Everything was just overpriced. As a home owner I can understand why this is happening. To fix anything costs you a north of 300 even for a small pipe fix that used to cost 100 before. We home owners are just scared of calling anyone now

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I don't blame you. I've tightened in all of my spending too

@MrKillswitch88

9 ай бұрын

If that pipe was pvc it could have been fixed for basically peanuts minus the gas needed to drive down to home depot or some other store plus things like pipe glue and fittings.

@william1863

9 ай бұрын

THIS IS HAPPENING BECAUSE THE FEDERAL RESERVE HAS PRINTED DOLLARS TO MUCH WHICH DEVALUES OUR DOLLAR WE USE PERIOD. THEY MADE WALLSTREET BOYS RICH AND NOW THEY WANT ALL OF US TO PAY FOR THEIR WICKEDNESS. READ THE BOOK OF AMOS!! IT IS FOR THIS DAY AND AGE . The Lord our God and Saviour is soon to return call on Christ Jesus. God bless you 👍✝️✌️

@ponchosancho7710

9 ай бұрын

Yall haven't seen anything yet baybay 😂

@Commonsensepreps

9 ай бұрын

Facts

I’ve been laughed at for years for being too cheap, and “swinging my own hammer” I told my wife years ago: “When you start seeing handymen carrying Milwaukee everything, and huge pretty boy trucks… it’s time to worry” I stayed within my lanes, fair, and built up one hell of a reputation. Personally I’ve only seen an increase in work. I never lost sight of the fact that being a carpenter was not a glamorous occupation…. Just a very proud one.

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

I agree my prices have not fluctuated with the surge. Same now as 2 years ago. Solid honest work is what builds a business.

@villafilms5909

7 ай бұрын

Yes I’m only seeing more and more business I started a few years ago

@giftedsage4591

2 ай бұрын

I’m going to keep getting my money. Doesn’t make since for me to waist my time for anything less that 350 a day low end. I didn’t start a business and invest so much time energy and money into myself to make what I can make working for someone who isn’t scared to charge the right amount for the service. The customers normally pay it no problem because they understand that they are paying for something to be done hassle free and correctly and will look high end

Recently used a handyman. Due to inflation. I can’t afford to use him so I’m doing projects on my own. Think it’s only going to get worse.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That seems to be the general direction of things. Good for you for doing projects on your own though!

@parler8698

9 ай бұрын

True and true.

@BStride

9 ай бұрын

Yeah seen this for sure with less people wanting to hire

@Tom-uf2um

9 ай бұрын

Maybe I’m reading you wrong but there seems to be a real dislike of homeowners in your comments. Because of my age and new physical limitations I’m needing handymen to help with basic home repairs/updates I’ve always done in the past. Hope I’m able to find handymen willing to work for a homeowner. It’s easy finding help with the larger projects like window replacement, house painters, licensed/insured HVAC repairs, licensed/insured electrical work, etc. I guess I’ll find out.

@BStride

9 ай бұрын

@@Tom-uf2umI’m sure you should be able to find someone, yardwork seems to hit first whenever I had to hire

This is hilarious. I can't count the times I have been ghosted by handymen/contractors. If they can find a better deal they will leave you and your family hanging. Times get tough its a different story.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Those are the bad ones. This channel isn't for the flakes.

@jimmyjay689

9 ай бұрын

I have experienced price gouging

@chrismullin8304

9 ай бұрын

Most Tradesmen don’t have great business skills, because they learned to work, not sell. Those skills were never honed.

@Trahzy

9 ай бұрын

@@chrismullin8304 Business skills is just a synonym for no morals and extra greed lol.

@jamesgilbert4152

9 ай бұрын

@@Trahzyno your ignorant on human nature most of us don't like to be herd animals buisness education only teaches how to take and keep the most profit good morals from exp. only

Just had a handyman give me a quote for a job. It was an insane price over $10k and I was going to do all the prep. I just did it all myself. Best part was I had everything for the job and he had $1600 down for materials, $8700 for labor,and another $1500 miscellaneous. It took me about 30 hours. $290 an hour is a bit much.

@chrish1815

8 ай бұрын

He probably overpriced it because he didn't want the job.

@rothwegk

8 ай бұрын

Nobody wants to work for a customer who wants to do any part of the job.

@chuckleaf8027

6 ай бұрын

Deathnell for a job... @@rothwegk

@normgraham6658

6 ай бұрын

@@rothwegk I tell the homeowners I charge more if they watch or ask me to help.

@Curtis1900

5 ай бұрын

That seems way too high if he isn’t licensed. If he is there’s cost you have to account for also I get homeowners wanting to get involved. Which is fine but often cuts into your time and efficiency. Last but not least guys will purposely give a crazy number instead of a no and sometimes it sticks

It's BECAUSE of the prices of contractors that I've learned to be my own carpenter. I have saved myself literally tens of thousands in costs by being patient and learning/doing the work by my own hand.

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

That's awesome!

I've been a handy man for forty years, helped alot of seniors .they were seventy five % of my living even though I only charged for items needed to to fix the problem, my time was what they thought was fair. I always use this as a side hussle while driving truck. God is great, life is good.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That sounds amazing sir

@Stephanie_12345

9 ай бұрын

God Bless You. Many people are also suffering and similar situation like Handymen who feel $150-200 per hour are their minimum wage. They view consumers as "money" and not "human beings" so consumers see them the same.

@smith1958b

8 ай бұрын

I, too, was a handyman for many years as a side hustle. My client base were elderly homeowners. I always charged fair prices for my work and never cheated any of them. I no longer do this side hustle anymore.

@gregpearson7013

5 ай бұрын

@@smith1958bwhy have you stopped doing the side work?

Contractors and handymen have been absolute ass over the last few years. Bad work, unprofessional, ghosting, not showing up on time, etc. I called this years ago and stopped hiring handymen. I absolutely could not wait for this day to come because handymen and contractors needed a serious market correction.

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

Many, maybe even just, but there are plenty of us being professional and fair.

@Evettecord

8 ай бұрын

And many are very dishonest. I've had some bad experiences.

@jdere31760

8 ай бұрын

I hear you brother! I have been waiting for this day too!!! Bulletproof seems to be a professional and these comments are not directed to him. I'm in my 50's. I remember when it was this crazy busy before the crash in 1990-1991 and then right before the late 2008 crash. All of the things Bulletproof stated are true but I have been around when similar wierdness happened and it got worse. Really bad like people I knew losing everything. Capitalism can be incredibly good, but one needs to plan for the down cycle which happens with every up cycle, I'm sorry to say but just look at the economic history of the USA or any other capitalistic society. People need to get back to humility, saving money, not spending and taking time off like there is no tomorrow! A lot of contractors in business thought that it was their awesomeness that kept the phone ringing, but now they will realize that economy has slowed down and gravity is finally taking over. It's back to doing real work for real pay!! Actually, I think all the hacks should be "scared" that the party is ending very soon if it hasn't already.

@daytonasixty-eight1354

8 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman Half of them also barely speak english anymore so they can't even communicate properly before they try to scam me. Glad I've never thrown away a tool in my life and learned to be self-sufficient. I will never hire help unless absolutely needed. There are few professionals left in all industries now. Country is going to crap

@victordonavon292

8 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman Quit gaslighting kid.

I can say this. Over the past year to 18 months i've called handymen for smaller jobs and things i didn't have time for. What i realized is the prices where ridiculous. I'm pretty handy and i know what it takes to do these jobs. Handymen wanting 175 to 200 an hour in a lower cost of living area i live i said no. Ultimately i ended up just doing the jobs myself all where fairly easy. I know who was trying to over charge me and when the economy goes the other way and i need people I won't be calling them.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Sounds fair. Your experience is why I don't have too much competition.

@turnne

9 ай бұрын

I had the exact same experience as you. The increased costs, no shows in the past couple of years have been crazy. We had a storm about 45 days ago that pulled the electrical service from the back of my house. There were a lot of down trees and lines in my city due to the storm. The first electrician I called quoted $1800( with a prepaid necessity!!) to do the work and said he would also do a couple of other things. I told him I only needed the one item and he said he knew but was not interested in only doing what I needed. I called another electrician and got it done for $325.00. I guess the nature of these guys is to be that short sighted?

