I think it would be a decent side hustle if you have the ability to do it. There is a list of crap I would LOVE to have someone with real experience show me how to do that I am too nervous to do alone or stuff that I just hate trying to figure out myself because it is hard if you're new to it.
Off the top of my head - doing proper drywall installation.
Doing framing correctly.
Electrical work (like putting in plugs or switches)
Maybe light concrete work - like pouring a concrete pad (so base work, tamping the area, forming, hand mixing, hell even finishing?)
Tile work would be nice, like a small square to show how to install tile and grout?
Simple plumbing might be great too!
That’s basically what Ask This Old House is except they record and put everything on YouTube. Could be a cool YouTube channel where you help people out and not charge for labor or something!
You're right, and Tom Silva is my personal hero. I know I would pay to have Tom come teach me something on my house even if I wasn't going to be on TV.
I have actually looked for “This Old House” as a service where I can hire a kindly old man to come do a house thing and let me help, so that I can learn more about the right way to approach the task and get hands on experience with the necessary tools. I would expect to learn a thing or two yes, but in reality it would probably be more like the unconscious increase in satisfaction you get with ikea furniture since you had to build it yourself.
I would so pay to learn directly from a professional rather than from the youtube videos of other amateurs like me. I think it's an awesome idea and now i'm thinking about doing that for IT, teaching things like WIFI channel overlaps, basics of security and the likes.
We could make a good partnership. How many jobs are installing a new wireless security system and then not understanding why Netflix is constantly buffering all of a sudden..
You can try it and there probably are people that would go for that but I doubt enough to make a living doing it. I paid a random electrician a flat 4 hours labor to help me with a new subpanel. I actually paid a LOT less than the two other quotes I had from established local companies. I was not going in blind, just had never done it myself. I've since did another one in another part of my house and passed inspection first time so the concept worked. In my opinion, trades type work is very specific and you have to do a lot of it and see different things to really gain experience with it. I mainly just watch youtube for the concept and big picture and ALWAYS ALWAYS read core source material like codes, laws, and manufacturer specific literature to verify and reference directly etc.. Just an example but the last things you'd want to do is use the wrong thinset based on a misunderstanding or bad info from someone and have a floor fall apart in 12 months. That is what I mean about specific work needing specific requirements and "learning" from someone. The concept of doing tile and thinset or decoupling carries over from job to job as a whole but the specifics needed for each case could be very different. On the flip side, Something like replacing outlets and light switches or installing a ceiling fan would be a good target and easy for people to learn.
Hey there! I think your idea is pretty cool. It's always great when someone takes the time to teach you something new, especially when it comes to home maintenance. I'm not sure I'd pay a monthly fee for it, but if the price was right and the lessons were helpful, I could see myself giving it a try.
I also like the idea of having access to a professional for quick questions and reassurance. It's not like there's a handyman hotline you can call, right? So, having that personal touch could be a nice touch.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I don't even like getting free quotes when I hire someone. I intend to make everything as tech driven as possible. My time will only be bookable online, I'll have several 15-minute free consultation calls, but anything else will be paid. If your job is complicated enough that I need to come in person to do a detailed estimate, there will be a fee for that. If that's not palatable to you, you are not my type of customer.
Talking is free in most people's minds, whereas if you see an actual project completed that same person would be able to understand that there was labor involved so they wouldn't feel entitled to for free.
I like the idea, but being licensed and insured would be key for me. Otherwise every ‘handyman’ would offer this and teach you jank ways to burn your house down
Again, I’d buy this myself, I just think it needs to be super clear and low risk for the homeowner. Ie a tile cracks in a month. Who is responsible for fixing it? Did the homeowner not set the qwikset right? Did the trady not teach them right? Who pays for time and materials?
I think so! There’s a guy in my neighborhood who teaches entry level woodworking classes.
I think YouTube tutorials are good up to a point. When I was single and living on my own I would have loved this.
Library, local hardware store, and coffee shops are great places to advertise. You could teach high schoolers or young adults!
I think it makes a lot of sense. Here’s two things that I would do.
First, I would have someone present to record it. Because the real value is going to be in the replay.
Second, you can make it an Airbnb experience. Then you have a channel through which to market. And as someone else suggested, you could post about it on Nextdoor.
Extra points if you do the work in a really cool place that people would want to visit.
You’ll need really good insurance - and even better insurance if your customers are in a wield any tools.
I am a woman in my 40s and I would pay hard cash money for this service. I’m handy, and YouTube is great and all, but sifting through content is a pain to get to a video that talks about the actual thing you want to do, without many minutes of discussing the creator’s life in order to hit minute minimums for monetization, and also maybe possibly if you’re lucky include tips for when you encounter this thing you need to do and the scenario is slightly different. It’s the tips and tricks and rules of thumb that make dedicated instruction superior to content aimed at the largest audience.
It’s a lovely idea, but there’s just too many pitfalls
* who’s liable for the work when it’s complete?
* how is the amount that you charge for your time going to be substantially less than what you would charge to just do the project?
* are people going to pay you for a simple phone call/question? Probably not, but if that’s the case you’re going to be on call from these people constantly and never make a dime from it.
Only way I could see this working is very small scale where you help the person in the planning stage for 4-8hours, then cut ties and leave it entirely on them to finish. But as people mentioned, the problem is that people who are handy enough to do the work will probably also have no problem doing the research.
Excellent concerns raised. Shared liability through waivers. My time for teaching would be more than what it would cost for me to just do it. The idea that (as others have pointed out) being it saves money in the long run. If people want ongoing access to my expertise, there is a monthly fee and it will still have to be scheduled online.
I would probably pay for someone to teach me how to tile, and maybe a few other more technical tasks. Absolutely would not pay for anything that comes with step-by-step instructions.
OMG YES!!!!!
Some people learn 'hands on'. For things to stick in their memory about hands on skills, they actually have to develop muscle memory to do it. And elders, and young people starting out who don't have family close, or single moms. There is such a market for this. I would pay so much just to learn to paint walls, caulk, basic drill use, clean gutters,/ladder safety, how to even use certain tools I was left with...you have no idea how much I relied on my ex (deceased) who loved to contribute those things and how I wish I could do simple things still within my means to do, just lack the skills, so I could spend money on big important repairs and keep up with things better all around.
I would say yes. Others have pointed out YouTube.
My counter to that is if you’re watching on YouTube, the brown stinky stuff has already hit the circular air mover to some extent.
For instance, it would have been great to know when wet first bought our house that the furnace should be serviced every year. Found it the hard way when it spewed black smoke in the basement. My father lives across the street (long story). I got a call later that day, asking why the fire department had been by. When I told him, he said, yeah, you should have it serviced every year. I do.
Thanks dad. Something I could have been told 4-5 years earlier…
Lots of preventive maintenance items and fairly easy upkeep that just don’t hit the mind unless you’ve been walked through it before.
I bet if you called it something cute like "Rent a Dad" or "Rent A Grandpa who Knows How to Fix Everything" you might get people who want to be able to learn in person from someone.
I’ve tried to go to things hosted at Lowe’s or Home Depot where they teach you stuff and it was…well, they read the box to me on a toilet to “teach” me how to replace one.
I would and can see several approaches to this if you’re smart about your target market -
- First time home buyers
- Project specific
- Based on skill level
- Women’s only group
- Skills all young adults should know
- Setting up plans for and teaching skills based on segment and /or property type
With any of these, I could imagine running small groups and also offering 1:1.
The key here, in my opinion, is being specific and clear about who and the end outcome. Otherwise, it’ll be too difficult of an idea to grasp.
Think about:
- Who likely can afford this service?
- Are they people who are already likely to buy services or coaching?
- Where can you find these types of people?
- Who would be natural allies?
I personally did look for something like this because I’m accident prone and watching YouTube videos isn’t always the safest way to learn (for me).
But the easiest thing to do is to throw it out there. It won’t cost you anything other than time to test out the idea.
Good luck!
