Home servicesU.S. scenario · USDIllustrative operating case
Handyman business startup costs and financial model
A staged U.S. residential handyman company that starts with a paid working owner-manager and one service van, then adds one employee technician and a second used compact van after the paid pilot clears its evidence gates. The mature case performs small repairs, assembly, non-specialty installation, drywall and trim touch-ups within documented local authority. Paint-disturbing work in covered pre-1978 properties requires applicable EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) certification and lead-safe controls; specialized or permitted work remains excluded unless separately authorized and contracted.
Capital to open
$135,000
$25,000–$260,000 by launch scope
Year 3 revenue
$337,500
Annual modeled sales
Year 3 EBITDA margin
15.8%
Before interest, tax and depreciation
Operating break-even
Month 5
Base monthly ramp; not capital payback
This operating case allocates $135,000 to opening the business and forecasts $53,250 in Year 3 EBITDA. Payroll includes working-owner labor where applicable. These are planning assumptions; EBITDA is not cash available to the owner.
An editorial comparison of operating conditions, not a probability of success, a customer rating or a promise of returns. Read the evidence beside each assessment.
Weighted total
4.1 / 10
The total combines the five assessments below using the published weights.
Staged U.S. mobile residential handyman service that starts with a paid working owner and one van, then funds one employee technician and a second used van after a paid pilot; it completes small repairs and non-specialty installations within documented local authority. Paint-disturbing work in covered pre-1978 properties requires applicable EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) certification and lead-safe controls, and specialized or permitted trades remain excluded unless separately authorized.
Barrier to entry
Higher means easier entry.
15% weight
6.0 / 10
Mobile tools and vehicles are obtainable, while local contractor scope, insurance, bonds, safety controls and lead-safe authorization remain meaningful qualification hurdles.
Evidence and assessment basis
Supported facts: Oregon documents training, exam, bond and insurance requirements; California documents a conditional minor-work threshold; EPA documents certification and work-practice requirements for covered paint disturbance; and current tool and vehicle listings show ordinary procurement channels. Assumptions: two suitable used vans, a complete tool set and an insurable narrow service menu are obtainable locally. Judgment: anchor 6, because equipment and skills are available in a smaller mobile setup but material qualification hurdles remain. Jurisdiction-specific authority, insurance and RRP status must be verified before anchor 7.
Sources support the underlying facts. The numerical assessment is an editorial judgment.
Competition
Higher means more favorable competitive conditions.
20% weight
3.0 / 10
Many small residential repair providers, specialty trades and do-it-yourself alternatives create close substitutes with weak switching friction.
Evidence and assessment basis
Supported facts: 2023 County Business Patterns reports a very large, predominantly small-establishment universe for broad NAICS 236118; that proxy is not a local handyman census. Assumptions: the launch territory contains independent handymen, remodelers, specialty trades, property-service providers and do-it-yourself alternatives, with no exclusive access channel. Judgment: anchor 3, because numerous close substitutes and easily copied service differences constrain acquisition and pricing. No local access or differentiation evidence supports anchor 4.
Sources support the underlying facts. The numerical assessment is an editorial judgment.
Demand stability
Higher means more stable demand.
25% weight
4.0 / 10
Residential repairs create repeat occasions, while individual jobs remain sporadic, postponable and exposed to season, household budgets and uneven referrals.
Evidence and assessment basis
Supported facts: Census includes handyman construction service in the residential-remodeler proxy, and BLS describes recurring maintenance and repair duties; neither source measures purchase timing or local backlog. Assumptions: work comes from multiple households and limited repeat or referral demand without maintenance contracts or one dominant customer. Judgment: anchor 4, because repeat occasions are identifiable but postponement and irregular scheduling remain material. No order history, contract base or seasonal evidence supports anchor 5.
Sources support the underlying facts. The numerical assessment is an editorial judgment.
Margin ceiling
Higher means greater supported operating-profit potential.
20% weight
5.0 / 10
Three properly priced jobs cover paid labor and overhead, while one fewer daily job or ordinary materials, travel and callback leakage can erase the modeled surplus.