@hillbilly_delux78

9 ай бұрын

@@rockycodyjesse It's odd I watch DIY channels on youtube but someone all these handyman jobs have fallen off a cliff videos started appearing in my feed, like a lot of them all of a sudden. A bunch of them are talking about having to lower their prices and still not getting work, others like this guy say he isn't going to drop prices... Look i'm not paying 180 or 200 bucks an hour for handman work, ever... I'll do it myself. I'll give a specific example i needed 3 parts of my railing for my deck replaced, sections where all about 100 inches long, old sections where all 2x4's and the baluster where just vertical 2x4's looked like shit honestly. I wanted to replace all 3 with hog wire instead of vertical 2x4 as baluster. Quote i got was 1500 for materials, and 2500 for the labor. I did it myself for 700 in materials and it took maybe 12 hours just me and i was moving slow and sipping sweet tea ;)..

@hillbilly_delux78

9 ай бұрын

@@turnne Lots of these guys are trying to clean up while the getting is good.. Issue is like in your case the guy who made 325 is going to get a call from you next year when you need work, the guy who didn't make 1800 isn't. Plus in my case, i live in a small community word gets around here. Start doing that stuff and you get black balled quickly. The amount of no shows has been crazy too.

@turnne

9 ай бұрын

@@hillbilly_delux78 Agreed....I am amazed how short sighted some of these people are. Its like they dont care past this one job Next door neighbors had an issue not too long ago. They were doing a full kitchen remodel and were having the gas line moved before the tile workers showed up Well...the guy that was supposed to move their gas line was late and then texted them saying he wasnt coming and they needed to find someone else. So then the neighbors had to scramble to get the gas line moved in their kitchen....

People are TIRED of being RIPPED OFF by greedy Electricians and Plumbers.

@bobdees6428

8 ай бұрын

Yes you are correct people are tired of being ripped off and treated like a ATM by handymen . I will give you a example while doing a full remodel of a home I sub out small jobs to handymen . I wanted to add a gas valve for a BBQ Grill , I received 5 estimates for to extend a existing line 14 feet . The estimates ran between 1200 to 2000 thousand dollars 🤯 . I asked my buddy how much money the parts were just to get a idea; he said 75 to 120 $ , so they want a a 1 thousand to 1800 hundred for a 3 or 4 hrs of work that is RIDICULOUS . I went to Home Depot and purchased 180$ in materials and it took me about a 90 minutes to complete it. After I returned the extra materials it was 115 dollars for a simple job , 2 weeks later I got 3 phone calls letting me know that they had lowered their prices by a couple hundred bucks .

@vancebeazer458

8 ай бұрын

Just say no and do it yourself🤷‍♂️. Do you charge to much for your wages?

@wisdomandlove1661

8 ай бұрын

the truth is that the economy is slowing down similar to 2008 era of time. very young people today have not experienced a bitter recession before and if the tide does not change 2024 and beyond will be tougher declared by a renowned economist.

@jenny-DD

8 ай бұрын

Nope, mine is honest and always works long hours never an extra fee

@Smarterthanyou-mthrfkr

8 ай бұрын

@@wisdomandlove1661dont vote commie!

“You will own nothing and be happy by 2030”. The World Economic Forum said that in 2015. It’s all by designz

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

It's gonna blow up in their face. They underestimate how many of us aren't sheep.

I'm a handyman, and I charge $40.00 an hour. I make a decent living, and stay as busy as I want.

@bulletproofhandyman

7 ай бұрын

That's awesome!

I'm not a handyman, but a homeowner, and this really helped me understand the problems you all deal with. Unfortunately, I'm the squeezed middle income person who has to use fewer handyman services because of inflation. Not happy about it. DYI is hard on someone already working 2 jobs.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I'm sorry to hear that.

@Iloveturtles

9 ай бұрын

The Democratic Party has targeted people in your group financially

@mikeopadilla

9 ай бұрын

Tku sometimes I just want to stop helping out people and just go back to air conditioning alone,but I need to do multiple jobs to stay interested, the more I learn new products the better I feel and it never bores me

@bubbajones4522

9 ай бұрын

Also, I'm not paying $300 plus parts for an hours work from a handyman. The handyman can do 4 of these jobs a day bringing in $1,200 or $24,000/month $288,000/yr gross. A lot of fat to be trimmed from this profession.

@itsme-nt2lj

9 ай бұрын

middle income 2 jobs?

A big problem is that large companies that make washing machines, dishwashers etc. build them to fail, and the parts are just as expensive as a new machine so people just buy a new one instead of repairing the old one.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I've found that to be true

@capmidnite

9 ай бұрын

And all the washing machines, dishwashers are controlled by digital circuit boards nowadays. I have a 1980s Sears Kenmore dryer with all mechanical controls that just keeps going and going. Same with my washer.

@alanj9978

9 ай бұрын

I've just had to order a control board for a washing machine; $350 CDN just for the parts. Still cheaper than buying a new one, but a couple of those repairs and not so much.

@AdelTheForsaken

9 ай бұрын

Recently bought new appliances from a local appliance shop. That's exactly what they said. By the time an appliance breaks it's likely to already be out of warranty, and it's just cheaper to get new.

@geraldgreauxjr.7106

9 ай бұрын

B 2 B.....built to break

I'm a former handyman. I now sell on Ebay for a living. Last week I had a great week. This week I haven't sold anything in 3 days which has NEVER happened in 5 years of full time selling - even during the pandemic.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Crazy

@Datzreal

9 ай бұрын

A lot more low ball offers too so y’all know

@karmaandkerosene_music

9 ай бұрын

I don't want the competition!😁😁😁😁😁😁@@jkgkjgkijk

@ocdtampa9085

9 ай бұрын

I've been selling on eBay since 2012 and this past two weeks my listing didn't even get one view.. I just relocated from Florida where I was a service provider to homeowners and tenants, work dropped off and the work coming in was well under $100 a job, the bills were soaring and so was food but income was becoming pennies.. minimum wage in Florida follows the federal minimum wage of $8.75 or so an hour, I came back up the coast to find an income and eat 🤞

@jkgkjgkijk

9 ай бұрын

@@ocdtampa9085 12 dollars an hour is Florida minimum wage bud. Work two jobs and that will work. It works for thousands until something better comes along. Could do all kinds of easy work and pull in a thousand a week until on your feet.

As a homeowner I've learned to do a little of everything, I've done plumbing and electrical just in my past year. I've learned to do all sorts of repairs and I was never someone that ever used a handyman and so it's not customers like me you are losing. It's just that people are having to let stuff go because they cannot even afford the basics like food. Perhaps this will teach people to make better choices when voting.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree that times are just getting tougher. Good for you for learning new skills!

@manictiger

9 ай бұрын

We are so far beyond voting it's not even funny. The time to fix this was about 20 years ago. We are now circling the drain. We're past the event horizon by a long shot.

@nsbd90now

9 ай бұрын

@@manictiger Longer. Working Americans haven't had an actual raise in over 50 years because of voodoo trickle-down Reaganomics. We were promised it would lift all boats, it didn't. But it's ok because the oh-so-leftist DNC Clinton-Obama-Biden Democrats are rebranding it as "Bidenomics" and calling it good. They've always been servants of the oligarchs right along with the Republicans, but the propaganda against the so-called "progressives" is just too powerful.

@greenearthblueskies8556

8 ай бұрын

​@@manictigerexactly .. Crazy how people just parrot others with no real thought on what they're saying.

@manictiger

8 ай бұрын

@@greenearthblueskies8556 Agreed. I feel like our tech is moving forward, while the species is actually going backwards.

I'm not afraid of paying for skilled, good work. What I'm afraid of is being ripped off again. I'm a single senior woman who has had more damage done to my old mobile by hired "handymen" than if I just let things ride. I've had lights fall out of the ceiling, electrical boxes that come out of the wall with the plug, and holes in my floor when one guy, inspecting the problem, broke the line and caused a small leak. The water made its way under the wall to the hallway and I fell through the floor on New Year's Eve, two weeks later. Merry Christmas. That bathroom is shut off now. I'm scared to hire a plumber to fix the problem (water line replacement) because it's lots of money that I don't want to/can't spend twice, because I don't have it. There's not enough new money for that. I could go on and on. I've paid out thousands over the years and have given away thousands for work that needs to be redone and/or damage it caused repaired. I'm a sitting duck for dishonest people and north central Florida seems mostly populated by them.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I'm very sorry to hear that. That's not the kind of business I do in this channel is not intended for the guys who do that. I hope someone was some skills comes along and gives you a helping hand.