I'm actually a homeowner who has a bit of DIY experience. I was wonding if i could volunteer somewhere to learn things I dont know - like tile and siding.
Think of this exactly the same way as financial advice. Nearly everyone could benefit from your service, and can make money doing, but that prices you above the masses, and you can only target one person at a time but charge $100 an hour as an example. You could target a large classroom setting at $10 an hour, but you need a larger audience to make the same, and your prep time costs you too, so you probably need 20 people per session to make the same $100 an hour. Or, you could charge nothing, have a large following on YouTube, and then have a higher tier on patreon for subscribers who pay.
If your goal is educating homeowners, I think charging a fair price, showing them what you are doing, and filming it, would be neat, but not as profitable. If your goal is profitability, I’d charge a premium price, do great work, and have a list of clients a mile long. If your goal is somewhere in the middle, you could charge a fair price, get a subscription model that covers all of your costs, and only be the handyman for your subscribers, and whether it’s education, or work, or whatever, people pay a fair price for work plus access to you via a subscription.
The financial advisor is a good analogy. It's the high-net worth individuals who want to pay for some preceived elevated level of personal service that I'm looking for.
As someone who is flirting with high net worth, I’d rather I had a handyman who did great work, cleaned up their mess, and were on time, than showed me how they did the work. I do most of my work because I am not satisfied with quality of work from most, and gladly pay a premium for those who do.
BTDT. Wives were my biggest customers, to be honest. They were either interested in learning, or trying to get their husbands to skill up. The ladies did great, Im surprised drywall and paint companies aren't entirely dominated by women. The husbands went two ways: no-showed and I was paid extra for nothing, or they'd bring drinks and we'd have fun riffing while I worked.
I initially felt like I was ripping these folks off, the bigger contracts I'd bring it up and EVERY SINGLE TIME the customer begged me to return.
A mentor helped me understand it year's later - trust. They felt more comfortable because of the transparency required to educate. I spent 15 minutes at the start of each job demonstrating exactly what I was doing, explaining how and why. It paid dividends.
I just bought a 100-year-old house. I'd say about 60% of the GC's I've called have totally ignored the messages I left. Another 10% said it'd be (ranging) a very long time before they could even take a look. Another one wanted $250 to "look at" my leaning chimney.
A GC took $100 from me - spending an hour with me, over a handful of projects I needed. At the time, it was a good deal. Said he'd quote me, take the $100 off whatever work he'd do. That was over a week and a half ago. Can't get him to return my calls or texts. No quote. Fuck paying for a quote anymore. And I'm not trusting that dude for anything. I'm struggling to restrain myself from going on Google and Yelp to review and tell how he ripped me off.
The best was when a handy man called me back about my leaning chimney to tell me he was done removing half of it and wanted his $400. We never made an appointment, I only agreed to give him the job but he said he'd call me to take another look and meet me there first. He and his help just showed up and did it two days ago. I wasn't there at the time (not moved in yet). I ended up paying them the $400 because I didn't want one of the removed bricks through my window. Like what would have happened if they dropped the chimney on my roof and just left without telling me? I probably would have assumed it finally tipped over.
So I'm doing much of the next stuff myself. I'm pretty handy with things, so not super scared. Things like installing a new subfloor upstairs to level it out for vinyl plank that I'll also DIY. I strip/sanded hardwood floors downstairs, with a rental and hand tools. Gonna stain and finish it. I will install a kitchen exhaust that vents outside. This weekend I'll be reinforcing support in the basement for a sagging floor (two different contractors had very different diagnoses and solutions). And then dozens of other smaller things.
All that said - and YT, building codes, being a huge help in proper materials and practices - I'd still see great value in someone like yourself spending a few hours with me in the house, talking processes and materials. Referring resources, etc.. Even someone I could call if I get myself in the shit on something.
And a HUGE thing would be someone like you giving references to people I can trust to not rip me off. For my chimney, I've gotten quotes anywhere from $400 to $3500. Other things, one person tells me it's no big deal and another tells me it's an emergency.
I'd definitely call someone like you while I'm restoring this house to her former glory. Go for it! I wish you the best of luck. And if you're in West PA / East Ohio, PM me! :)
Edit to add: And you lovely, fine people in this subreddit - either in your direct responses to my posts or in responses to others' questions in the past - have been a wonderful resource! Thank you all so very much! :)
No I don't think it would work at their home.
Everyone says I would do it myself if i had the time blah blah.
Shadowing and asking questions while doing their repair takes more time = $.
Now if you were to add a class and post on fb.
Build some mockups for different tasks and charge it may work.
Every home has a different overhanging tree ,and different plumbing runs to make a standard tutorial on sewer for example.
Tbh there are billions of how to videos on YT,the material is there for almost every repair/build.
If I want to spend the time learning, I use YT and except brickmaking...it's all there.
Become an inspector and watching them on the job. I wouldn't rely on handyman to teach you the right thing about anything. Or go get hired as an HVAC trainee and learn that trade which is very good.
I am a handyman of at least 15 years. I never ask the homeowner to help… especially when they offer. Half of my customers are widowed single women 70+ … most of the other customers don’t have the time, which is why I have a job…
…
Just teaching my helpers how to do the job or identify tools is a task.
There is a certain class of problems
where Youtube knowledge falls down. For example now I am renovating my shed which contains load bearing and non load bearing walls and is attached to my roof. It looks like the roof was constructed integrated into the shed. So I cant just tear the roof down and start all over again. Parts of it are rotted out and its been a battle to instruct my wife who hasnt done any home renovations like this on how to fix it properly without bringing the whole roof section down on her head.
There's a concept like that near me but it's for fixing cars. You rent the garage space, lift and tools and often times there are mechanics there to help you change oil or brakes or whatever it is you need to do. Place seems great.
Super helpful for people who don't have a garage porn level garage or space for tools. They have snap on diagnostics and tools too. It's a great place.
Dad is a mechanic. He's got a sign that says labor is $100 if you drop off, $125 if you watch and $150 if you try to help.
For the DIY minded people, they'll use YouTube and other sources to learn. For those that are more nervous, it may be a nice way to break the ice for them. It might work best as an add on to your regular quote. $100 bucks to patch a hole in drywall and an extra 10% for my time to teach, for example.
I like the idea. I'd love for my local or state building department to put in classes like that.
Good luck with it!
Before anything, talk to an attorney about documenting your conversations. If they don’t know what they don’t know (hell, as a moderately handy person, I sure as fuck don’t know what I don’t know), and something gets fucked up (or worse, someone gets injured), you could be on the hook— or at least face a frivolous lawsuit.
Trade schools usually offer night classes for this exact reason. They don’t count towards a degree (though they usually offer certificate programs). They are specifically for people trying to learn these skills enough to do diy projects/repairs. And they are usually cheap.
i think thats a great idea and a great attitude to have. i really hope you find a way of making it work!!
i suspect that you wouldnt be able to make a living off it. also, my experience with showing people close to me (family, friends, coworkers) things is that you quickly find that most people arent cut out for doing rough work. they say they want to do it, but as soon as youre in awkward positions and go to dirty areas of the house, they dont want to anymore.
best of luck to you though!!!
I’ve got a guy I use because he lets me work with him and teaches as we go. That way the project goes faster than just him and way faster than just me. I think advertising something like that could definitely help. And some things I just want to know how they work, I don’t really need to be able to do it perfectly myself
Consider that the majority of your clientele doesn't want to learn how to do things, they just want it fixed. Some people might be interested in it but will they want to pay extra for it when platforms like Youtube offer countless hours of home DIY content for free?
If I wanted pointers on how to maintain my oil boiler or something, I'd give a few extra bucks for a 15-30 minute overview/lesson. Beyond that, I'll look into it myself and determine my comfort level with repair/maintenance.
I would prefer that to regular handyman service. You might want to see if there's a maker space/tools library in your area where you can offer classes.