Evidence and assessment basis
Supported facts: current tool, ladder and vehicle listings and the IRS mileage rate offer component context but do not verify local prices or workload. Assumptions: a $450 retained ticket, three jobs per day, 22% sales-linked costs, $140,000 payroll including the owner and $70,000 other overhead. Judgment: anchor 5, because the authored year-three case produces a $53,250 pre-depreciation, pre-interest and pre-tax operating proxy after paid labor and overhead; two jobs per day would not cover the same cost base. No evidenced pricing, mix or productivity advantage supports anchor 6.
Sources support the underlying facts. The numerical assessment is an editorial judgment.
Owner dependency
Higher means less dependence on the owner's continuous involvement.
20% weight
3.0 / 10
The technician can complete assigned work, while the owner still works in the field and controls intake, estimates, scope, scheduling, quality and callbacks.
Evidence and assessment basis
Supported facts: licensing examples and EPA lead-safe rules show that scope and compliance decisions cannot be assumed away; BLS describes repair work and referral of specialized tasks. Assumptions: the paid owner-manager works alongside one technician and retains intake, pricing, authority, schedule and quality decisions. Judgment: anchor 3, because staff deliver part of the service while the owner supplies routine work and coordination. No separately funded lead, cross-training or absence cover supports anchor 4.
Sources support the underlying facts. The numerical assessment is an editorial judgment.
Who pays you, and what for
Review the customer, offer and operating scope behind the numbers before adapting them to your own plan.
Operating model
A paid owner-manager and one technician serving residential small-repair calls from two compact vans.
Revenue logic
Completed and collected jobs multiplied by a retained blended ticket, then reconciled to paid hours.
Year-three case
Three jobs per field day, $450 retained ticket, $337,500 revenue and $53,250 simplified operating result.
Primary gate
Prove a screened job mix that completes at least three route-wide jobs without scope or callback leakage.
Scope boundary
Specialty-trade and permitted work is excluded unless separately authorized.
Format
Staged owner launch; two-worker mobile service at maturity
Revenue unit
One completed and collected small repair job
Field schedule
5 service days per week and 50 forecast weeks
Mature throughput
3 completed jobs per field day across both workers
Base retained ticket
$450 per completed job before sales tax and tips
Who are you actually bidding against?
The broad residential-remodeler employer universe cannot identify local handymen, specialty trades or DIY substitutes. A current local quote and scope audit remains required.
Local market assessment pending. The checklist below identifies research to complete; it is not a measured competitor sample.
Compare the questions across each row. Scroll the table horizontally on a small screen →
Competitor research checklist · no measured local sample
Offer to investigate
Compare like for like
Evidence to collect
Independent handymen
Minimum charge, task scope, response time, insurance, materials policy and callback terms.
Current written quote, service radius, license disclosure and date.
Remodelers and property-maintenance firms
Job-size threshold, multi-trade coordination, lead time and recurring-account offer.
Accepted scope, minimum project, crew, permits and pricing method.
Specialty trades and DIY
Authority, technical depth, total customer effort and risk of delayed repair.
Named trade quotes, permit needs, retail material cost and customer interviews.
What supports the model, and what strains it
These are operating considerations for the scenario, not measured advantages over local competitors.
Potential strengths to validate
Small-job aggregation. A clear visit minimum and grouped task list can recover travel and setup across several repairs.
Trust can compound. Documented scope, protected work areas and reliable completion can generate referrals and repeat lists.
Job records improve pricing. Quoted versus actual labor, materials and callbacks reveal which task types deserve capacity.
Tradeoffs to plan around
Wide scope creates risk. A broad service menu increases tool, training, licensing and estimating complexity.
Travel and procurement are real labor. Small jobs become unprofitable when drive, shopping and setup are omitted from price.
Two vans precede proof. Duplicate capacity is costly if screened backlog and technician handoff are not established.
Does this operating role fit you?
Evaluate the work you will do and the cost of replacing it. Review the owner responsibilities in the operating scope.
A fit to explore if you can…
Comfortable saying no to work outside documented authority.