@danforesman2627

9 ай бұрын

There are push fittings for plumbing although trailer plumbing may be not up to it. Clean cut and push it on to make a solid connect if you are lucky....

@Nemo-yn1sp

9 ай бұрын

@@danforesman2627 I hired a plumber to fix it, but I couldn't afford to have the floor fixed.

@Nemo-yn1sp

9 ай бұрын

@@monkeymind325 We're stuck between a rock and a hard place. I have an Angie's List story, too. The only "good" is that Angi's stepped in and stopped the harassment from the handyman. Some of them can be downright scary. Good luck to all of us old single women, aka "marks."

I hired a handyman. I could use one but never again. I had a list of simple items that needed to be done; a little painting and renailing a couple of items. The price quoted was almost a thousand dollars. My daughter wanted the work done and was willing to pay. It took the guy two days to paint some of the facia. He didn't even try to do the other stuff. He wouldn't use the paint I had bought. He had his own special way so he had to by other paint which turned out to be the same as what I had already bought. He used about a quarter of the gallon. My nephew did the rest of the stuff and more. Took him two hours and was better than original. Wère it not not for a head injury that affects my equilibrium. I could have done the stuff but I have trouble walking let alone climbing a ladder. My dad has had the same problems trying to hire a handyman. One guy he hired stole the paint my dad bought for the job and was never heard from. Another one incorrectly reinstalled facia that had been removed to reroof house. You've screwed yourself.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Why does your bad experience for the handyman mean that I personally have screwed myself? I understand there are plenty of bad tradesmen out there, they're also plenty of bad clients. I really don't understand why everybody enjoys hating an entire group of people based on localized experiences. If you'll watch my channel, I'm constantly preaching that there is a window for pricing that is fair to both the handyman and the homeowner. I also preach that you always always follow through on your word, even if it means you lose money. I'm sorry about your experiences, but I just really do not understand why the existence of bad handymen means that all handymen deserve whatever they have coming to them.

I'm in fiber optics. Work has slowed drastically. They've fired a ton of people and a lot have quit. We combined shifts. Lots of my coworkers are taking 401k hardship withdrawals. I have friends refinancing for cash out to pay bills.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

It's crazy where things are going.

As a single male 27yrs old Debt free Car free No kids No wife I seen what all this stuff does to most people so I just said nope I feel rich lol I feel very rich I save over 500 bucks a month and I don’t even know what to do with it lol I don’t eat out I just don’t engage in stupidity I also invest too

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That sounds awesome too

@motorcitymadman146

9 ай бұрын

That's a double edge sword. Sucks we live in a world where Family and children do not make sense. Gonna be a generation of loanly people dying alone in state run death factories

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

My current plans include nothing but some land and family in about 3-5 years. I've got 4 boys and hopefully more to come. Going to fill the world with good men.

@Ray-iz7tv

9 ай бұрын

Kids are a blessing when raised right.

@alexandersprout7992

9 ай бұрын

Sounds like you followed Christ & not making rash decisions based on wants of the world. You have peace, freedom, health, & wealth. Well done. God bless.

I also work property management. I decided not to buy a new car. My car has over 315,000 thousand miles on it. The engine & transmission is original and reliable. I replaced some parts on my car and it functions perfectly. The old 1990's Toyota cars are reliable.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I drive an old Chevy van. It's not pretty but I sure gets the job done.

When you run your own company, the first thing you learn is to be your own handyman. It isn't the cost of the handyman, it is the cost of down time that necessitates it.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's very true

@tgwoolshire

9 ай бұрын

This depends this is not one hundred percent true. I can make more money than the handyman can while hes fixing a pipe. I can make 10 times what hes making.

@sonnyhootman9811

9 ай бұрын

@@tgwoolshire I'm talking when you have to wait two weeks to get a man to your shop. The cost of the handyman is nil, the cost of the down time can run into 5 figures. We are sort of remote so that doesn't help matters. However, I totally agree with what you are conveying.

@photographyinflight4183

9 ай бұрын

Which is another way of saying keep your overhead/fixed costs minimal. Guy with the lowest fixed costs.....survives.

@tgwoolshire

9 ай бұрын

@sonnyhootman9811 Luckily I live in a place Where I don't have to wait two weeks to get a handy man. Like I said, it's not a 100% true. I can make more money working than He can while he's fixing the pipe. I guess you change your own pistons as well in your engine when it blows??? And you fix your own switch box when it blows out due to lightning? And when you're hanging ceiling falls in. I guess you fix that as well instead of having someone else do it while you do not run your business that runs your whole life. And when your air conditioner goes out, you send all of your workers to the holiday inn so they can stay cool while you fix it, and you shut down your entire business once again. Obviously you have never run a business unless it's a popsickle stand.

I'm an engineer with 20 years of experience and I make about 90/hr in the bay area. Contract work for an engineer is about 40-70/hr. Ridiculous how a handyman thinks 150-250/hr is acceptable. I went to school for 7 years after high school and work at a top 5 company in the world and don't expect half as much for my services. This is why I do 90% of the work on my home myself. I have also apprecnticed under UAW electricians at a GM plant and learned many of the trades volunteering to build houses for the homeless. It is not that complicated and the attitudes of a lot of tradesmen are out of control these days. But you're absolutely right about the prop mgmt angle. I have multiple rentals which use property managers and that work is absolutely not optional. If you can deal with property managers work styles, you can be quite secure in your utilization.

@JohnQPublic345

8 ай бұрын

It's easy.... supply and demand

@Tyscrat

6 ай бұрын

I think youre missing the point, you work your 9-5 get a paycheck and go home with no expenses. Self employed people are charged WAY more in taxes and overhead, why do you seem to think theyre pocketing $150 an hour? 50% of that is gone immediately. Stop being a dipshit.

@tomasmerino1039

6 ай бұрын

You make 90 an hr. But being employed means you work full 8 hrs a day everyday. And those 90 dollars are after taxes, ensurance and who knows what else (I'm not from the USA). Someone goes to your house to do some work, if they charge you 90/hr than they have to pay taxes, insurance, licences, fuel the truck they use to work, pay for their tools, replace consumables and stuff they keep in inventory. Another aspect is your job is way safer than a tradesman, you're not out there busting your back and hammering your fingers. And even then, between the time going to your house, doing free estimates and all, probably you can't get 8 hours of paid work a day, that's why your 90/h is way higher than a tradesman 150/200 hr

@fun_gussy

4 ай бұрын

@@tomasmerino1039 going to be hard with their costs to pay their bills at all with their prices so high.

As a plumber, i am moving from the residential sector to the commercial sector in march. People are doing their own plumbing(and doing a terrible job) And they are okay with it

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

Sounds reasonable

thank you for the credit friend. Fact of the day: you're the one who inspired me to start my channel.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Congratulations on the views brother! I had to do a double take. I watched that video when you put it out and even commented on it but KZread fed it back to me today for a second round and my mind was blown! You deserve every bit of it for sharing your knowledge and experience with everyone.

@utubehandyman

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman appreciate it, It was literally a last minute video lol. I almost didn't post it.

@taylorsessions4143

9 ай бұрын

​@@utubehandymanI just watched your video yesterday. I hope things pick up and stay consistent with your repeat customers man. Stay strong out there!

DIY is the normal. Great deal on tools, plenty of info on KZread no wait times and 1/4 the cost. Plus I put a lot more care into what I do then most the hack handy men out there.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That sounds pretty awesome

@AncoraImparoPiper

9 ай бұрын

Correct. Since I discovered every solution to my repair requirements on YT a few years back, I got the tools and have not called anyone to do any repairs for me anymore. I do it right and quickly. So that group of people our out of the market. That leaves only the poorer or elderly who will need help and they are short on money.

@chrisburns5691

9 ай бұрын

​@@AncoraImparoPipernot really, it is area depending. I'm in a major urban center, full of white collar types who aren't handy and/or would rather just pay 100 per hour (which is reasonable) for repairs to be done. I can see however in a more rural blue collar area there being less need for contractors who do smaller repairs. That is just residential. I prefer commercial work, and no one is "DIY'ing" repairs in facilities, offices, etc.

@AncoraImparoPiper

9 ай бұрын

@@chrisburns5691 Indeed. So choose your target market with care.

@goywonder7341

9 ай бұрын

If your not going to use the tools again it might be cheaper to have someone else do it.

