of specialized and basic tools, equipment, and materials. Especially if multiple people are working for you, having the proper tools and equipment available is crucial. So, before the official business launch, buy all the equipment, tools, materials, and products you need to do your handyman jobs.
The final stage in starting a handyman business in Ontario is to market your business to your potential customers. During the initial phase of starting a handyman or handywoman business, you should have done plenty of market research to determine who your ideal customer(s) are. Consider the following questions when thinking about how to promote your business:
Once you know the answer to your questions, then start crafting a marketing campaign. Be sure to use a mix of mediums, such as different social media accounts, online directories like Google My Business and Yelp, networking, advertising in local publications, and a user-friendly website, to reach your target audience. Once you have completed a job, be sure to ask satisfied customers to leave you a review! Don’t be afraid of adjusting your marketing plan as needed, and unlike other stages in starting a handyman business, this is a reactive stage. If one method of communication isn’t working as it should and another is, don’t be afraid of pivoting to best benefit from it.
Starting a handyman or handywoman business in Ontario can feel daunting at times, but with your trusted Morison Insurance broker on your side, you can get the expert help you need to navigate the process and ensure your handyman business is properly protected.
Call us today at 1-800-463-8074 to see how we can help you in starting a handyman business!
This content is written by our Morison Insurance team. All
information posted is merely for educational and informational purposes. It is
not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Should you decide to act
upon any information in this article, you do so at your own risk. While the
information on this website has been verified to the best of our abilities, we
cannot guarantee that there are no mistakes or errors.