Able to estimate uncertainty and communicate change orders.
Prepared to record paid time, materials, travel and callbacks by job.
Reconsider the plan if you need…
Wants to advertise every residential trade from launch.
Avoids paperwork, job screening or customer communication.
Expects two workers to be productive without dispatch and quality systems.
Where the $135,000 goes
The authored $135,000 sources-and-uses case funds one launch van and reserves the staged second used van, a two-worker tool system, licensing and insurance allowances, launch costs and $50,000 of reserve. The second van and employee are released only after the paid pilot supports them. The reserve exceeds the simplified Year-one operating loss by only $1,625 before financing and working-capital timing. The $25,000 low case assumes a solo owner already owns a suitable vehicle and core tools; the $260,000 high case allows newer vans, broader authorized equipment and a deeper reserve. Tool listings and a new full-size van MSRP are category anchors rather than verification of the used-vehicle allocation.
Launch van plus reserved second used van and storage upfit
$38,000
Hand tools, power tools, ladders and dust control
$18,000
Safety equipment, jobsite protection and storage
$6,000
Opening materials, fasteners and consumables
$6,000
Licenses, bonds, insurance, training and deposits
$12,000
Software, website, phones, marketing and administration
$5,000
Working-capital reserve
$50,000
TotalScenario range $25,000 – $260,000$135,000
Where does the money come from?
Price, daily volume and the operating calendar define this capacity scenario. Check the sold-unit definition in the operating scope.
Retained sale per completed repair job$450.00per sold unit
×
Completed jobs per field day across both workers3modeled daily volume
The $450 ticket is a weighted service-mix result, not a universal minimum or hourly rate. A real model separates service categories, time, materials, travel, permits, discounts and callbacks.
Seasonality and the opening ramp
The forecast uses 50 field weeks and smooth annual volume. Replace it with monthly weather, homeowner availability, holidays, marketing, backlog and staff leave.
What does the revenue have to cover?
Year 3 annual amounts from the income statement. The bars use the same revenue scale; EBITDA is the residual after the three operating expense lines.
Year 3 revenue$337,500
Job materials, card fees, route fuel and consumables$74,250
Owner-manager and handyman technician payroll$140,000
Vehicles, insurance, tools, software, marketing and other overhead$70,000
EBITDA$53,250
Working-owner pay belongs in payroll. Interest, income taxes, loan principal, replacement equipment and changes in working capital affect cash available for distributions.
Five-year view · scroll the income statement horizontally to compare every year →
Five-year forecast
The five-year authored case grows from the equivalent of 1.50 to 4.05 completed jobs per field day at the stated $450 retained ticket, five field days and 50 weeks. Year three uses three jobs per day and produces $337,500. Sales-linked costs are 22%. Payroll includes paid owner-manager labor, one employee technician and an employer-cost allowance. The operating result excludes depreciation, financing, income tax, replacement capital, working-capital timing and distributions. Year one assumes the technician and staged second van enter during the year after the pilot gate. The web calculator is a separate capacity view: it applies its monthly ramp to the mature three-job day and holds $17,500 of mature monthly fixed costs, so it does not reproduce Year one at 1.50 jobs per day, 50 weeks and $180,000 of annual payroll plus overhead.
RevenueEBITDA
$168.8k
$253.1k
$337.5k
$395.3k
$456k
Year 1
EBITDA $-48.4k
Year 2
EBITDA $2.4k
Year 3
EBITDA $53.3k
Year 4
EBITDA $84.3k
Year 5
EBITDA $114.7k
Handyman Service income statement · annual USD
Income statement
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Revenue
$168,750
$253,125
$337,500
$395,250
$456,000
Job materials, card fees, route fuel and consumables
−$37,125
−$55,688
−$74,250
−$86,955
−$100,320
Owner-manager and handyman technician payroll
−$115,000
−$128,000
−$140,000
−$150,000
−$162,000
Vehicles, insurance, tools, software, marketing and other overhead
−$65,000
−$67,000
−$70,000
−$74,000
−$79,000
EBITDA
−$48,375
$2,437
$53,250
$84,295
$114,680
EBITDA margin
-28.7%
1.0%
15.8%
21.3%
25.1%
Annual forecast and calculator comparison
The annual forecast and calculator use separate scenarios. Their revenue ramp or cost allocations differ, as shown below. The calculator's break-even month does not reconcile the annual forecast.