With KZread many folks are self teaching and doing stuff on their own. I’m one of them. Discovered how to vids during 2020 lockdowns and remodeled the house! Haha! And taught myself to cut hair. But also with inflation I can see folks can’t afford things. Saving money for groceries.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's awesome that you did that all with KZread. Honestly I learned half of my skills through KZread after I started my business, not before.

3+ years ago a handyman would show up with a well worn work truck. Now they show up with $75k F150. When they pull in with a truck like that I don’t even answer the door as I know I won’t be able to afford them.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I keep seeing comments like this but I've yet to meet a handyman who can afford to new truck.

Fake rich only lasts as long as cheap money is available. You’ll only see necessary or emergency work being performed if it’s absolutely necessary.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree it could get there

@DanR-kc1yt

9 ай бұрын

Spot on! Way too many people have been living far beyond their means.

@Moneymagi

9 ай бұрын

Thank God people are realizing this. I'm in Australia and I've thought of starting my own business a few time but what I have to charge is hiked up from these guys and I'm thinking, wholy shit this can't last long. Everyone wants the money without expansion. That is just more money less responsibility.

I have a buddy that is a handyman extraordinaire. He's a retired contractor, and does an amazing job, is on time, is polite and courteous...the total package. And he told me the same thing. Said he was seeing less than half his normal calls, and that the only thing he can think of is that people are broke. So they're attempting to fix things themselves, or going without. I see people below saying "I can do it myself", and in may cases you can. Should! But if you're talking about some job that needs specialized tools, or scaffolding, or risk from height or chemicals, etc...a handyman is a better option many times than doing it yourself. The economy is crap at the moment.

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

I agree. Thank you

adjust your prices to meet supply and demand. when handymen charge too much, more than people can afford, they stop needing you.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

So far that won't be necessary on my part, but of course I will if and when the time comes

I sold my house in 2021. I had to literally price compete for a contractor to fix our covered porch. If I agreed to a price, they would say they filled up and i needed to pay extra to get it done before closing... Yall love price gouging when it's a good market... guess it comes full circle...

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Not "y'all"... "They"

In 1995 I graduated high school making about $21,000 a year full time at Walmart. I was able to rent a 1 bedroom and 1 bath and afford a new cheap dodge neon for about $185 a month. I still had a little left over each month. I wasn’t living large but i had no stress. No I make $150k and stress because every aspect of life is more expensive even here in Florida

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

It's getting crazy

@yellowbird5411

9 ай бұрын

With that kind of income, the stress comes if you are in debt beyond your means. New cars, remodels, camper, boat, vacations, eating out a lot, entertaining, etc. all sink the ship. It's not how much you make, it's how much you spend. I live in Florida too. I scraped by on $14,000 a year claimed on taxes, and I was honest. My accountant said he didn't know how I did it. I bought a property on foreclosure, was left another property, and I converted one to a double. I sold my own house and sold one of the doubles, paid off my six loans and now am debt free. I've been through the desert on a horse with no name, believe me. But I was forced to drive used cars, and did not spend most of the time. But I am retired now, and have no debt. I still have a double rental. No taxes on food helps. Eating at home helps. I don't stress now. The stress almost killed me.

KZread has so many great vids for people that are up for DIY work. I tackle way more projects than I did 15 years ago because if this.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I'm a huge fan of everybody learning to fix stuff

We went from local landlords (mom and pop owned) to global property management companies......

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

More than half in the US are still owner managed but it is moving in that direction. Eventually the biggest stuff that we'll buy up the smallest

I have learned to do things for myself. The handyman services in this area (SWFL) think we are all rich, and overcharge for everything. My son has been a handyman in NW Florida for years... so I run it by him and he says they are all overcharging. So if you don't lower your prices, you won't get the business. I have negotiated pool services, lawn services, pest control and if I can't do it myself, I can youtube it and learn how.

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

I'm definitely in favor of everyone learning to do their own tasks. As far as pricing, my prices have been consistently fair for years but I think it goes without saying that those who are over charging will need to stop at some point. I've always preached that your prices need to be within a fair window.

I live in a boom town in Oregon. Houses were flying off the market for the last 4 years. Everyone outbidding each other, paying cash and no houses sat around at all. About 4 months ago, I noticed the “For Sale” signs, start to stay in the yard a bit longer. Right now, signs sit for weeks and weeks. Cost of living and interest rates are out of control. If our economy tanks again, I see a lot of people loosing their homes again. Won’t be hard for Black rock and the others to collect more real estate. We will own nothing, and be hap........ slaves.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That seems to be the direction

@scottallen5269

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman Time to pull the wings in tight, and get the overhead as low as possible. I really feel for the guys, still raising kids at home. Mine are on their own now. Keeping our home just about killed me in that last recession. Health first Happiness always

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I like everything you said there. I'm raising three children right now and we are planning for at least one or two more. My nose is to the grindstone all day everyday.

@scottallen5269

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman What you’re doing for your family, is honorable my friend. I know there’s times when the efforts made, may not seem to be appreciated, for just how difficult, providing for a family is nowadays. I’m sure it’s worth it, to you. And I want you to know, your family is so worth , every calloused part of have, every ache you carry through the day, every moment you give them after work, and all the personal sacrifices you selflessly make. Those days, are by far, the greatest days of my life. I worked sun up, to sun down, usually 6 days a week... and 7 days more than I’d like to admit. It didn’t matter how tired and out of energy I was, when I came home, my kids and wife got every minute I had. Keep up the great work!!! It matters, friend.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I like you brother. Keep it up.

This is just the begining ..These are good times compared to whats coming..Get ready..

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I completely agree. I'm prepared, mostly.

@Silver77cyn

9 ай бұрын

😬

@geraldgreauxjr.7106

9 ай бұрын

I was thinking the same thing.

Dont drop prices? Good luck with that. I use handyman services with my own home and other properties, prices are too high so I learned to do things myself. Priced yourself out of business. Not to mention how impossible it was to actually get someone to come out and do anything.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

So you're paying less and it's also impossible to get anyone to come out and actually do work.

@thetapheonix

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman Even if I agree to their asking/bid price it's impossible. The ones that do all want to be paid in full up front or they do 1/2 now 1/2 when the job is done but they do half a job and walk off the job.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Gotta find better ones. I'm not surprised. I think the "average" Handyman is why I found it easier to succeed. But, they do cost more.

@GrzegorzDurda

9 ай бұрын

This has been my exact experience.

@BigcountryReactions

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandymanyea he wants someone to come work for free for him

I can confirm. I am in the PNW. Work has dropped off like it stepped off a cliff. I have been booked out weeks, and at times, even months in advance for many years without any advertising. I have another week of worked scheduled but nothing after. I am going to have to start advertising like I did in the beginning.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

@phineusphineas that's crazy. Seems to be across the country. I've been telling everyone I know that something big is coming. I've been trying to prepare for it myself, although I'm not sure I'm prepared enough.

@Rizzo2185

9 ай бұрын

I’m in Tacoma, WA. Work for a small contractor doing residential remodels. Work is definitely starting to slow down but our crew of 3 has been staying busy with small to med size gigs. The big $150-250k jobs have stopped. Hope the PNW doesn’t get any worse

@michaelcarlson2400

9 ай бұрын

Yes, I hope so too! I’m here in Seattle, builder of almost 30 years. Primarily remodels. Not huge jobs since I’m a sole proprietor. I haven’t had a decent size job in a couple of years. Mostly small stuff. I’ll be 61 in October, entering into as you know to be one of the more difficult times of the year to scare up work before the holidays. In all honesty, I’d like to just get out of the business altogether, but at this point with no retirement to speak of really I feel as though I’m handcuffed into continuing to try to make it doing this work.

@Rizzo2185

9 ай бұрын

@@michaelcarlson2400 I hear you man, and the older we get, the tougher it is for us. I guess we just have to keep the faith and continue to work until we die 😂

@thomaslong8448

9 ай бұрын

@@Rizzo2185 you mean until we drop dead on the job?

I do everything on my own now. If I had the money, I would love to hire someone to do the work for me, but I just don't have the money. I even started doing all of my car repairs on my own.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's awesome! I mean, I'm sorry that you don't have the money, but it's awesome that you're learning how to do the work

It's a global phenomenon, seeing the same here in Norway. Big construction sites are on hold, and homeowners are holding off on improvements. New car sales have fallen through the floor. We can only dream of gas at 4 bucks a gallon though, ours is double that!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Wow!

