Question for Handymen, contractors etc.

Hi guys,  I don't know if anyone recalls or cares, but a couple of months ago I was posting the 'frustrations with the job market' thread. Having become disillusioned with the job hunt, I was thinking of starting a handyman business.  About that time, several things happened, including getting >< close to a good job, hospitalization, a renter moving out, meaning I had a whole house to repaint, and even a few handyman jobs.  So nothing really happened for a while.  Last week I set up an LLC, insurance, got business cards, all that basic stuff.  This last Monday, 14th, I created Facebook and Nextdoor pages and went live.  With nothing more than that, things have started strong.  Facebook is dead, but Nextdoor has been very effective, and I'm currently booked through next Tuesday, with the guys I'm currently working for already giving me out as a recommendation to others, so it's looking good.

This has created a couple of new issues, nothing bad, just things I hadn't anticipated.  The first should be easy.  I'm looking for a recommendation for an app/OBD dongle for mileage tracking.  Is there a good easy to use one for frequent start stop or multiple part trips such as home -> Home Depot -> Client A -> Client b -> Home again?

The other is communication/tracking clients jobs.  Right now I"m just using Google for my calendar etc.  Doing that way is great, it's on my phone, set up on a single computer at home, and on my wife's phone as well.  That's great for staying connected, following up on calls/quotes etc.  The only issue is when people text my phone directly.  Everything else being google/facebook/Nextdoor means my wife can see and answer questions, especially if I"m busy, but she can't see my texts, and when a conversation switches from a message, or email, to text, she can't see it and doesn't know if I've responded, missed it, made other plans etc.  I could log in on her phone so she can see the texts as well, but that would be a nightmare for both of us.  Any suggestions for a general tracking and internal communication suite.  There are lots out there Getjobber, Intuit, Housecall, etc, etc.  I"ve spent some time looking, but right now they all look similar.  It takes time to research them all, and all claim they are the best.  What have people actually working found is the best way to comunicate, track, record etc.? I"m looking for recomendations from people like me, a small single man operation with assistance from my wife, especially when I"m out.

Thanks for any input guys, heading to work now!

Nothing to add but I'd be interested in the variety of jobs you're doing, 

Are you hanging a picture or a TV? Changing out a garbage disposal? Or more difficult?  Adding extra receptacles?

Good luck with your new business!

I don't know about those other services, but a Google Voice number might be a basic option for the communication side. It can be forwarded to one or more other numbers, and texting is through the website and app, so she could see and even reply to texts (and calls if if desired) on your behalf too.

We currently track everything through a Trello board. It is accessible to everyone you include through a browser or a phone app. I use a paid version with 9 seats but we started out with the free version, and it worked very well. The ability to add pictures is a godsend. 

A current screenshot looks like this. Every job gets a card. As the job progresses, it moves down the columns until it reaches the complete and invoiced column. 

It also has a calandar function so you can add dates and times to card to keep track of the schedule at a glance. 

I probably have over 100 jobs in various levels of completion. My only complaint is that it has minimal prompts, so you have to make sure everyone is updating information as it changes. That can be a challenge when you have 9 people who are supposed to be updating the cards.  

Link https://trello.com/

I mange mine with a Google calendar and white board in the office. Your other questions are ones I struggled with years ago and solved by hiring employees and using work-only vehicles. Honestly it was super difficult when I was starting out to handle a lot of the micro-logistics! 

there is always "an app for that" in today's app world:

quick google AI search revealed the following:
 

1. Jobber:

• Features: Scheduling, estimating, quoting, invoicing, online payments, and client communication.
• Pros: Streamlines paperwork, helps manage projects, and facilitates quick payment collection.
• Link: Jobber 

2. Housecall Pro:

• Features: Scheduling, quotes, customer reviews, and more.
• Pros: Comprehensive for business management, suitable for single owners or those with multiple employees.
• Link: Housecall Pro 

3. Contractor+:

• Features: Mobile estimates, invoices, project progress tracking, client communication.
• Pros: Easy-to-use for creating detailed estimates and invoices.
• Link: Contractor+ App 

I was certified as a Google Workspaces Admin. There is a whole suite of functionality in there for integrating all sorts of systems, and it's pretty sweet. But at your scale, and with what you're doing, some of these other apps look really well-placed.

Side note: make sure you look into licensing requirements. When I had a kind-of-a-sort-of-a construction for some reason many years ago, we found that we couldn't legally touch a home without a HICL in Maryland (Home Improvement Contractor's License). I could sandblast your car or do something to your yard, I think, but the second I got to the structure in which you lived--HICL. Since you're a handyman, you might have different licensing requirements. Or maybe people just won't bother you. Anyway, having "Fully Licensed!" printed right there on the side of your work van can help bring up the trust level, too! From what I remember: getting the HICL didn't look like a big deal--we just closed the business down before we decided to pursue it (we both had full time jobs, and didn't need the extra work anymore).