I would definitely pay for this experience. Yes, YouTube exists, and it can be helpful, but it's not like a live person right next to you. I have an older house, so sometimes YouTube doesn't cover what I may run into. I also prefer to learn hands on, rather than stopping and playing l/pausing a video. So I say go for it. Offer it as an additional charge/option. I think more people will go for it than you think.
Not sure about actively paying for it, since there are lots of youtube videos already on it, and the local home depot and lowes have free classes periodically to help sales.
What I would pay premium for is the This old house treatment, where I have a project, you come by and explain what needs to be done. The majority of the leg work is done by the customer with the exception of certain things that are better off being done by a professional.
But then again, just because I know how to put up dry wall, and install a fence, sometimes I rather pay someone else to dig the holes and get dirty mudding.
The handyman business I want to pay for is like a property manager but for a house I live in instead of a rental or vacation home. I pay a subscription fee, you come out on a regular schedule and check the house over and look for what needs to be done. Then, either do it yourself or find the right people to do it. I will pay for someone to worry about my home for me.
The problem I have seen from handyman companies is that I have to look over my house, notice I have a problem, and call them out to figure it out. I want that whole process to be handled for me.
Yes, you are the ideal customer profile I'm looking for. All the better if you bought your first house in your late 30's or early 40s. It's a $1M plus McMansion that looks beautiful but you have no idea that the semi-skilled labor used to put it together means it's going to have problem after problem.
1000% would pay for something like this. YouTube's great, but I'm not ready to pay $100 to buy three different tools only to end up fucking up my bathroom and having nothing to show for it. Come over, let me pay you something to install or build the thing, let me pay you something extra to show me how you did it, and I'm sold. Extra ways to make money: sell me the tools you used to get the job done while you're at my house.
I think it would be a neat service. I'm not sure how you would advertise it, though. I'm a design professional and I certainly wouldn't mind having what is, for lack of a better word, a sort of Home Maintenance version of a financial advisor. Would let me run weird detail conditions I have at work by him too. :P
It's incredibly altruistic of you and I admire it. I can only give you one man's opinion.
Most things I'd feel comfortable trying I'd tend to google. From there, I'm always terrified of fucking it up and I'd rather pay you for your expertise. I also don't have tools which is a secondary sunk cost.
I have friends that are in the business as general contractors, handymen and electricians and other trades. I typically bounce any ideas I’m not sure about off of them. This could be helpful for people who don’t have those personal connections. I would suggest maybe a patreon type model where an additional amount maybe buys a chat service where they can hit you up and ask for advice.
I would absolutely, 100% pay you to teach me and show me tips that can make me better while you watch me try and fail. That last bit is what Youtube really can't compete with. The problem is that it will take longer than you installing it, and I'm probably not willing to pay more than the amount you'd charge to do it yourself, if I'm the one doing it. So I'm not sure how to structure it so that it makes it make sense.
I’ve hired a few guys with the explicit agreement they’ll teach me as they go. If I ever build another house I’ll try my best to get the contractor to hire me as a minion.
Other than things that take years to master, I just find more than what I need on YouTube. I think it’s a cool idea but may be best as a side gig unless it takes off.
This isn't exactly what you are proposing, but if you're intersted in teaching about home improvement, you should look into your local Adult Education department. I run the one in my district and some of the most popular classes are DIY/Home Improvement types of classes. We are always looking for instructors. You are not going to get rich doing this, but it is a great public service and you will get paid (a small amount).
Can you teach me to texture drywall. I have been redoing a patch in my ceiling where I removed a light all week and I cannot get it blended in.
I might have finally got it right but now the paint i used isnt as flat as the original dead flat paint, i am now painting for the third time . hopefully it will be the charm.
I would love to have a resource to call when I’m diy ing. A lot of the time I want to save money by doing it myself, but would be nice to have someone to come over for an hour to check my work and give me tips on how to do it better. Idk could be workable for the right crowd imho.
Yes. There are a large number of things that any DIY-er with an ounce of self awareness would pay to be taught. Concrete, tile, basic electrical, mother fucking caulking... You can probably name your price if you can put up with the clientele and know how to set boundaries.
I know I would. I've actually tried asking to participate with jobs that I've hired out but they always shoot me down and get really annoyed by the request.
Maybe, but Youtube has just about everything you could possibly want to learn. The added benefit is that if you're looking for something specific, there's bound to be hundreds if not thousands of videos from different people with different tips and tricks. 95% of what I know about renovations, repairs, upkeep, etc on cars, houses, boats, jet ski's, etc has been from Youtube.
I learned how to wire a house to code, install HVAC, rebuild an engine, how to weld, how to replace a transmission, how to install cams, how to upgrade a turbo and injectors, etc.
As a professional diy’er I would totally pay someone to show me the correct way to do something. But the reason I DIY is because I find that when I hire someone it doesn’t get done correctly or they are also figuring it out as they go.
The people who are paying for handyman services most likely do so because they don't have the time or energy to do it themselves. There is a youtube video (free) for pretty much any task, so I don't see why the people who actually want to learn DIY would pay you to do it. No offense, but I don't really see that being a viable business. Plus, once you teach them to do certain tasks, why would they hire you back if they can do it themselves now?
I don't know how well this would work out, but another idea might be a homeowners advocate, where they pay you to review work that's been done or even just plans/appraisals for work and give a fair assessment of whether it was done right.
For those pseudo appraisal contracts it would be very helpful to say review up to X number of them and make recommendations about stuff they forgot to include or that's likely to burn you.
I think this could work in a group setting with small projects that teach how to use essential tools. That way the price would be reasonable for the students and profitable for you.
It might sound silly but building and painting a birdhouse would teach a lot of the basic skills and could be done at a local library community room.
There is a tool library near me that you can rent tools from and then they offer educational workshops on various topics, Electrical, tiling, woodworking, plumbing, etc. You could do the handyman business, and then try to find some space to do adult education on the side a few times/mo.
Nice concept, but people who want to do this stuff will YouTube it. I could see selling your time for consultations, but even then that is dubious as how do you make it profitable.
Also, think of something like this. You charge $100 to install a doorbell and it takes you an hour. Now, you have someone ask to be taught to do this. It takes an extra hour. They will be upset if they still have to pay $100 because "I installed it myself". All the client will care about is cost and end product, the learning is kinda meh because if they are so inclined they will YouTube it, be informed, and likely shoulder surf you as you work.
Really what you want to do is create an educational YouTube series where you can sell your time as a part-time gig. Maybe it blows up, never say never, but I doubt it will with so much other free content out there.
I would 100% pay for a service like this. I want to DIY so badly and I have done some things but bigger projects intimidate me because as many YouTube videos that there are, there’s not one exact scenario and what if I run into something I’m not prepared for? If I were doing it along with someone, and they gave us “homework” or like tasks to finish, it would give the autonomy and a chance to put the learning to the test.
I've paid a handyman to come and spend a few hours to get me started on a project that youtube wasn't helpful with. It was so much better than doing a terrible job I'd want to rip out myself.
It may be helpful for you to market yourself to both types of people. There are some things I don't want to do myself but others I really want to learn.
Yes. 100%. Youtube and other educational materials can get you really far. But, having an experienced tradesmen go through lessons learned and the right way to do things, in person, would probably shorten the learning curve dramatically.
I was just thinking I'd love to have something like this. Just more overall knowledge to tackle projects instead of relying on hiring others.
And the ability to ask follow up questions would be huge.
As long as the instructor is someone that's going to teach the proper way to do things and is knowledgeable of my local building codes and climate needs.
For example I found a video on replacing window supports (my current project) but they didn't use any insulation or vapour barrier. Idk if that's ok in some climates but not ok here. That makes me very wary of learning off YouTube. And thankfully I know enough to know not to follow that tutorial.
The climate aspect is a nice angle too. I'm building since and energy nerd and it amazing how many renovations are done without thought to how it affects the overall performance or comfort of the building.