Original base inputs · USD per year
Check
Annual forecast
Calculator inputs
Year 1 revenue
$168,750
$289,352
Year 1 operating result
−$48,375
$15,695
Year 3 / mature annual operating result
$53,250
$63,569
Calculator figures use the original first 12 months and mature monthly result × 12; sliders do not change this comparison. Neither column measures cash flow or payback. Input basis.
Set the three inputs to your own plan. The ramp starts at 40.0% of mature volume and adds 10.0 percentage points a month.
Monthly revenue over the first 10 months. Darker bars clear the operating break-even line.
Operating break-even
Month 5
Revenue at maturity
$29,228 / mo
Break-even revenue
$22,436 / mo
Break-even volume
3 / day
Fixed costs
$17,500 / mo
Use the volume definition in the operating scope. This sensitivity keeps fixed costs and contribution margin constant; it does not rebuild the annual income statement. Operating break-even covers monthly fixed operating costs. It does not recover the opening investment.
Two numbers that decide the outcome
Price and daily throughput define the operating case. The range endpoints are sensitivity scenarios; test whether your location can support them.
Retained sale per completed repair job
$250.00$700.00
$450.00
this model
Completed jobs per field day across both workers
15
3
this model
What if the schedule is lighter, or fuller?
Only daily volume changes. All three cases keep the invoice at $450.00, the schedule at 5 days per week, fixed costs at $17,500 per month and contribution margin at 78.0%.
Lower throughput
Use the low end to test a thinner schedule.
Completed jobs per field day across both workers
1
Mature monthly revenue
$9,743
Operating break-even
Not reached
Not reached in the 10-month ramp.
Base throughput
The current modeled daily schedule.
Completed jobs per field day across both workers
3
Mature monthly revenue
$29,228
Operating break-even
Month 5
First month contribution covers fixed costs.
Higher throughput
Validate the operating capacity first.
Completed jobs per field day across both workers
5
Mature monthly revenue
$48,713
Operating break-even
Month 2
First month contribution covers fixed costs.
Capital payback needs a cash-flow schedule. The current forecast has no cumulative cash balance after funding, taxes, debt principal and future capital spending. No payback date or lowest cash balance is reported.
What can go wrong, and what should you test?
Use these checks to challenge the operating assumptions before taking on commitments.
License mismatch
A task, total contract or advertising claim exceeds the allowed scope.
Check: Maintain a jurisdiction and task matrix, screen every request and refer excluded work.
Underestimated labor
Hidden conditions, setup or procurement turn a fixed quote into a loss.
Check: Use photos and questions, allowances, written exclusions and approved change orders.
Callback burden
Rework displaces paid capacity and damages referrals.
Check: Use completion checklists, photos where permitted, customer acceptance and root-cause review.
Tool or ladder injury
Wrong selection, damaged equipment or unsafe setup harms a worker or property.
Check: Inspect tools, enforce guards and PPE, select ladders correctly and stop unsafe conditions.
Thin dispatch
Distant low-ticket jobs consume the field day.
Check: Set zones and visit minimums, cluster work and track contribution after travel.
Material treatment error
Pass-through purchases or markup are quoted and recorded inconsistently.
Check: Use one documented materials policy and reconcile receipts and retained revenue.
Technician handoff failure
The second worker lacks scope or quality judgment.
Check: Limit assigned task types, use escalation rules and expand only after observed competency.
What would invalidate this scenario?
Choose your own go/no-go thresholds before committing funds. The page does not establish a universal stop-loss rule.
Before advertising
Do not advertise a task or contractor status that exceeds documented state and local authority.
Before estimating
Refer work when required trade, permit, structural, hazardous-material or lead-safe conditions are unclear.
Before starting
Stop when site, tool, ladder, utility or access conditions differ materially from the screened scope.