As for mileage tracking, you shouldn't need an OBD dongle for that, the GPS on your phone can do it. Triplog and Everlance seem to be the most highly rated apps for the purpose.

The other thing, and I don't know if you've gotten this far yet, is that depending on what system you have for tracking and invoicing, some of them like Quickbooks can track your mileage automatically with their own app. One less bit of manual data entry.

In reply to Driven5 :

Damn good idea, I"ll probably do that.

Thx

In reply to Toyman! :

That looks very interesting, I'll check it out.

Thx.

Datsun240ZGuy said:

Nothing to add but I'd be interested in the variety of jobs you're doing, 

Are you hanging a picture or a TV? Changing out a garbage disposal? Or more difficult?  Adding extra receptacles?

Good luck with your new business!

Real quick:

• Painting ceilings, bathrooms, general rooms, trim molding. Yuck.
• Repairing cracks in drywall.
• Replacing light fittings.
• Hanging blinds.
• Moving a vintage 1920's telephone weighing a metric E36 M3 tonne from one place to another.
• Shelves, wine racks, etc.
• Mail post repair
• Installing medicine cabinets - more below.

Upcoming work booked:

• Curtain rod install, 
• Replace a toilet
• Replace faucet
• Baseboard molding
• Etc.

I way under bid the medicine cabinets.  It was replacing two older ones with two new.  Large units, massive heavy lighted mirror doors. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, and that one stud would need moving over.  All made more difficult by the fact there was a large 3x5 mirror glued between them.  It faucet me every step of the way.  I actually needed to remove three doubles up studs, as well as the one I moved.  All were both glued and screwed to the drywall, and I couldn't remove the screws, so had to cut through with a multi tool.  I knew I'd have to cut the screws, but had no idea about the glue, or how many I'd need to do.  Then the electrical had to be moved.  Then I had to install them.  Both had to be installed about 1/4" higher than the old, as the doors were >< much taller and now kissed the faucets.  There was more, but all this with a mirror I couldn't break.  I did it, but it took twice as long as expected.  The guy was great.  I asked for 25% more, effectively meeting half way, and he threw in another $50, and has already referred me to someone else as he was very impressed.  I'll be back to touch up some trim next week, included in this job.

Datsun240ZGuy said:

Nothing to add but I'd be interested in the variety of jobs you're doing, 

Are you hanging a picture or a TV? Changing out a garbage disposal? Or more difficult?  Adding extra receptacles?

Good luck with your new business!

Real quick:

• Painting ceilings, bathrooms, general rooms, trim molding. Yuck.
• Repairing cracks in drywall.
• Replacing light fittings.
• Hanging blinds.
• Moving a vintage 1920's telephone weighing a metric E36 M3 tonne from one place to another.
• Shelves, wine racks, etc.
• Mail post repair
• Installing medicine cabinets - more below.

Upcoming work booked:

• Curtain rod install, 
• Replace a toilet
• Replace faucet
• Baseboard molding
• Etc.

I way under bid the medicine cabinets.  It was replacing two older ones with two new.  Large units, massive heavy lighted mirror doors. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, and that one stud would need moving over.  All made more difficult by the fact there was a large 3x5 mirror glued between them.  It faucet me every step of the way.  I actually needed to remove three doubles up studs, as well as the one I moved.  All were both glued and screwed to the drywall, and I couldn't remove the screws, so had to cut through with a multi tool.  I knew I'd have to cut the screws, but had no idea about the glue, or how many I'd need to do.  Then the electrical had to be moved.  Then I had to install them.  Both had to be installed about 1/4" higher than the old, as the doors were >< much taller and now kissed the faucets.  There was more, but all this with a mirror I couldn't break.  I did it, but it took twice as long as expected.  The guy was great.  I asked for 25% more, effectively meeting half way, and he threw in another $50, and has already referred me to someone else as he was very impressed.  I'll be back to touch up some trim next week, included in this job.

In reply to Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) :

Doh.  Dunno why I didn't think of a simple app.  I'm so early 2000's.

Good one on Quick books too.

Heading outside to unpack and clean up from todays job, then repack for tomorros job.

2nd for everlance for mileage. 

How do you feel about shoveling dirt and lugging pavers?

I'm 64.  I write E36 M3 on a paper calendar.  Mileage is done either in a notebook, or I yank numbers from mid air at the end of the month.

Luddite, me.

Streetwiseguy said:

I'm 64.  I write E36 M3 on a paper calendar.  Mileage is done either in a notebook, or I yank numbers from mid air at the end of the month.

Luddite, me.

Nope, I wont Luddite you.  That's honestly a responsible way to do things, especially for small businesses, and it's how my wife has worked for years.  But between her business, this new business, plus a couple of rentals set up as separate LLC's, right now I need to have accurate records so I can circle back and make sure my calculations and assumptions are correct to cover overheads, windshield time, hours, fixed costs, jobs, which LLC things go too, etc.