Around this time last year the world was bracing itself for the inevitable — worldwide lockdowns and business closures began to be the new norm. Many counties across the United States have shut down or slowed normal operations in observance of strict COVID-19 guidelines, a situation that has remained omnipresent for over a year now.

As March comes to a close and April gets closer, there is talk about some of the more strict communities (like Los Angeles, for instance) who are considering granting amusement parks, sporting events, and even live music shows as permissible again.

St. Patrick’s Day looks quite a bit different this year than it looked last year — many Americans are out purchasing green items of clothing with plans to hit up the bars and local taverns for a little more celebration than that which was offered last year.

Proceeding with Caution

Although many places are starting to get back to some semblance of normal activity post pandemic, many individuals remain cautious about things and are continuing to limit their exposure in whatever ways are available. There are still a high percentage of people in the United States who will continue to practice social distancing, not to mention wear masks out in public.

Certain sources assert that the US has accounted for around 25% of the world’s COVID cases globally and more than 400,000 Americans have lost their lives due to this deadly disease.

Getting Back to Work

Many Americans have already returned to the workplace, but only around 28% expected to be back to their respective workplace before the end of 2020. Here we are at the end of the first quarter of the year and many people are still working remotely.

As vaccinations continue to be applied on a National and global level, more and more people will begin to feel better and safer about acclimating back to some sort of regular activity.

Businesses Adapt

Many businesses will continue to offer employees the option to work remotely, and some businesses have adapted so well to working with remote teams that their practices and protocol have changed dramatically. Businesses around the globe have responded to the pandemic in impressive ways, many of which offer mobile services, delivery, and have been able to observe strict standards in order to keep their communities safe.

Architectural firms are offering virtual showings of buildings instead of having in-person meetings, those who type “car service near me” into their search bars can now find mobile mechanics who provide on-demand services compliant with COVID-19 guidelines. 

As the world continues to be cautiously optimistic and the exposure rates continue to stabilize around the world, more and more businesses will begin to commence something of a normal operating procedure and many of the activities that people miss most will soon be at everyone’s fingertips again. The important thing is to remain cautious, stay vigilant, and resist the temptation to overexpose ourselves during this key time of transition.

Are you someone who’s good with your hands? Maybe you’re the person everyone calls when something goes haywire in their home. If this sounds like you, it could be time to start considering starting your own handyman business.

When most people consider this, they immediately turn the idea away because of certain misconceptions about the idea. The biggest misconception is that people think you have to be a licensed contractor to start a handyman business, and the truth of the matter is that you don’t. There are several home services that you can provide without needing a contractor’s license. 

Here are a few examples of services you can provide as an unlicensed handyman:

• Deck staining
• Power washing
• Haul trash
• Repair furniture
• Grass Trimming
• Paint touch-ups
• Install trim

These are minor tasks fit for a handyman. If you wanted to do something like foundation repair, you’d need to get licensed.  Licensed contractors won’t even want to do these tasks because they’re too small in comparison to the big projects that they’re licensed to take on. That reason alone is why if you’re good at these types of things, you have a great chance of starting a very lucrative handyman business. Just imagine the joy of your neighbors and community members to know that one of their very own has started a business they know and can trust. 

If you’re seriously considering starting your own neighborhood handyman business, here are some things to take into consideration first.

Determine If There’s a Need For Your Services

One of the biggest mistakes most handymen make is not conducting market research to determine if there’s even a need for the services they’re offering. This is extremely important in determining the success of your business.

If you live in an area where there are handyman businesses on every other street, you’re going to have a lot of competition, which means the likelihood of your business surviving against your competitors, who’ve probably been there a long time, will be extremely low. Always do your research to see how much competition you have, and that will help you determine if you should start the business or not.

What Types of Services Will You Provide?

Handyman is a very broad term that means you offer a wide array of services. So how do you determine which types of services you want to offer? Well, start by narrowing down the things you like to do. Do you enjoy working outdoors or indoors? Do you like aesthetics or repairs? Really take the time to figure out the things you like to do and the things you’re good at to determine the services you want to offer. That will then help you determine the prices you should charge.

Equipment Needed

If you’re going to become a handyman, you’re going to need to acquire the necessary tools and equipment for you to perform your services. In addition to that, how will you get to the locations to perform those jobs? So now you’re looking at getting a vehicle as well.