Before change work
Do not continue beyond scope without written price, authority and customer approval.
Before second vehicle
Delay duplicate capacity until screened backlog and completed-job contribution support it.
During operations
Pause task types whose callbacks, material leakage or paid hours erase required contribution.
What needs to be true before you proceed?
Treat this page as a starting case to verify. A favorable spreadsheet result is only useful when its price, capacity and cost assumptions can be supported.
Which tasks can the business legally advertise and contract?
What minimum charge recovers travel, setup and documentation?
How do quoted and actual paid hours differ by task type?
Who buys materials and how are they recorded?
Which jobs create callbacks or change orders?
How many screened jobs fit each route day?
What local competitors exclude or refer?
What reserve covers van downtime and weak backlog?
A staged handyman service can support a useful local operation when it prices the whole visit and rejects work outside its authority, but the employee and second van should follow measured backlog and job records rather than optimism.
At maturity, three completed jobs at a $450 retained ticket over five days and 50 weeks produce $337,500 of year-three revenue; a 78% contribution margin leaves $263,250 before $210,000 of payroll and overhead.
The continuous operating threshold is about 2.30 jobs per field day, so the practical target is three. That leaves little room for an unpriced callback, supply run or distant low-ticket appointment.
The completed-job view makes service mix and dispatch visible. The paid workbook uses customer-billable hours and hourly rates, so each job category must be mapped to billable hours while nonbillable paid time remains visible.
What could change the view
The main risk is scope and time leakage: a small quoted repair becomes a specialized, permitted or materially longer job after arrival, consuming the contribution from several correctly priced visits.
Who this format suits
The case suits a technically broad but disciplined owner who can screen jobs, communicate exclusions, estimate uncertainty, enforce safety and coach one technician. It is a poor fit for someone who equates handyman work with unrestricted trade authority.
Before committing
Confirm the exact license, permit, bond and insurance position, then complete 25 paid pilot jobs in a narrow service menu while recording travel, setup, work, materials, change orders, callbacks and retained revenue before adding the second van.
What is planned for the editable workbook?
An illustrative worksheet layout using this page's inputs. It is not a screenshot or a download of a finished Excel file.
Handyman Service · Operating assumptionsIllustrative layout
Scroll to read the worksheet →
Current model inputs · USD unless stated
Input
Model
Unit
Opening capital
$135,000
one-time
Retained sale per completed repair job
$450.00
per sold unit
Completed jobs per field day across both workers
3
per day
Operating schedule
5
days / week
Fixed operating costs
$17,500
per month
Contribution margin
78.0%
input assumption
The published calculator and annual forecast are separate views. The downloadable workbook requires its own separate calculation review.
Customer cohorts, hours and revenue
The paid workbook converts marketing and customer acquisition into active cohorts, then multiplies customer-billable hours by hourly rates across service levels.
A verified worksheet screenshot is not yet available.
Direct costs and overhead
Separates job materials and variable operating costs from fixed vehicle, tool, insurance, marketing and administrative expenses.
A verified worksheet screenshot is not yet available.
Payroll and technician plan
Schedules the paid working owner-manager, employee technician, compensation, start dates and employer costs.
A verified worksheet screenshot is not yet available.
Capex, funding and cash
Times the launch van, staged second vehicle, tool, launch and reserve uses and connects financing assumptions to cash flow.
A verified worksheet screenshot is not yet available.
Scenarios and break-even
Compares alternative hours, rates, costs and growth paths and calculates the revenue needed to cover fixed costs.
A verified worksheet screenshot is not yet available.
Statements and dashboard
Connects operational schedules to the income statement, cash flow, balance sheet, KPI and return views.
A verified worksheet screenshot is not yet available.
The planned business plan has 10 pages. Its contents and the three file prices are listed below.
Get the editable files
Word for the written plan. Excel for the assumptions and calculations. One-time prices in USD. Bundle adds both products to one cart.