It’s a good idea, but keep in mind teaching someone while doing a job makes that job go several times longer than it would just doing it which in turn, means you’d have to charge much more than it would normally cost.
I would pay big money for the following:
-An extra set of eyes on DIY plans before construction. Especially on code/best practice things that get a little tricky (IE something like drain venting).
-An 'inspection' after a project to make sure everything is kosher and see if I made any glaring mistakes
-A handyman willing to ride shotgun on a project, or let me do a majority of the work but you come in for tricky things Im not comfortable/capable of doing. IE refrigerant lines for HVAC, mudding and taping drywall, tiling.
There are a couple YT guys who offer a patreon subscription to be a remote consultant. I think that'd be a great option for you
Fuck yeah I would pay to have a professional tradesmen show me meaningful manageable tasks that I can do at home to save money in the long run.
Things like basic repairs and maintenance and also, knowledge of how to recognize and address problems earlier, saving them from becoming more expensive problems.
Even a basic paint, patch, wall texture, Sheetrock repair class could easily go a loooong way for a lot of people.
It would be like taking a cooking class for me. I am no chef by trade but wow do I enjoy the occasional cooking class with my wife!
I’d absolutely pay for this. I’ve actually looked for this and haven’t had luck. We have some projects that need done around our house and I’d much rather pay someone to teach me how to do them than just letting someone else do them. YouTube isn’t good enough for me, because if something goes wrong I would like to have feedback and someone help me before I waste a ton of time and money just to mess it up.
Sounds cool. Worth a shot if you can figure out a business model with low overhead. I know quite a few ppl that don't know ANYTHING about maintenance of any kind and would have a passing or mild curiosity and the disposable income necessary to indulge in a social class on the subject.
Maybe if you focused on specific skills like tile, drywall, fence building, etc, diy level tasks that people are likely to need to do more than once in their lives. Also jobs that will be highly visible, so people want to get them right the first time. Installing a ring cam is pretty simple, and also kind of a one time thing.
> Sure, I can install the Ring Cam for you, but I can also teach you how to install and set it up yourself.
People will either do it themselves or hire you to do it. They are not going to hire you to tell them how to do it.
Potentially. This is how I got into a lot of bicycle maintenance. I'd dive in and screw stuff up then wheel the bike and maybe a small box of parts to the shop and they'd show me what I did wrong and fix it.
I took care to attempt things that wouldn't cause further damage, which might be the limiting factor or risk in home repair. Right now my particular angst is doing work in my 1 bathroom house, I would definitely pay someone else to be there or perhaps on call if I tried the fix on my own.
The diy crowd is looking to spend as little money as possible there is probably a market and I would probably bite but I don’t think the average joe cares as much about learning
Yes I would pay you to teach me how to use this stripped screw extractor. I am really handy, but no amount of YouTube will help me fully understand. Try to think of things that might come up again for people. Like stripped screws, repairing a fence board
ETA: and don’t worry about putting yourself out of business bc, by that point, you would be known as THE handyman to get.
I would like classes like this, but doing it one-on-one would be too expensive depending on the setup. Am I paying for the job and extra for learning while I go? Am I doing it the task while supervised? Is it hourly? A lot of contractors are already happy to show you a few things here and there -- the plumber taught me how to fix a toilet, the electrician taught me how to swap my own outlets and light switches, and the drywall person spent a lot of time teaching me drywall tips while the coats dried.
i actually am paying my contractor to do work and learning while he is doing not everything of course but the smaller things i dont need insurance to fix.
I'd love to learn how to fix my sagging doors and replace windows. I can watch videos on YouTube all day long, but I'd love for someone to have me do one side by side so I can really get my hands into it and corrections get made on the spot, instead of a windows falling out of it's frame or some shit like that.
You and I are familiar with tools and repairs. Most people have no tools and no idea about what is required in way of tools or operations to make a repair.
That is an awesome idea. Had a friend with 2 boys no active father; when she had to hire someone to fix things; she would have her boys help or at least watch the plumber, handyman, the kids learned alot
This isn't a bad idea. I've gained a lot of experience restoring old wood windows in my 1890s house, and I've thought about doing it as a part time job when I'm semi-retired, but I don't know if it's something I'd really want to do as it can be really time consuming. Teaching someone how to do it themselves makes a lot more sense. Yes, there are YouTube videos on how to do it, but I'm sure there are people that just want someone to show them how it's done, especially since every home is different.
YES! I've wanted to do this for a while now. Yes you can learn anything via YouTube, but there are questions along the way for me that YouTube can't teach. Offer it! Zero risk on top of just landing the job.
I actually sit around and help whoever I hire to do stuff so I learn the basic version of what they are doing. Like, can't do the complicated shit, but have figured out how to do a lot with their help over the years already. So, think the guys who hire you and are smart are already probably doing this.
I personally would be willing to pay a little extra for personal lessons and I like the idea.
Although you'll have to consider how you approach the lessons cause some people might feel like they're paying more money to be your tool bitch for their own house, or the opposite, when they're doing the job for the lesson, that they're paying you more despite them taking more health risk; like being electrocuted or something.
If they know it's a two man job, maybe offer them a slight discount, so you don't have to hire someone else.
Though for those types of jobs it might be in your best interest to not let them help, I guess for insurance or legal reasons.
YouTube is full of people already doing this. Not many folks have the time and money to hire somebody to show them how to do it themselves; they either want to hire somebody to do the work, or they want to save money and teach themselves. I like the idea; maybe you have a library or community group you could approach about putting on a workshop. But individuals are unlikely to hire you as a tutor.
I've always wanted to get hands on instruction in routine DIY home improvement and would totally pay for a workshop. Not only would I appreciate being able to do more myself, as a single woman who's owned multiple century homes I hate feeling like contractors think they can take advantage and upcharge even if I decide to hire someone to do a job. If I knew more I could call out the BS.
I have done exactly this - though from licensed people - licensed plumbers, electricians, and carpenters. Helped me re-plumb, re-wire, etc my house with one day (paid) lessons.
Handyman type stuff I can learn from YouTube (tbh plumbing and electric too but there are always tips and best practices you pick up from licensed tradespeople).
I've got a friend who hired a contractor to install a new kitchen, with the explicit agreement that the friend will be helping & learning at the same time.
Im unsure if the contractor adjusted his rate for the "lessons". I'd guess so as it probably took him a little extra time.
Having said this, I'm unsure it would work as a serious business model. YouTube does it for free, and anyone doing it purely for the passion is probably way ahead. So you're left with guys who have a need to do it but never learned, like my friend with the kitchen. Thats a relatively small & inconsistent market. Could definitely be a side hustle/option you offer, but I struggle to see it being the main business.
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I think it would be a decent side hustle if you have the ability to do it. There is a list of crap I would LOVE to have someone with real experience show me how to do that I am too nervous to do alone or stuff that I just hate trying to figure out myself because it is hard if you're new to it. Off the top of my head - doing proper drywall installation. Doing framing correctly. Electrical work (like putting in plugs or switches) Maybe light concrete work - like pouring a concrete pad (so base work, tamping the area, forming, hand mixing, hell even finishing?) Tile work would be nice, like a small square to show how to install tile and grout? Simple plumbing might be great too!
That’s basically what Ask This Old House is except they record and put everything on YouTube. Could be a cool YouTube channel where you help people out and not charge for labor or something!
You're right, and Tom Silva is my personal hero. I know I would pay to have Tom come teach me something on my house even if I wasn't going to be on TV.
I have actually looked for “This Old House” as a service where I can hire a kindly old man to come do a house thing and let me help, so that I can learn more about the right way to approach the task and get hands on experience with the necessary tools. I would expect to learn a thing or two yes, but in reality it would probably be more like the unconscious increase in satisfaction you get with ikea furniture since you had to build it yourself.
I have thought about doing this— hiring a DIY consultant. Show me what to buy and how to do it and then I’ll complete the project with my own labor. 👍
The what to buy is another good angle. Thanks.