Determining the types of jobs you’ll be performing is crucial because it will also determine the types of tools and equipment you need as well. And based on that, that will determine the type of vehicle you’ll need that will be accommodating to the tools and equipment you’ll need.

Let’s say you offer deck staining, power washing, trash hauling, and grass trimming services… You’re going to need a truck large enough to haul several bags of trash, safely transport a lawnmower from job to job, and haul a pressure washer, cans of paint, and large pieces of furniture that needs repairing. 

You, of course, can’t use your car, and you just don’t want to use your personal vehicle anyway because it will put you at risk for more than usual wear and tear as well as the potential for damage to your equipment and lack of necessary space.

Because you’ll be running a business, your best bet would be to rent a ¾ ton pickup truck. It will have all the space you need to haul your supplies and equipment from job to job, and has enough room to haul a partner if you need help on a particular job. Renting will be a lot more cost-effective for you, especially, when you’re just starting your handyman business. Buying will eat into any immediate profit you get.

Before you jump the gun and start a business, conduct market research, and even start talking to neighbors to see if they would call a handyman for various services. Just because you’re not doing big projects as licensed contractors do, that doesn’t mean that your business is anything short of a business… it’s indeed a major investment, so look at all the considerations to determine if this will be a lucrative business venture for you.

The construction industry is booming. The sector brings in trillions of dollars a year, 11.2 million people are employed by it, and it’s one of the fastest-growing industries. With those statistics, it’s not surprising that you want to become a contractor.

There are many types of contractors, and they’re all crucial to the construction industry. Because of the increase in construction needs, and a shortage of workers, contractors are in high demand. 

The construction industry is expected to grow by at least 4% by 2029, so the demand for contractors is also bound to grow. Getting involved in the field now will put you in an excellent position to make a serious financial gain. 

So, if you live in North Carolina, here’s how to become a contractor in just three easy steps. 

1. Decide What Kind Of Work You Want To Do

There are many different types of contractors. You can be a general contractor, a roofer, a plumber, an electrician, an HVAC specialist, or an excavator, and that’s not even all of the options. 

Because there are so many options, your first step to starting your own business from scratch is deciding what type of contractor you want to be. There are a lot of factors to consider when making this decision, but for now, let’s focus on skill and pay.

What skills do you already have? Can they be of use in any of the types of contracting mentioned? If you have an existing skill set that can be useful, it makes sense to go in that direction. 

How much money do you hope to make from your new profession? Some types of contractors make more than others, so if money is your primary focus you should check in to how much each type of contractor makes in North Carolina. 

Keep in mind that how much someone makes in this type of industry is usually dependant on how much experience they have and how many projects they’re willing to take on. 

2. Determine Which Type Of License You Need

North Carolina requires different licensing and permits for different types of contracting work. For some, you may only need to attend a training course and pass an exam. For others, like electrical work, you may have to seek continuing education.

When you decide which type of contractor you want to be, you can check into the requirements for your specific license. 

A few common types of licenses people acquire are general contractor’s licenses, plumbing licenses, and electrical licenses.  

North Carolina laws and regulations require that anyone performing contracting work worth $30,000 or more have a general contractor’s license.

A plumbing license is required in North Carolina before bidding on or performing professional plumbing work.

With an electrical license, you can bid on, or contract any size of electrical work, but you may need continuing education. 

Check into the laws and regulations surrounding the type of contractor work you’ve decided on to ensure you meet the requirements before beginning work.

3. Take Your Prep Course And Contractor’s Exam

The final step to becoming a contractor is to prepare for your licensing exam and then take the test. Which exam you take will depend on what kind of contractor you’re going to be. All of the exams are lengthy and cover the knowledge you need to have to do your new job properly.

You can sign up to take an exam prep class now to ensure you’re ready when you take your test. The class will cover everything you need to know to pass the test in North Carolina and give you a head start in your new profession.

The length of the course can vary depending on which exam it is you’ll be taking, but for reference, the general contractor’s course takes less than ten hours to complete. That’s a small amount of time when you consider that you’re preparing for a venture that can prove lucrative for years to come.  

Once you complete your exam prep, you can check in to the next available day to take your exam. When you pass the exam, you will officially be a licensed contractor.

You can become a licensed North Carolina-based contractor with ease by completing these three easy steps.