A staged residential repair scope that begins with an owner and one van, then reaches two workers and three completed jobs per field day after the paid pilot
A weighted job-mix and loaded-time pricing method tied to the same $450 retained ticket
Launch gates for licensing, permits, insurance, safety, written scope and paid local demand
Adaptation required: the paid Word file uses a technology-enabled subscription operation with a proprietary app, three launch vehicles and $550,000 funding; replace those elements for this staged $135,000 case
Confirm these items for your location and operating scope. This checklist does not assert that a particular license, insurance policy or employment arrangement is sufficient.
Authority evidence
License and permit matrix
Advertising disclosures
Property-age, paint-disturbance and RRP status screen
Insurance and bond confirmation
Job evidence
Paid pilot job log
Quoted versus actual time
Materials and callback records
Market evidence
Named competitor quote table
Customer interview notes
Screened paid backlog
Financial evidence
Vehicle and tool quotes
Payroll and workers' compensation quote
Twelve-month cash and capacity model
Where could this model miss your situation?
Most financial inputs are author-selected assumptions. The source register explains what is supported and what still needs local validation.
Broad classification
NAICS 236118 includes residential remodeling beyond handyman calls.
Authored economics
The $450 ticket, three jobs, 78% contribution and $135,000 budget are assumptions.
Jurisdiction variation
Oregon and California contractor examples and the federal RRP source do not establish authority or coverage for a specific local job.
Product adaptation
The paid Word plan uses an app-enabled subscription example with three launch vehicles and $550,000 of funding. The paid workbook uses customer cohorts, billable hours and rates. Both products require adaptation to this staged completed-job case.
No trade advice
The package does not authorize, design or instruct specialized repair work.
No return promise
Operating result excludes financing, tax, depreciation, replacement capital and distributions.
Evidence and editorial assessment
The site owner reviewed and approved this page for publication on September 13, 2026. The evidence pack, scores and commentary remain AI-assisted planning analysis; that review does not establish local fieldwork, a local feasibility finding or an investment recommendation.
Extended analysis: editorial basis
Prepared September 12, 2026 from the cited public and product sources plus explicit StartFigures assumptions. This is a nationwide staged one-van launch and mature two-worker small-repair planning case, not a local feasibility study or investment recommendation.
Staged owner launch; two-worker mobile service at maturity
Revenue unit
One completed and collected small repair job
Field schedule
5 service days per week and 50 forecast weeks
Mature throughput
3 completed jobs per field day across both workers
Base retained ticket
$450 per completed job before sales tax and tips
We built this StartFigures case by defining a narrow residential repair scope, checking the official classification proxy, current state licensing and federal lead-safe examples, OSHA tool and ladder guidance, national occupation context, current tool and vehicle anchors and the matched products. We then created a five-year completed-job scenario and a weighted job-mix pricing bridge. Every capital, ticket, volume, cost, payroll and ramp value is an authored assumption. Local authority, permits, RRP coverage, insurance, job durations, materials, callbacks, competitors and paid demand must replace it before investment.
U.S. Census Bureau · primary · accessed September 12, 2026
The official index includes handyman construction service for residential buildings in NAICS 236118. The class also covers broader residential remodeling, so it defines a proxy scope rather than a handyman-only market.
U.S. Census Bureau · primary · accessed September 12, 2026
The 2023 national employer table reports 135,337 establishments, 480,272 employees and $27,353,358,000 of annual payroll for NAICS 236118; 109,661 establishments had fewer than five employees. It is broad and not a local handyman competitor count.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · primary · accessed September 12, 2026
Reports May 2025 national median pay of $49,590 per year and $23.84 per hour and describes estimating repairs, using hand and power tools and referring specialized work. It excludes self-employed earnings and does not set a local wage.
Oregon Construction Contractors Board · primary · accessed September 12, 2026
Oregon generally requires a license for compensated construction and explicitly lists handyman work; the page describes training, exam, bond, insurance and a $400 two-year fee. It is one state example only.
California Contractors State License Board · primary · accessed September 12, 2026
Explains California's $1,000 minor-work threshold from January 1, 2025 and the no-permit and no-worker conditions, plus advertising disclosures. It is not a national exemption and does not authorize a specific job.