@handycrowd

9 ай бұрын

Oh and a beer in a bar is over ten bucks... 🙂@@bulletproofhandyman

I am a Handyman. I learned originally back in the '70's on working the farm. Then, I was trained as an Electronics Tech, Gas & Deisel Mechanic, and certified Electrician (High Voltage). I'm retired now but Handyman work is OLD SCHOOL DRIFTER WORK! Drifter work is CHEAP WORK! You all have been spoiled in pay, I did drifter work when I traveled around the U.S. and only charged ten to 15 dollars an hour. I was accredited and should have charged one hundred to two hundred dollars an hour. The makrket is stabilizing now with Drifter work. People, don't be entitled and please work hard for happiness 😊. Thanks for the video 📸.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I disagree, however, I think that the disagreement stems from what we define as a handyman. The English language is missing a word that it should have for a skilled tradesman who isn't a contractor and who also isn't limited to just one trade. If we say that a handyman is just an unskilled laborer then you're right, but not if we say that a handyman is a skilled multi-tradesman. The problem is nobody is googling multi-tradesman and we can't claim to be a contractor until we get that license.

In the business for a long time. For me, to be truly bulletproof is to be a jack of all trades. I am in SoCal. So most homes here are 1 million+. With my clients, not only do I do all their home repairs, but I also build cabinets and custom furniture. 95% of the time, I can do what my clients need. Yesterday, I built a small set of jacuzzi steps, $900.00. Monday, a small shed roof repair, $985.00. So, 1k days can be done but not the norm. I work 2-3 days per week (I'm old) and only work for one client per day, no matter what I make that day. I bid per job, so hourly can be anywhere for $125.00 to $250.00 an hour, depending on the task. I do not work for property managers. Clients appreciate what I do for them, thats why I enjoy this work.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I admire that. I think I could be very happy for a long time with your business model.

@dantedicamillo7453

9 ай бұрын

“Jack of all trades”….We have recently added, basic handyman services to our business model and the jobs are getting accepted… Can’t wait to see what happens. Excellent comment!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Good luck!

@woodmasterguy

9 ай бұрын

​@dantedicamillo7453 I was a framer in the late 70s, moved onto finish, and mill work in the 80s. I then realized so many homeowners needed help with small repairs, carpentry, cabinetry, plumbing, electrical, sheetrock, etc. that most contractors did not want to waste time with. So began home repair and maintenance business, best move I ever made. "Jack of all trades and master of none" but as years go by and you learn on every job, you become more efficient, faster, and do better work. Always under promise and over deliver...

@dustincredible1249

9 ай бұрын

1000$ for a small set of steps? You can buy a whole building at home depot or Lowes for that

I’m an electrical contractor. I’ve been through this cycle many times. I have one thing to say: Don’t lower your prices, work less. You can sit on the couch for nothing. If you absolutely must to survive, don’t be in bidding wars to get the work. It’s a race to the bottom. I’d rather work 30 hours x $50 Than 50 hours x $30.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's exactly right. Thank you for that. Solid reinforcement

@dirigoelectric

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman glad to have watched your video. I’ve been watching this slide for a while. I tried to explain to many this was coming. They ask, so when is the crash coming? But it’s going to be different for one reason: The labor shortage of skilled people. If we still had the amount of trades people we had 30 years ago, we’d be seeing layoffs. But we don’t. Anyone who wants to work, is. But it’s slowing. More of a slide than a cliff. But it’s gaining steam every day. And there’s going to be a lot of bankruptcies of contractors with trucks, warehouses, and things they couldn’t afford because they thought the well would never dry up. It is going to be a rough next 18 months.

@Boobtube.

9 ай бұрын

only issue with your thinking is, it could be 5 hours x $50.

@dirigoelectric

9 ай бұрын

@@Boobtube. I’ve lived through this a few times as an adult. If you reread my comment, I said if you absolutely must to survive it’s one thing. But I’ve watched guys price war each other into bankruptcy. If you’re in business for yourself, you must live on a budget, and put away the extra because this happens every few years.

@Stephanie_12345

9 ай бұрын

Good for you. No clients will be calling you. They are suffering, but you hold your price and I promise you will lose.

Indeed, I have getting hardly any requests for home improvement projects lately, but still have my hands full with repair work. Gotta love those tenants who let their kids ride hoverboards indoors or those with anger management issues. Keeps up the demand for drywall repairs. 😅

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Drywall is definitely some of my bread and butter! Super happy to hear you have plenty of work!

@geraldgreauxjr.7106

9 ай бұрын

You ain't kidding! I feel bad for the owners but the tenants keep me moving no doubt. If you don't own it you don't care that's the problem with most renters that let their children run a muck with no discipline.

I used to be a professional handyman for over 20 years until the end of 2019, the year that the COVID pandemic started before it reached the United States…. Since then on I’ve got my CDL and been working as a Company Truck Driver for a large Trucking Company that runs a variety of equipment and merchandise countrywide.. No more hassle no more stress other than the driving over the many roads nationwide. 👊💪💪

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I could love that job for some time

@richcherwalk6349

9 ай бұрын

Good move you'll save your knees and hips and end up with a retirement.

Here I am, a single woman in her 60’s who no longer can do some of the stuff I used to handle myself when I was younger. Handyman services are currently priced beyond my reach. Guess the old adage that a woman’s house is easy to recognize due to deferred maintenance is true. 🤷‍♀️ On second thought, maybe massage prices for handymen should also triple in price. Instead of an hour massage for those overworked muscles, at $50, the price should be $150. Let’s see how many of them stop getting massages. It’s not a recession; it’s greed. Y’all started making a killing with flippers and Airbnb operators. Also you call the large handyman outfits to find out what they charge and want to charge the same. The entire point of hiring a handyman is it used to be a bargain option for those who can’t afford to hire a building contractor just to hammer in a couple nails or repair a hose for chrissakes

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I'm sorry that you're in that position. I can't speak for handymen who work for homeowners, but my handyman business only does business to business work for rentals and we do not overcharge. At the end of the day I end up working almost 7 days a week from sun up to sundown and still barely managed to support my family. However, I am also in favor of raising massage prices. Anyone who is working for themselves as a legitimate business has more than half of what they charge going to overhead and not to their pockets. Massage therapist deserve to be paid well for their services just like handymen do.

@RepublicanJesusthe2nd

9 ай бұрын

If I were your neighbor I would help you fix stuff.

@KS0102

9 ай бұрын

​​@@bulletproofhandymanEverybody deserves decent pay. But when push comes to shove, you have to pick and choose what you can afford. If work dries up, for handyman and massage therapists, that's just reality.

@JohnQPublic345

8 ай бұрын

People generally dislike repairmen. But these men are so needed. They deserve a decent pay

I have 2 in my properties if your a good handyman honest and trustworthy like mine over 10 years you shouldn't have a problem. Work is everywhere you just need to change your mindset and vibration ❤

Its not just people being broke. The housing market is cooling since people are no longer in a rush to upgrade/repair homes for sale.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

@dachicagoan8185 I agree. There has been a perfect storm brewing for a while now and it seems like everything is going to come to a head at the same time in the same place. I've been trying to get our family prepared. Not sure I've done enough, but I'm doing everything I can.

I worked for property managers back in 2008. You have to be skilled and you will have plenty of work. However, I remember when the housing market tanked the owners of the houses started to sell all their properties and ended up moving into their first homes and calling me directly. What you are seeing is the precursor to a recession that is going to bad. Secure yourselves!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree. I'm prepared for what's coming

@richcherwalk6349

9 ай бұрын

That's ironically around the time when construction industry was dealt a huge blow by the internet. Craigslist and facebook made it possible for "the guy" to work directly for the home owner, this bypassed/ destroyed real buisnesses trying to charge real rates. A real buisness needs to be charging $100 an hour, but good luck getting people to pay that unless you're 30 years old and move like the wind, either way you're not really getting a $100 an hour if you work so fast because energy output ratio to pay as a handyman is abysmal. The energy output and long term survivability make $50 an hour go down to $10 an hour ultimately.

@taylorkaplan2614

6 ай бұрын

Already lost my job :/

I am a pro pizza delivery man, I was earning 350/day, now it's 80/day and i'm also being offered sexual favors for discounts or free pizza. This has never happened before.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Wow that's crazy

@khanhcao3123

9 ай бұрын

Can you tell where you are delivering pizza, so I can head over there.