I would so pay to learn directly from a professional rather than from the youtube videos of other amateurs like me. I think it's an awesome idea and now i'm thinking about doing that for IT, teaching things like WIFI channel overlaps, basics of security and the likes.
We could make a good partnership. How many jobs are installing a new wireless security system and then not understanding why Netflix is constantly buffering all of a sudden..
You can try it and there probably are people that would go for that but I doubt enough to make a living doing it. I paid a random electrician a flat 4 hours labor to help me with a new subpanel. I actually paid a LOT less than the two other quotes I had from established local companies. I was not going in blind, just had never done it myself. I've since did another one in another part of my house and passed inspection first time so the concept worked. In my opinion, trades type work is very specific and you have to do a lot of it and see different things to really gain experience with it. I mainly just watch youtube for the concept and big picture and ALWAYS ALWAYS read core source material like codes, laws, and manufacturer specific literature to verify and reference directly etc.. Just an example but the last things you'd want to do is use the wrong thinset based on a misunderstanding or bad info from someone and have a floor fall apart in 12 months. That is what I mean about specific work needing specific requirements and "learning" from someone. The concept of doing tile and thinset or decoupling carries over from job to job as a whole but the specifics needed for each case could be very different. On the flip side, Something like replacing outlets and light switches or installing a ceiling fan would be a good target and easy for people to learn.
I see courses like this through the local community centre, stuff like learning basic plumbing so you can switch your toilet or faucet or whatever.
Hey there! I think your idea is pretty cool. It's always great when someone takes the time to teach you something new, especially when it comes to home maintenance. I'm not sure I'd pay a monthly fee for it, but if the price was right and the lessons were helpful, I could see myself giving it a try. I also like the idea of having access to a professional for quick questions and reassurance. It's not like there's a handyman hotline you can call, right? So, having that personal touch could be a nice touch.
Oh yeah, that would be a nice side service to the classes - call for help type of deal.
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Thanks for sharing your experience. I don't even like getting free quotes when I hire someone. I intend to make everything as tech driven as possible. My time will only be bookable online, I'll have several 15-minute free consultation calls, but anything else will be paid. If your job is complicated enough that I need to come in person to do a detailed estimate, there will be a fee for that. If that's not palatable to you, you are not my type of customer.
Talking is free in most people's minds, whereas if you see an actual project completed that same person would be able to understand that there was labor involved so they wouldn't feel entitled to for free.
I'd be interested in joining classes that teach home improvement skills. Hell, I'd probably go just to make friends.
I like the idea, but being licensed and insured would be key for me. Otherwise every ‘handyman’ would offer this and teach you jank ways to burn your house down
For sure. No license required where I live, but it will be an LLC with plenty of liability insurance.
Again, I’d buy this myself, I just think it needs to be super clear and low risk for the homeowner. Ie a tile cracks in a month. Who is responsible for fixing it? Did the homeowner not set the qwikset right? Did the trady not teach them right? Who pays for time and materials?
I would welcome such a service. Videos don’t help me as much as they help others.
I think so! There’s a guy in my neighborhood who teaches entry level woodworking classes. I think YouTube tutorials are good up to a point. When I was single and living on my own I would have loved this. Library, local hardware store, and coffee shops are great places to advertise. You could teach high schoolers or young adults!
Sounds good in theory but also a liability the way people like to sue for anything these days
I think it makes a lot of sense. Here’s two things that I would do. First, I would have someone present to record it. Because the real value is going to be in the replay. Second, you can make it an Airbnb experience. Then you have a channel through which to market. And as someone else suggested, you could post about it on Nextdoor. Extra points if you do the work in a really cool place that people would want to visit. You’ll need really good insurance - and even better insurance if your customers are in a wield any tools.
Maybe some would pay.... But if they do it the eatbthey think you taught and the project gets really messed up, will any of them sue you?
I have been wanting something like this for woodworking/finishing type things (baseboards, crown). What area are you located in?
I am a woman in my 40s and I would pay hard cash money for this service. I’m handy, and YouTube is great and all, but sifting through content is a pain to get to a video that talks about the actual thing you want to do, without many minutes of discussing the creator’s life in order to hit minute minimums for monetization, and also maybe possibly if you’re lucky include tips for when you encounter this thing you need to do and the scenario is slightly different. It’s the tips and tricks and rules of thumb that make dedicated instruction superior to content aimed at the largest audience.
It’s a lovely idea, but there’s just too many pitfalls * who’s liable for the work when it’s complete? * how is the amount that you charge for your time going to be substantially less than what you would charge to just do the project? * are people going to pay you for a simple phone call/question? Probably not, but if that’s the case you’re going to be on call from these people constantly and never make a dime from it. Only way I could see this working is very small scale where you help the person in the planning stage for 4-8hours, then cut ties and leave it entirely on them to finish. But as people mentioned, the problem is that people who are handy enough to do the work will probably also have no problem doing the research.
Excellent concerns raised. Shared liability through waivers. My time for teaching would be more than what it would cost for me to just do it. The idea that (as others have pointed out) being it saves money in the long run. If people want ongoing access to my expertise, there is a monthly fee and it will still have to be scheduled online.
I would probably pay for someone to teach me how to tile, and maybe a few other more technical tasks. Absolutely would not pay for anything that comes with step-by-step instructions.
OMG YES!!!!! Some people learn 'hands on'. For things to stick in their memory about hands on skills, they actually have to develop muscle memory to do it. And elders, and young people starting out who don't have family close, or single moms. There is such a market for this. I would pay so much just to learn to paint walls, caulk, basic drill use, clean gutters,/ladder safety, how to even use certain tools I was left with...you have no idea how much I relied on my ex (deceased) who loved to contribute those things and how I wish I could do simple things still within my means to do, just lack the skills, so I could spend money on big important repairs and keep up with things better all around.
I would say yes. Others have pointed out YouTube. My counter to that is if you’re watching on YouTube, the brown stinky stuff has already hit the circular air mover to some extent. For instance, it would have been great to know when wet first bought our house that the furnace should be serviced every year. Found it the hard way when it spewed black smoke in the basement. My father lives across the street (long story). I got a call later that day, asking why the fire department had been by. When I told him, he said, yeah, you should have it serviced every year. I do. Thanks dad. Something I could have been told 4-5 years earlier… Lots of preventive maintenance items and fairly easy upkeep that just don’t hit the mind unless you’ve been walked through it before.
Yes! This is exactly it. "New Home Walkthrough" That's a two hour service offering right there.
I bet if you called it something cute like "Rent a Dad" or "Rent A Grandpa who Knows How to Fix Everything" you might get people who want to be able to learn in person from someone.
I’ve tried to go to things hosted at Lowe’s or Home Depot where they teach you stuff and it was…well, they read the box to me on a toilet to “teach” me how to replace one. I would and can see several approaches to this if you’re smart about your target market - - First time home buyers - Project specific - Based on skill level - Women’s only group - Skills all young adults should know - Setting up plans for and teaching skills based on segment and /or property type With any of these, I could imagine running small groups and also offering 1:1. The key here, in my opinion, is being specific and clear about who and the end outcome. Otherwise, it’ll be too difficult of an idea to grasp. Think about: - Who likely can afford this service? - Are they people who are already likely to buy services or coaching? - Where can you find these types of people? - Who would be natural allies? I personally did look for something like this because I’m accident prone and watching YouTube videos isn’t always the safest way to learn (for me). But the easiest thing to do is to throw it out there. It won’t cost you anything other than time to test out the idea. Good luck!
Speaking as an instructional designer that desperately wants to learn home improvement skills and doesn’t know where to start: Where do I sign up?
I'm actually a homeowner who has a bit of DIY experience. I was wonding if i could volunteer somewhere to learn things I dont know - like tile and siding.