Internal Revenue Service · primary · accessed September 12, 2026
States the 2026 employer Social Security rate of 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base and employer Medicare rate of 1.45% without a wage base. These rates are only part of total employer cost.
Internal Revenue Service · primary · accessed September 12, 2026
Lists a 76-cent business mileage rate for July 1 through December 31, 2026 after 72.5 cents for the first half. It is a tax-method benchmark, not an operating quote for two vans.
U.S. Small Business Administration · primary · accessed September 12, 2026
Supports separating one-time and monthly expenses and carrying them into break-even and funding analysis. It does not publish a handyman startup-cost benchmark.
The Home Depot · vendor · accessed September 12, 2026
Lists one cordless multi-tool bundle with a wet/dry vacuum at $1,349 when accessed. It is a component anchor, not a complete two-worker tool inventory, freight, consumables or replacement budget.
The Home Depot · vendor · accessed September 12, 2026
Lists a 300-pound-duty 6-foot fiberglass stepladder at about $119 as part of the displayed bundle when accessed. It is one component and not a complete ladder or fall-protection system.
Ford Motor Company · vendor · accessed September 12, 2026
Lists a $48,400 starting MSRP plus destination for a 2026 Transit Cargo Van. The StartFigures budget assumes used compact vans; this new full-size MSRP is a comparison and vehicle-category reference, not a quote or upper bound for the authored allocation.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · primary · accessed September 13, 2026
Explains that paid work disturbing paint in covered pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities generally requires firm certification, trained renovators and lead-safe work practices, subject to the rule's stated coverage and exceptions. It does not decide whether a specific property or task is covered.
How should you compare another service business?
No measured national benchmark or comparable local sample is supplied here. Compare the actual operating scopes before comparing outputs.
Keep the comparison consistent
Opening budget and reserve coverage.
Paid owner labor and employer burden.
Daily units, travel time and operating days.
EBITDA versus cash available for distribution.
Available scenario comparisons
These compare illustrative models on StartFigures, not observed industry averages.
How much does this handyman business cost to start?
The authored $135,000 sources-and-uses case funds one launch van and reserves a staged second used van plus $50,000 of working capital. The second van and employee are released only after the paid pilot supports them, and the reserve only narrowly exceeds the simplified Year-one loss; local quotes and monthly cash evidence decide the actual need.
How does the case calculate year-three revenue?
It multiplies three completed jobs by a $450 retained ticket, five field days and 50 weeks, producing $337,500. Sales tax, tips, refundable deposits and pass-through customer materials are excluded.
How many jobs are needed to break even?
At $450 per job, 78% contribution, $17,500 monthly fixed costs, five days and 4.33 weeks per month, the continuous threshold is about 2.30 jobs per day across both workers. The practical target is three completed and collected jobs.
Does a small job avoid contractor licensing?
Not automatically. Thresholds and conditions vary by state and task. California and Oregon examples differ, and specialized or permitted work may still require specific authority. Confirm the exact local rules before advertising or contracting.
Are customer materials counted as revenue?
The public case uses retained service revenue and a 22% sales-linked cost pool. A real operator should decide whether materials are purchased by the customer, reimbursed at cost or sold with a markup, then apply one consistent accounting treatment.
What work is excluded?
The base case excludes electrical, plumbing, HVAC, gas, roofing, structural, hazardous-material and other specialized or permitted work unless separately authorized, insured and contracted. Paint-disturbing work in covered pre-1978 properties also requires applicable RRP certification and lead-safe controls.
Is the paid financial model identical to the public completed-job case?
No. The current paid workbook uses active customer cohorts, customer-billable hours and hourly rates. Users must translate the public weighted job mix into billable hours and rates while keeping nonbillable paid labor visible; StartFigures discloses that adaptation rather than claiming identical logic.
Does the paid Word plan match this staged two-worker case?
No. The current paid Word file uses a larger technology-enabled subscription example with a proprietary app, three launch vehicles and $550,000 of funding. The ten StartFigures pages are an independent staged $135,000 outline; replace the paid file's technology, subscription, fleet, staffing and financial assumptions before use.
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