@mariocondello2353

9 ай бұрын

@@khanhcao3123 I'm in the Houston area

@PandorasFolly

9 ай бұрын

You know its funny. Ive heard the same thing about people suddenly started offering sexual favours for pizza from two irl pizza drivers and 2 other online

@goywonder7341

9 ай бұрын

Women in Venezuela put out for canned food.

Part of the problem is that many got accustomed to charging middle class or higher prices when most out there are not earning a middle class wage so when people really don't have money anymore between inflation and layoffs. A very large part of the population only earns around $40k a year or less sometimes a lot less hence why also young people are not having kids which will lead to a demographic crises in the decades to come. A lot of us low income people ie nearly worthless in the eyes of some learn to get things done on our own.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree with just about all of that.

@steinhog7305

9 ай бұрын

its messed up that we have HR people making double what policemen and roofers make, totally upsidedown values

Maybe it's just in my area but every property management company that I've done work for were complete scumbags

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I've heard that many times, but I've never found one that fit that description here. I have had some that we're not good at paying me on time, and I've had some that only wanted cheap work, and I've had others that had other problems, but I've never had one that I would say were complete scumbags. However, that's precisely why there's more money to be made here. You do have to vet them just like you have to vet homeowners but once you have a few that are good to work with in the long term then you never need new clients again.

@MrKillswitch88

9 ай бұрын

Sociopaths are the main reason why.

@GrzegorzDurda

9 ай бұрын

Lol That's been true in my experience as well.

@redrustyhill2

9 ай бұрын

Property managers remind me of used car salesmen.

When plumbers charge $400/hour in low cost of living areas during regular business hours, don't be surprised people don't want to have work done by the "professionals".

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree. There is a window that the rates should be in for a long-term success. Beneath that window, the handyman is screwing himself and above that window he's screwing the client. I try to stay near the top of the window but not at the top of the window, always inside the window

@robertblomker3470

8 ай бұрын

Good lord, a plumber in AZ can be found for $160 hr..I Charge $65 hr..

Thanks for your content and ideas! I’m not a handy person but I have been working hard to navigate my own business in this climate. There’s a lot of helpful overlapping themes that you present here.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Thank you. I think there's a lot of things about running a business that just simply apply to most businesses, especially most smaller service-based businesses

Handyman prices have been due for a correction. They shouldn't be cheap but they shouldn't charge what many do either. Less people went into the trades for a long time hopefully a new generation will learn trades. My experience with working in the trades was terrible back breaking work for low pay but at the same time other people where making good money. It's not just a skill thing I became an engineering tech then went into IT. The labor market fluctuates in trades.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree sir

I was laid off for the first time in my life back in 2017/18. I couldn't find anything in my line of work, I had 3 kids a mortgage, bills, etc.. I took the last of my money and bought used fire arms and gym weights(dumbells, plates..). I cleaned up the guns real nice and started posting online. I made a really good living selling those items that winter. It paid my mortgage, all my bills and I probably could have continued doing so making a good living. If there is any sign of another pandemic shutdown, I'll consider selling used gym equipment As a side hustle! Don't forget too thank the good Lord!

no need to get scared, trades have always been up and down, its just that we have been spoiled for the past 14 years or so and in that time a lot of new comers have broken in to the trades and havent experienced downturns. it will come back, and if it doesnt there will be way worse things to worry about. The only game plan right now for all tradesman that have work is as follows, Pay off debt, sell that overpriced truck now while you can, once thats done save everything you can, cut your credit cards up and dont take on any new debt. be smart about it, learn do do without wants and satisfy your needs. this is basically the only way, also take on any work that comes your way, save save save, eliminate debt

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's all great advice

@dext504

9 ай бұрын

good advice

Excellent video and top information. I'm thankful for your passion and drive to get this information out to the public. Thank you!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Thanks and you're welcome!

My handyman business has slowed a bit but my margins have really narrowed. If I would’ve kept my margins I would’ve had anywhere from a 33-50% drop in business. I have a good relationship with my clients so I work with them on pricing and they give me new referrals. All the best to you man! I’m a new subscriber.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I'm glad you're still making it. Thanks!

@independentorbiter3650

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman thank you! I look forward to enjoying your content.

I have a great handyman. He literally does everything, even hvac and serious electrical work. He's in his 50s.... and I hope he's still around in 20 years

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

The best ones are older. They're retiring and leaving a big hole.

GOOD. I've been trying to get work done for the past three years and im tired of being ghosted and lied to. The pendulum always swings the other way, boys.

I'd also like to remind people here what it costs to run a business. The fact that I operate as a legitimate business costs a lot of money. I think people will hear a number quoted and think all that money is going right into my pocket. I'm licensed, insured, bonded, pay for my tax professional, my bookkeeper, advertising, tools, use of a vehicle, fuel, clean work clothes, taxes etc. The list goes on and it adds up to thousands of dollars a year in operating expenses. If you've had a bad experience with a contractor in the past don't worry because I think a lot of the hacks will be jumping ship soon. The ones that hang in there are likely going to be legitimate. I have worked for many different trades for about 20 years now. Trust when I say that there is a big shortage of young people wanting anything to do with manual labor anymore and it isn't going to change overnight. This will drive labor cost up, supply and demand. Good luck to everyone out there, times are tough and we need to continue to be respectful to each other, even when you don't like my estimate lol 😃

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

Well said

The market is readjusting itself with lower demand for high handyman prices. Lower your price since people are not willing to pay your inflated prices.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

My prices are still going up. I would prefer that other handyman don't lower theirs and instead choose to provide a better service that justifies the price.

@hieutv8350

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman good for you. Price-inflated handymen are part of the reason why everything costs more. KZread is a great resource for tutorials and similar to the auto industry, I believe people are going to fix their own stuff or want to call a handyman that is reasonably priced.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

My prices are good, but I'm always a big fan of everyone learning to do their own work. I don't work for home owners but if I did I'd probably need to lower prices soon.

$1,000 a day? I have never in my life made $1,000 in a single day. $520 at most ($65 x 8 hours). To be honest, I can easily live very well on $300 a day or less. Today's inflation simply means I have to tighten my belt buckle a little. Then again, I do take on larger projects so I spend a lot less time driving from job to job. That may be my saving grace.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

@tedspens I did a video recently breaking down the overhead and when you include all of the hours spend running the business, not on the job with tools in your hand, it comes out to something more like $35 to $40 an hour. This can change dramatically if you have a spouse that takes care of the health insurance with her job, or if you have another means of acquiring health insurance, etc. I would agree that a solid $300 a day in the bank is a good number to walk away with.

Good video. I started as a handyman 7 years ago, I have six property management's, and several real estate companies, I always have work, even through covid shutt downs, I had lots of work, I recently got my painting contractor license plus still doing handyman work, and alone more doors opened up, big money now. In California a handyman can only charge up to $500 for a job. You also get referenced by your property managers. Tons of work! God Bless..

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's so awesome! Good for you!

@truth4grace580

9 ай бұрын

@bulletproofhandyman Thank you sir, your video can help alot of folks pay the bills in these crazy times. Also wanted to mention not all property management companies are good, you will have to find the right fit for you, some are rude or they will throw you under the bus if something goes wrong. You don't want those customers, or they complain about what you charge, but the good ones never complain and always work with you. Thank you.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree 100%. There are plenty of property managers out there who will throw you on the bus, or use you to get a lot of work done and then never pay. It's the same vetting process that you have to put homeowners through, just in the end. Once you have a handful of good ones, you never need another client. I'm glad to hear you're in the industry and doing well

@truth4grace580

9 ай бұрын

@bulletproofhandyman Exactly right, once you got those good ones they will take care of you, and they won't try to use you. Thanks again.

Thank you for these videos. My boyfriend is a handyman and we have noticed a drop off in his work lately. It’s easy to go down rabbit holes and panic, but you gave solid information here. Thank you!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

@rowanda7361 there are videos on my channel for how to get property managers too. The whole channel is mostly dedicated to that.

@larryzan8942

9 ай бұрын

It’s scary how the drop was so sudden like within the last month. It’s like one day Poeple woke up and realized they don’t have money

@shrimpmoney8

9 ай бұрын

@@larryzan8942it’s really bizzare. I supply restaurants with frozen seafood, and after Labor Day, business just dropped off significantly.