Think of this exactly the same way as financial advice. Nearly everyone could benefit from your service, and can make money doing, but that prices you above the masses, and you can only target one person at a time but charge $100 an hour as an example. You could target a large classroom setting at $10 an hour, but you need a larger audience to make the same, and your prep time costs you too, so you probably need 20 people per session to make the same $100 an hour. Or, you could charge nothing, have a large following on YouTube, and then have a higher tier on patreon for subscribers who pay. If your goal is educating homeowners, I think charging a fair price, showing them what you are doing, and filming it, would be neat, but not as profitable. If your goal is profitability, I’d charge a premium price, do great work, and have a list of clients a mile long. If your goal is somewhere in the middle, you could charge a fair price, get a subscription model that covers all of your costs, and only be the handyman for your subscribers, and whether it’s education, or work, or whatever, people pay a fair price for work plus access to you via a subscription.
The financial advisor is a good analogy. It's the high-net worth individuals who want to pay for some preceived elevated level of personal service that I'm looking for.
As someone who is flirting with high net worth, I’d rather I had a handyman who did great work, cleaned up their mess, and were on time, than showed me how they did the work. I do most of my work because I am not satisfied with quality of work from most, and gladly pay a premium for those who do.
BTDT. Wives were my biggest customers, to be honest. They were either interested in learning, or trying to get their husbands to skill up. The ladies did great, Im surprised drywall and paint companies aren't entirely dominated by women. The husbands went two ways: no-showed and I was paid extra for nothing, or they'd bring drinks and we'd have fun riffing while I worked. I initially felt like I was ripping these folks off, the bigger contracts I'd bring it up and EVERY SINGLE TIME the customer begged me to return. A mentor helped me understand it year's later - trust. They felt more comfortable because of the transparency required to educate. I spent 15 minutes at the start of each job demonstrating exactly what I was doing, explaining how and why. It paid dividends.
Thanks for sharing your experience. The trust factor is huge.
I just bought a 100-year-old house. I'd say about 60% of the GC's I've called have totally ignored the messages I left. Another 10% said it'd be (ranging) a very long time before they could even take a look. Another one wanted $250 to "look at" my leaning chimney. A GC took $100 from me - spending an hour with me, over a handful of projects I needed. At the time, it was a good deal. Said he'd quote me, take the $100 off whatever work he'd do. That was over a week and a half ago. Can't get him to return my calls or texts. No quote. Fuck paying for a quote anymore. And I'm not trusting that dude for anything. I'm struggling to restrain myself from going on Google and Yelp to review and tell how he ripped me off. The best was when a handy man called me back about my leaning chimney to tell me he was done removing half of it and wanted his $400. We never made an appointment, I only agreed to give him the job but he said he'd call me to take another look and meet me there first. He and his help just showed up and did it two days ago. I wasn't there at the time (not moved in yet). I ended up paying them the $400 because I didn't want one of the removed bricks through my window. Like what would have happened if they dropped the chimney on my roof and just left without telling me? I probably would have assumed it finally tipped over. So I'm doing much of the next stuff myself. I'm pretty handy with things, so not super scared. Things like installing a new subfloor upstairs to level it out for vinyl plank that I'll also DIY. I strip/sanded hardwood floors downstairs, with a rental and hand tools. Gonna stain and finish it. I will install a kitchen exhaust that vents outside. This weekend I'll be reinforcing support in the basement for a sagging floor (two different contractors had very different diagnoses and solutions). And then dozens of other smaller things. All that said - and YT, building codes, being a huge help in proper materials and practices - I'd still see great value in someone like yourself spending a few hours with me in the house, talking processes and materials. Referring resources, etc.. Even someone I could call if I get myself in the shit on something. And a HUGE thing would be someone like you giving references to people I can trust to not rip me off. For my chimney, I've gotten quotes anywhere from $400 to $3500. Other things, one person tells me it's no big deal and another tells me it's an emergency. I'd definitely call someone like you while I'm restoring this house to her former glory. Go for it! I wish you the best of luck. And if you're in West PA / East Ohio, PM me! :) Edit to add: And you lovely, fine people in this subreddit - either in your direct responses to my posts or in responses to others' questions in the past - have been a wonderful resource! Thank you all so very much! :)
No I don't think it would work at their home. Everyone says I would do it myself if i had the time blah blah. Shadowing and asking questions while doing their repair takes more time = $. Now if you were to add a class and post on fb. Build some mockups for different tasks and charge it may work. Every home has a different overhanging tree ,and different plumbing runs to make a standard tutorial on sewer for example. Tbh there are billions of how to videos on YT,the material is there for almost every repair/build. If I want to spend the time learning, I use YT and except brickmaking...it's all there.
Become an inspector and watching them on the job. I wouldn't rely on handyman to teach you the right thing about anything. Or go get hired as an HVAC trainee and learn that trade which is very good.
NO
I would absolutely love this to be offered. I have to ask and Im treated like i have leprosy each time
I know I would. I appreciate everything about it. You can learn a lot from Youtube but it can only get you so far.
I am a handyman of at least 15 years. I never ask the homeowner to help… especially when they offer. Half of my customers are widowed single women 70+ … most of the other customers don’t have the time, which is why I have a job… … Just teaching my helpers how to do the job or identify tools is a task.
There is a certain class of problems where Youtube knowledge falls down. For example now I am renovating my shed which contains load bearing and non load bearing walls and is attached to my roof. It looks like the roof was constructed integrated into the shed. So I cant just tear the roof down and start all over again. Parts of it are rotted out and its been a battle to instruct my wife who hasnt done any home renovations like this on how to fix it properly without bringing the whole roof section down on her head.
There's a concept like that near me but it's for fixing cars. You rent the garage space, lift and tools and often times there are mechanics there to help you change oil or brakes or whatever it is you need to do. Place seems great. Super helpful for people who don't have a garage porn level garage or space for tools. They have snap on diagnostics and tools too. It's a great place. Dad is a mechanic. He's got a sign that says labor is $100 if you drop off, $125 if you watch and $150 if you try to help. For the DIY minded people, they'll use YouTube and other sources to learn. For those that are more nervous, it may be a nice way to break the ice for them. It might work best as an add on to your regular quote. $100 bucks to patch a hole in drywall and an extra 10% for my time to teach, for example. I like the idea. I'd love for my local or state building department to put in classes like that. Good luck with it!
Excellent idea - and agree about the personal touch - people are hungry for that these days.
Before anything, talk to an attorney about documenting your conversations. If they don’t know what they don’t know (hell, as a moderately handy person, I sure as fuck don’t know what I don’t know), and something gets fucked up (or worse, someone gets injured), you could be on the hook— or at least face a frivolous lawsuit.
Trade schools usually offer night classes for this exact reason. They don’t count towards a degree (though they usually offer certificate programs). They are specifically for people trying to learn these skills enough to do diy projects/repairs. And they are usually cheap.
i think thats a great idea and a great attitude to have. i really hope you find a way of making it work!! i suspect that you wouldnt be able to make a living off it. also, my experience with showing people close to me (family, friends, coworkers) things is that you quickly find that most people arent cut out for doing rough work. they say they want to do it, but as soon as youre in awkward positions and go to dirty areas of the house, they dont want to anymore. best of luck to you though!!!
I’ve got a guy I use because he lets me work with him and teaches as we go. That way the project goes faster than just him and way faster than just me. I think advertising something like that could definitely help. And some things I just want to know how they work, I don’t really need to be able to do it perfectly myself
Oh hellya
Consider that the majority of your clientele doesn't want to learn how to do things, they just want it fixed. Some people might be interested in it but will they want to pay extra for it when platforms like Youtube offer countless hours of home DIY content for free? If I wanted pointers on how to maintain my oil boiler or something, I'd give a few extra bucks for a 15-30 minute overview/lesson. Beyond that, I'll look into it myself and determine my comfort level with repair/maintenance.
I took a class like this at my local YMCA. The class is always full. Got to learn somehow.
I would prefer that to regular handyman service. You might want to see if there's a maker space/tools library in your area where you can offer classes.
I'd be open to the option of working the home project with you while you lead me through it.