I put a small concrete job for bid on Angi last month, and I got no less than 10 calls from people who didn't speak English, but had a bilingual kid translate to English. Unchecked illegal immigration is the cause of this phenomenon in Atlanta.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That aspect of it is definitely going to get worse

No more free money. This will only get worse.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Seems that way

I work in an Ace Hardware, I am in one that is growing in its area, but our brother stores are seeing the slowness happening...

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's probably a good metric

I'm living 6 pack to 6 pack.

@alexandersprout7992

9 ай бұрын

Working the gut 😅

in other words YOU SHOULD BECOME A BLACKROCK EMPLOYEE or a contractor

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Perhaps, but I don't think I'm ever going to be an employee again.

I live in NJ, and they are also booked for months. Wanted a small side deck rebuilt, and my guy wanted 5 grand for a small 5 by 4 side deck. Took him 3 months to even come and look at it.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

It's crazy

Your videos are super helpful and informative. Thank you!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Thank you! I'm glad they're useful!

lol been there done that, got to go with the flow, I am switching it up too brother

Most houses are being bought up by big companies that will hire their own property management workers. Next is handymen overcharge so much for stuff i can do myself 99% of the time, and if i cannot, i dont trust a handyman to work on it

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I'm a big fan of people learning to do their own stuff

"According to Darwin’s Origin of Species, it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself." - Leon C. Megginson

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That right there is golden.

@steinhog7305

9 ай бұрын

yeah the duramaxasaurus rex and the billittothejobitops are going to go extinct in the era of small jobs

Really enjoy what you are saying. I’m a licensed contractor here in Oregon, most of my work is either finish carpentry or handyman jobs. Having that license or just mentioning CCB numbers, people get excited. For bonding and insurance purposes, everything falls under one umbrella; which includes window cleaning, painting, residential and commercial cleaning, finish carpentry, handyman services, and woodworking (building furniture). I’m a sole proprietor, and I’ve seen some interesting ups and downs over the past 24 years. I’ll be 43 soon. I love what I do. I charge by the job. My best advice for those entering is getting your contractors license. Clients and customers feel secure knowing you’re licensed and bonded, along with real estate agents. I’m also getting licensed in Michigan. We are looking to move there due to insane inflation all over Oregon (and my wife has family there).

@bulletproofhandyman

5 ай бұрын

I agree, and I need to get mine soon.

You're pretty spot on! I think few more reasons handyman jobs are "drying up" like you stated, it's a tight economy right now and people taught themselves to do the job themselves with the help of social media and the internet which MOST simple jobs can be searched and followed with ease. Also, as I mentioned, social media plays a role in some jobs that a homeowner would normally hire someone to do. But with ease of access to social media and some, exaggerates the bad experience(s) and the amount they charge to create more views on their platform which creates "fear" amongst future potential clients thus they either put it aside or do the jobs themselves. There's a handyman youtuber bragging about charging an older man $400 bucks for a 10-15 min job. I mean, he probably got a lot of views with this kind of stunt, but he is probably screwing himself and the rest of the handyman out there. Lastly, more and more clients kind of stick to the "Big Name" companies or someone with good reputation in fear of not getting the job done right, thus less work for the average Jane and Joe handyperson out there. Great content sir, you earned my sub!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for that thoughtful response! I agree, all of those reasons are very valid, especially the fact that Handyman are getting expensive. I don't know if I succeed at this, but what I tried to always promote is the idea that we need to understand or value and charge accordingly. But there is also a difference between being well paid and being overpaid. We want to always look for a price that is fair to both us and the client, with a disparity in the past being that it wasn't very fair to us until recently. Also, I always promote the idea that I'm a big fan of people learning how to do their own handyman work. I don't think the people learning how to do their own work is going to put me out of business, but I do think it will be good for the country if people were more capable generally speaking. Times are not so good today as they were a few years ago, but times are better today than they've ever been in the far past. We've built something beautiful here that really works in the United States no matter how many problems we may have, but I fear we have stopped teaching ourselves how to be self-sufficient and capable.

Around 16 minutes into this vid, you nailed it on my problem with one of my property managers. Thank you for addressing it and explaining. I've done over 70 jobs for them, now they are flipping out on my prices($100/hr). They are now quoting me and telling me how long a job should take!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Yes, unfortunately that's the type of client you ultimately have to fire. You have to find a new client soon and as you develop with them and they start sending you more work you have to drop the current client. There's nothing wrong with them wanting to get the most for their money but they are clients who are happy as long as you are fair and then there are clients who will always be trying to pick your prices down. It's exhausting and you don't have to put up with it if you make sure you find a replacement for them before you drop them. Just make sure you're providing that $100 an hour value. It's not like every handyman earns $100 an hour, that rate is for the handyman who are pushing themselves to be as solid and efficient as possible.

@Dean-Sala

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the reply. I try very hard to be as efficient and fair as possible. And I believe I am. I have learned now not to reveal hourly rates. It's only an internal baseline that you have to meet. I have done almost 200 jobs overall since I started this venture in January. I have made a few minor mistakes(knock on wood). But I humbly have to say my customers are very happy with my work. I continue to get a lot of work overall pushing over two weeks wait now. I had to stop my craigslist and nextdoor listings. I'm at 80% property managers, %20 homeowners. San Jose where I live, there are a lot of millionaires!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's exactly how it's done! Awesome!

@richcherwalk6349

9 ай бұрын

No benefits, no retirement accounts, you destroy your vehicle and your body and these idiots think $100 an hour is a lot. Plus it's not a scalable buisness or very difficult to scale because it requires very knowledgeable people to do the work. A painting buisness is at least scalable, handyman buisness is nuts.

A handyman just quoted me $10,000 to put in 700 sq ft of LVP flooring. Gotta figure out how to do it myself since they all seem to be coming around $8k more than I can afford. $10,000.00 for one days work and $2k in product seems like a HUGE ripoff. Mitre Saw and KZread vids... here I come!

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Good for you! I love seeing people learning how to do their own maintenance

@MrKillswitch88

9 ай бұрын

$10k buys a pretty nice run and drive car or suv at the salvage auction these days.

@steinhog7305

9 ай бұрын

14 dollars a sq/ft is kind of high but is that materials as well? i'd think its be more like 5 a square for LVP for labor but that is probably still to high for fake rich techies that live beyond their means

Thank you for this, I’m transitioning from the tech world to handyman myself, in TX/OK I subbed, thank you. I needed this video

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

You're very welcome!

@gaborm4767

9 ай бұрын

What kind of tech and why do you switch?

@nurk_barry

9 ай бұрын

@@gaborm4767 I’ve done help desk /IT support and web hosting / development for several companies, got some health and legal issues and had to resign from my last tech job, and I was never going to make the kind of $ I wanted in those low level positions anyway. I love carpentry and building speaker cabs, and I also love painting and building guitars, and I’m good with my hands, so I want to run my own business without making my millionaire boss’s business run well. I know it’s gonna be tough, but I just want to control my own destiny and not be plugged into the machine. There’s so much greed and fraud out there, I want to do something simple and easy to wrap my head around. I’ll always love tech because I’m a nerd, but it isn’t fun when you don’t care about the tech you’re working on

I’m a licensed contractor focusing on handyman jobs and, yes, work dramatically slowed down and most jobs that do pop up are crap and people looking to pay really low and I refuse it. I’m in New Jersey.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

You and me both

@Halfaloaf599

9 ай бұрын

Yeah, we see that. Small piece of gutter falls, needs 2 screws. All within reach. Being injured, I cannot get out there. I’m one of those you ghost when I only have 100 bucks for a 5 minute job. Typical in NJ.

The main reason I chose a specialty trade, HVAC! People do not want to go without heat or a/c! They will find a way to pay you. IT USE TO BE A LUXURY, BUT TODAY PEOPLE TREAT IT AS A SOMETHING THEY CANNOT DO WITHOUT! Can easily make $300 to $400 per call, on average, in an hour or less, and that is the minimum.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

@myhvaclife I strongly considered going that direction years ago. Money spent on HVAC is money well spent. I keep my house freezing cold all summer no matter the cost.

@sinebar

9 ай бұрын

I took an HVAC course in engineering school as an elective. I learned enough that I was able to replace my mom's AC and the air handler unit. It was an older system so I had to purge the old AC line set with nitrogen and a flushing agent. I did pay a professional to come out and charge the system R410 because I didn't have the vacuum equipment to do that. It was a tough job I don't care to do again.