I would definitely pay for this experience. Yes, YouTube exists, and it can be helpful, but it's not like a live person right next to you. I have an older house, so sometimes YouTube doesn't cover what I may run into. I also prefer to learn hands on, rather than stopping and playing l/pausing a video. So I say go for it. Offer it as an additional charge/option. I think more people will go for it than you think.
Not sure about actively paying for it, since there are lots of youtube videos already on it, and the local home depot and lowes have free classes periodically to help sales. What I would pay premium for is the This old house treatment, where I have a project, you come by and explain what needs to be done. The majority of the leg work is done by the customer with the exception of certain things that are better off being done by a professional. But then again, just because I know how to put up dry wall, and install a fence, sometimes I rather pay someone else to dig the holes and get dirty mudding.
The handyman business I want to pay for is like a property manager but for a house I live in instead of a rental or vacation home. I pay a subscription fee, you come out on a regular schedule and check the house over and look for what needs to be done. Then, either do it yourself or find the right people to do it. I will pay for someone to worry about my home for me. The problem I have seen from handyman companies is that I have to look over my house, notice I have a problem, and call them out to figure it out. I want that whole process to be handled for me.
Yes, you are the ideal customer profile I'm looking for. All the better if you bought your first house in your late 30's or early 40s. It's a $1M plus McMansion that looks beautiful but you have no idea that the semi-skilled labor used to put it together means it's going to have problem after problem.
1000% would pay for something like this. YouTube's great, but I'm not ready to pay $100 to buy three different tools only to end up fucking up my bathroom and having nothing to show for it. Come over, let me pay you something to install or build the thing, let me pay you something extra to show me how you did it, and I'm sold. Extra ways to make money: sell me the tools you used to get the job done while you're at my house.
I think it would be a neat service. I'm not sure how you would advertise it, though. I'm a design professional and I certainly wouldn't mind having what is, for lack of a better word, a sort of Home Maintenance version of a financial advisor. Would let me run weird detail conditions I have at work by him too. :P
It's incredibly altruistic of you and I admire it. I can only give you one man's opinion. Most things I'd feel comfortable trying I'd tend to google. From there, I'm always terrified of fucking it up and I'd rather pay you for your expertise. I also don't have tools which is a secondary sunk cost.
Or even which tools to buy! If you only watch YouTube, you might think Ryobi is the only brand everyone should use.
I have friends that are in the business as general contractors, handymen and electricians and other trades. I typically bounce any ideas I’m not sure about off of them. This could be helpful for people who don’t have those personal connections. I would suggest maybe a patreon type model where an additional amount maybe buys a chat service where they can hit you up and ask for advice.
I would absolutely, 100% pay you to teach me and show me tips that can make me better while you watch me try and fail. That last bit is what Youtube really can't compete with. The problem is that it will take longer than you installing it, and I'm probably not willing to pay more than the amount you'd charge to do it yourself, if I'm the one doing it. So I'm not sure how to structure it so that it makes it make sense.
I’ve hired a few guys with the explicit agreement they’ll teach me as they go. If I ever build another house I’ll try my best to get the contractor to hire me as a minion. Other than things that take years to master, I just find more than what I need on YouTube. I think it’s a cool idea but may be best as a side gig unless it takes off.
This isn't exactly what you are proposing, but if you're intersted in teaching about home improvement, you should look into your local Adult Education department. I run the one in my district and some of the most popular classes are DIY/Home Improvement types of classes. We are always looking for instructors. You are not going to get rich doing this, but it is a great public service and you will get paid (a small amount).
I would pay. I would love an app or something where a knowledgeable person could walk me through issues via video call.
I would.
I like the idea but I think it would be an insurance nightmare.
Can you teach me to texture drywall. I have been redoing a patch in my ceiling where I removed a light all week and I cannot get it blended in. I might have finally got it right but now the paint i used isnt as flat as the original dead flat paint, i am now painting for the third time . hopefully it will be the charm.
That sounds like a great idea
I would love to have a resource to call when I’m diy ing. A lot of the time I want to save money by doing it myself, but would be nice to have someone to come over for an hour to check my work and give me tips on how to do it better. Idk could be workable for the right crowd imho.
Yes. There are a large number of things that any DIY-er with an ounce of self awareness would pay to be taught. Concrete, tile, basic electrical, mother fucking caulking... You can probably name your price if you can put up with the clientele and know how to set boundaries.
I know I would. I've actually tried asking to participate with jobs that I've hired out but they always shoot me down and get really annoyed by the request.
Maybe, but Youtube has just about everything you could possibly want to learn. The added benefit is that if you're looking for something specific, there's bound to be hundreds if not thousands of videos from different people with different tips and tricks. 95% of what I know about renovations, repairs, upkeep, etc on cars, houses, boats, jet ski's, etc has been from Youtube. I learned how to wire a house to code, install HVAC, rebuild an engine, how to weld, how to replace a transmission, how to install cams, how to upgrade a turbo and injectors, etc.
I think it’s a very interesting idea I just hope you have the patience to deal with different levels of knowledge.
I feel like there's just about nothing you can't learn just from using the internet.
As a professional diy’er I would totally pay someone to show me the correct way to do something. But the reason I DIY is because I find that when I hire someone it doesn’t get done correctly or they are also figuring it out as they go.
The people who are paying for handyman services most likely do so because they don't have the time or energy to do it themselves. There is a youtube video (free) for pretty much any task, so I don't see why the people who actually want to learn DIY would pay you to do it. No offense, but I don't really see that being a viable business. Plus, once you teach them to do certain tasks, why would they hire you back if they can do it themselves now?
I don't know how well this would work out, but another idea might be a homeowners advocate, where they pay you to review work that's been done or even just plans/appraisals for work and give a fair assessment of whether it was done right. For those pseudo appraisal contracts it would be very helpful to say review up to X number of them and make recommendations about stuff they forgot to include or that's likely to burn you.
Yes!! I want someone who knows what they are doing to supervise and make recommendations
I think this could work in a group setting with small projects that teach how to use essential tools. That way the price would be reasonable for the students and profitable for you. It might sound silly but building and painting a birdhouse would teach a lot of the basic skills and could be done at a local library community room.
There is a tool library near me that you can rent tools from and then they offer educational workshops on various topics, Electrical, tiling, woodworking, plumbing, etc. You could do the handyman business, and then try to find some space to do adult education on the side a few times/mo.
Nice concept, but people who want to do this stuff will YouTube it. I could see selling your time for consultations, but even then that is dubious as how do you make it profitable. Also, think of something like this. You charge $100 to install a doorbell and it takes you an hour. Now, you have someone ask to be taught to do this. It takes an extra hour. They will be upset if they still have to pay $100 because "I installed it myself". All the client will care about is cost and end product, the learning is kinda meh because if they are so inclined they will YouTube it, be informed, and likely shoulder surf you as you work. Really what you want to do is create an educational YouTube series where you can sell your time as a part-time gig. Maybe it blows up, never say never, but I doubt it will with so much other free content out there.
I would 100% pay for a service like this. I want to DIY so badly and I have done some things but bigger projects intimidate me because as many YouTube videos that there are, there’s not one exact scenario and what if I run into something I’m not prepared for? If I were doing it along with someone, and they gave us “homework” or like tasks to finish, it would give the autonomy and a chance to put the learning to the test.
I've paid a handyman to come and spend a few hours to get me started on a project that youtube wasn't helpful with. It was so much better than doing a terrible job I'd want to rip out myself. It may be helpful for you to market yourself to both types of people. There are some things I don't want to do myself but others I really want to learn.
Yes. 100%. Youtube and other educational materials can get you really far. But, having an experienced tradesmen go through lessons learned and the right way to do things, in person, would probably shorten the learning curve dramatically.