@Katana_00

9 ай бұрын

My Window A/C unit and Hydronic boilers laughs at the thought of needing an HVAC $$ technician

@orbitalair2103

9 ай бұрын

the Climate Change nuts are working very hard to kill your business.

Just came across you channel today and instantly liked you as a person. You tell it like it is and you don't talk bad about you clients like others I have watched. I have been a handyman for many years. At this point I only work for for people I get a good feeling from. Not every time I get a bad feeling about a prospective client it turns out badly but every time it has turned out bad I got a bad feeling. I had a client who was a chunk of my business and they were abusive. They payed well but eventually I had to fire hem as a client. It was a leap of faith but instead of lowering my prices I upped then by 25% and guess what? I got more work than every. If you are cheap people will treat you that way. KNOW YOUR WORTH

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I really like that. Thank you

I appreciate your professionalism. I'm not a handyman nor will be, but loves your flow

@bulletproofhandyman

8 ай бұрын

Thanks for that!

In the TampaBay area recently they arrested ~300 unlicensed handymen. A lady I know got taken by 1 handyman for 7k and then another handyman for 2k at another property. Simply put many people dont trust handyman services anymore. Most handymen do quality work and are honest but a few bad apples. Most people can watch a couple of KZread how to videos and fix almost anything with the trip to Home Depot if they have the time and are not lazy. As far as inflation the Fed has to up the suggested rates to tamp down inflation. They have an inverse effect. They should have raised interest rates very slowly starting 5 years ago and we would not be in this mess.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Thank you

@JohnQPublic345

8 ай бұрын

There are bad apples in every industry.... especially these days

People who don’t understand how tradesmen lives and work actually are get mad about scheduling or flaking out.. yes some do just flake on you.. however they often have a backlog .. there is someone ahead of you in line.. sometimes a job may take a bit longer than expected.. weather and materials are a factor.. it’s not always just some one flaking on you. It’s not like most industries that can be done on a whim for you.. consider how much of an instant gratification society we have become.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree

@yellowbird5411

9 ай бұрын

Communication with your clients is so important. Problems happen, but too many just don't show up, or if they do, they act like they really don't want to do the work, and want to either up the price or walk away. So many simply do not want to work, period, for any amount of money. A tree trimmer told me a few days ago that he "wouldn't come back just for that," meaning $200 to cut two low branches barely needing a ladder. I won't be using him again.

This is very interesting. About three weeks ago my landscaping business just completely almost stopped. Part of it is the time oif year, but it is different this year. For 5 years I havent ever had to advertise. I've always been booked out 2 months, all year!! I mean we are taking almost just 2-3 jobs a week. Never hardly took a day off until recently.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's crazy

@Wigwhom86

9 ай бұрын

Student loan payments started up around that time. I've noticed the same thing, out of nowhere business took a nose dive starting about 3 weeks ago. It's scary when hardy anyone calls in on Monday

I do mobile auto repair and noticed a definite decline in calls and people approving quotes in the last month or two. I thought it was just me.

I was feeling the same way,was a little worried, but I now must find other means to meet my finances

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Good luck!

Hope you guys saved the loot you extorted from people during the pandemic.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Why you looking for a sugar daddy? I'm pretty sure everyone voluntarily chose to pay rather than do it themselves. Free market and all. If someone forced you, please let me know and I'll be upset with you

@Phil-ll8kw

9 ай бұрын

Noone extorted you bro you personally made a call instead of trying it yourself come on everyone has a job what's yours

@chrisburns5691

9 ай бұрын

Have you ever actually operated a business, and built it into a profitable one? Way too many people out there comparing with job salary with rates a business charges for services rendered. That business has overhead.

Your analysis of the present situation is spot on but your solution is the equivalent of telling the passengers on the Titanic to get on a lifeboat. The reality is there are not nearly enough lifeboats to go around, there are lots of other scared passengers desperately fighting to get on one and a lot of people are going to simply go down with the ship no matter what they do.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

I agree but in this scenario most of the passengers are anti-life boat and I'm just trying to point out that the lifeboats are sitting right here. Just waiting for people to get on.

@CarterQuillenP.E.

9 ай бұрын

My main point is that there is going to an extreme shortage of lifeboats.

@fishhuntadventure

9 ай бұрын

@@CarterQuillenP.E. My main point is that very few will do what is necessary to carry on. They will take a dumb job for income or go on welfare. I’ve seen that cycle in a major way at least three times in my life with a couple other minor ‘ticks’ in between. To me that defines the difference between the easy money ‘handyman’ and the guy who’s trying to successfully run a business.

I’m a stuck up ahole. I only work for the rich at an hourly rate. Not having kids or a mortgage has allowed me to avoid property managers and people who can’t afford or care about quality.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That sounds like a pretty good gig also.

@toasgreece

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandymanyou are really helping guys with your videos. They need it as it’s easy to get worried about the future.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Thank you

It’s always the handyman jobs, lawn care, etc. that are the canaries in the coal mine.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

It's true. That's one of the first places people can cut their spending when things start getting tough

In 2010 my nieces Property "Manager" sent out an email AND follow up letter stating "we will not be replacing ANY appliances" do not put in a Maintenance Request or call for a replacement. We will schedule a repair which could take 7 to 15 business days. She is now living in a brand new 2023 "luxury apartment" and the property "manager" email stated "we don't have the resources to schedule more garbage pickup, be courteous and take your garbage to the Flathead County Landfill. You may change your tune as this goes along BHB.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Nothing is forever. I'm just talking about today's situation. And my honest opinion, I think everything is going to be collapsing soon enough, this is how to get by until that comes, If you don't have any work otherwise

@jayneweaver8695

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman great to hear, it sounded like long-term, and I can tell you once that faucet turns off for us in Financing and it has. Everyone else is next, only a matter of time and last time it lasted a LONG time without enough work to not deplete a LOT of savings and I work Silicon Valley. IF it happens here, no one will get out of it, that is coming.

I have been in residential construction for almost 50 years . My bane has always been new home builders because , they pay the least amount and the slowest. I just got involved with proerty owners and one property manager . The work is abundant because they are having trouble finding anyone who wants to work and I have multiple skills . .? 1000 an hour ? 250 and hour ? No wonder they are having trouble finding jobs .

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Please let me know if I've recommended people charge those rates. I will go back and remove any video where I suggested charging $1,000 an hour. Also, for the record, I'm not having trouble finding jobs. I'm having trouble finding the time that I need to do the jobs. I'm even going to have to fire a client soon because I just don't have enough man hours available to me to keep up with the work. If you watch this video you'll see that it's in response to a large number of handymen and tradesmen that have been emailing me suddenly saying they saw a significant decrease in requests all of a sudden. After hundreds of comments, it seems most likely that there is a certain segment of society that is suddenly needing to start repaying their student loans again and they are likely forgoing home maintenance to pay their loans. However, I will fully agree with you that for the handymen out there who are charging excessive rates, they might be seeing slow down because their rates are too high. Thank you for the thoughtful comment.

@1allstarman

9 ай бұрын

@@bulletproofhandyman I thought you said " some people " are charging those rates in this video , perhaps not . Times are tough the general rule of thumb for me over the years has been when the economy is tough and work is slow , reduce your rates a bit to stay busy , when jobs are abundant jack it up a little . I do the work myself , hiring others involves another set of logistical complications such as scheduling , insurances, hiring workers you can trust with your business , and of course your rates must be higher to cover the additional costs involved . I have found property owners and property managers to be bean counters looking for the best prices . I like working for homeowners , if you show up on time and do what you say there is rarely a problem , and often you can bid the job up a bit .

For me it was mid-August when the dry-up started.

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

Seems in line with what I'm hearing.

I’m not a handy man, I do interior demolition. For me I was swamped up until the end of August. Literally Sep 1st my work dropped off out of nowhere. Since sep I’ve been working 3-5 days a week when I was working 6-7 days a wk for the last 6 years. I’ve started a new ad campaign recently and my phone is ringing but it definitely ain’t hot. We’ll be alright 💪🏼 Gotta take the good with the bad

@bulletproofhandyman

9 ай бұрын

That's definitely a good attitude to have

@rustyscrapper

9 ай бұрын

You can get steady work doing JUST demolition? Where inlive you can get people to do that shit for $10 hour.

@michaelbacile8439

9 ай бұрын

Yes it’s very possible, our last contract was gutting a holiday inn. That job alone took 6 weeks. Idk about 10/hr but here in FL I pay my guys 185/ day plus bonuses if we finish ahead of sched.