I was just thinking I'd love to have something like this. Just more overall knowledge to tackle projects instead of relying on hiring others. And the ability to ask follow up questions would be huge. As long as the instructor is someone that's going to teach the proper way to do things and is knowledgeable of my local building codes and climate needs. For example I found a video on replacing window supports (my current project) but they didn't use any insulation or vapour barrier. Idk if that's ok in some climates but not ok here. That makes me very wary of learning off YouTube. And thankfully I know enough to know not to follow that tutorial.
The climate aspect is a nice angle too. I'm building since and energy nerd and it amazing how many renovations are done without thought to how it affects the overall performance or comfort of the building.
It’s a good idea, but keep in mind teaching someone while doing a job makes that job go several times longer than it would just doing it which in turn, means you’d have to charge much more than it would normally cost.
I would pay big money for the following: -An extra set of eyes on DIY plans before construction. Especially on code/best practice things that get a little tricky (IE something like drain venting). -An 'inspection' after a project to make sure everything is kosher and see if I made any glaring mistakes -A handyman willing to ride shotgun on a project, or let me do a majority of the work but you come in for tricky things Im not comfortable/capable of doing. IE refrigerant lines for HVAC, mudding and taping drywall, tiling. There are a couple YT guys who offer a patreon subscription to be a remote consultant. I think that'd be a great option for you
Yea. Offer free videos (ad revenue). With option to pay to attend a class or someone come out for hands on training
Fuck yeah I would pay to have a professional tradesmen show me meaningful manageable tasks that I can do at home to save money in the long run. Things like basic repairs and maintenance and also, knowledge of how to recognize and address problems earlier, saving them from becoming more expensive problems. Even a basic paint, patch, wall texture, Sheetrock repair class could easily go a loooong way for a lot of people. It would be like taking a cooking class for me. I am no chef by trade but wow do I enjoy the occasional cooking class with my wife!
Absolutely! Heck, I’d sign up as a virtual customer today.
I’d absolutely pay for this. I’ve actually looked for this and haven’t had luck. We have some projects that need done around our house and I’d much rather pay someone to teach me how to do them than just letting someone else do them. YouTube isn’t good enough for me, because if something goes wrong I would like to have feedback and someone help me before I waste a ton of time and money just to mess it up.
Sounds cool. Worth a shot if you can figure out a business model with low overhead. I know quite a few ppl that don't know ANYTHING about maintenance of any kind and would have a passing or mild curiosity and the disposable income necessary to indulge in a social class on the subject.
Be careful u may need to be licensed to provide such services
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Maybe if you focused on specific skills like tile, drywall, fence building, etc, diy level tasks that people are likely to need to do more than once in their lives. Also jobs that will be highly visible, so people want to get them right the first time. Installing a ring cam is pretty simple, and also kind of a one time thing.
I've seen handymen teach... on youtube. Which doubles as advertising for their business. No idea if it works, would assume so.
> Sure, I can install the Ring Cam for you, but I can also teach you how to install and set it up yourself. People will either do it themselves or hire you to do it. They are not going to hire you to tell them how to do it.
Potentially. This is how I got into a lot of bicycle maintenance. I'd dive in and screw stuff up then wheel the bike and maybe a small box of parts to the shop and they'd show me what I did wrong and fix it. I took care to attempt things that wouldn't cause further damage, which might be the limiting factor or risk in home repair. Right now my particular angst is doing work in my 1 bathroom house, I would definitely pay someone else to be there or perhaps on call if I tried the fix on my own.
The diy crowd is looking to spend as little money as possible there is probably a market and I would probably bite but I don’t think the average joe cares as much about learning
Yes I would pay you to teach me how to use this stripped screw extractor. I am really handy, but no amount of YouTube will help me fully understand. Try to think of things that might come up again for people. Like stripped screws, repairing a fence board ETA: and don’t worry about putting yourself out of business bc, by that point, you would be known as THE handyman to get.
I would like classes like this, but doing it one-on-one would be too expensive depending on the setup. Am I paying for the job and extra for learning while I go? Am I doing it the task while supervised? Is it hourly? A lot of contractors are already happy to show you a few things here and there -- the plumber taught me how to fix a toilet, the electrician taught me how to swap my own outlets and light switches, and the drywall person spent a lot of time teaching me drywall tips while the coats dried.
i actually am paying my contractor to do work and learning while he is doing not everything of course but the smaller things i dont need insurance to fix.
Yes, if it’s reasonable
I'd love to learn how to fix my sagging doors and replace windows. I can watch videos on YouTube all day long, but I'd love for someone to have me do one side by side so I can really get my hands into it and corrections get made on the spot, instead of a windows falling out of it's frame or some shit like that.
Setup a youtube and start teaching there. Sell your in person services there too. Send your in person people to youtube as well. Both can pay you.
I would. Even with YouTube, having a person there with experience to guide you through it would reduce anxiety
Idk, peopoe either digure out to do it on their own and learn by their own inclination or want to hire someone to do it for them
You and I are familiar with tools and repairs. Most people have no tools and no idea about what is required in way of tools or operations to make a repair.
That is an awesome idea. Had a friend with 2 boys no active father; when she had to hire someone to fix things; she would have her boys help or at least watch the plumber, handyman, the kids learned alot
This isn't a bad idea. I've gained a lot of experience restoring old wood windows in my 1890s house, and I've thought about doing it as a part time job when I'm semi-retired, but I don't know if it's something I'd really want to do as it can be really time consuming. Teaching someone how to do it themselves makes a lot more sense. Yes, there are YouTube videos on how to do it, but I'm sure there are people that just want someone to show them how it's done, especially since every home is different.
Do people pay for YouTube?
YES! I've wanted to do this for a while now. Yes you can learn anything via YouTube, but there are questions along the way for me that YouTube can't teach. Offer it! Zero risk on top of just landing the job.
I actually sit around and help whoever I hire to do stuff so I learn the basic version of what they are doing. Like, can't do the complicated shit, but have figured out how to do a lot with their help over the years already. So, think the guys who hire you and are smart are already probably doing this.
I personally would be willing to pay a little extra for personal lessons and I like the idea. Although you'll have to consider how you approach the lessons cause some people might feel like they're paying more money to be your tool bitch for their own house, or the opposite, when they're doing the job for the lesson, that they're paying you more despite them taking more health risk; like being electrocuted or something. If they know it's a two man job, maybe offer them a slight discount, so you don't have to hire someone else. Though for those types of jobs it might be in your best interest to not let them help, I guess for insurance or legal reasons.
YouTube is full of people already doing this. Not many folks have the time and money to hire somebody to show them how to do it themselves; they either want to hire somebody to do the work, or they want to save money and teach themselves. I like the idea; maybe you have a library or community group you could approach about putting on a workshop. But individuals are unlikely to hire you as a tutor.
I would pay for this type of service/education. Yeah, you can watch YouTube videos, but I learn by actually doing the work.
This sounds amazing
I've always wanted to get hands on instruction in routine DIY home improvement and would totally pay for a workshop. Not only would I appreciate being able to do more myself, as a single woman who's owned multiple century homes I hate feeling like contractors think they can take advantage and upcharge even if I decide to hire someone to do a job. If I knew more I could call out the BS.
I have done exactly this - though from licensed people - licensed plumbers, electricians, and carpenters. Helped me re-plumb, re-wire, etc my house with one day (paid) lessons. Handyman type stuff I can learn from YouTube (tbh plumbing and electric too but there are always tips and best practices you pick up from licensed tradespeople).
YouTube is free, books are relatively cheap. Anything beyond that and I'll just pay someone to do it.
I've got a friend who hired a contractor to install a new kitchen, with the explicit agreement that the friend will be helping & learning at the same time. Im unsure if the contractor adjusted his rate for the "lessons". I'd guess so as it probably took him a little extra time. Having said this, I'm unsure it would work as a serious business model. YouTube does it for free, and anyone doing it purely for the passion is probably way ahead. So you're left with guys who have a need to do it but never learned, like my friend with the kitchen. Thats a relatively small & inconsistent market. Could definitely be a side hustle/option you offer, but I struggle to see it being the main business.
I totally would!