Home Improvement Business Opportunities: Is One Right for You?

If you're at a point in your life where it makes sense to start your own business, one opportunity you may be considering is a home improvement franchise. Not only does this type of business have a proven track record, but the home improvement industry is still on pace for even more growth. With increased demand for services like aging in place, the future looks quite bright for those that have the right system and resources to provide excellent service to customers.

One of the best ways to get the right system and resources is to purchase a franchise. By going this route, you will have access to so much that simply wouldn't be available if you were trying to start your own business from scratch. Since you may have quite a few questions about what exactly a franchise can do to help you succeed, let's take a look at some of the key reasons this type of business opportunity is so appealing:

Tilt the Odds in Your Favor

The majority of small businesses fail within just a few years. While some industries have higher failure rates than other, statistics show that getting a business up and running is an uphill battle. Even though a franchise doesn't eliminate the hard work that's required for a business to be successful, franchises are five times more likely than other types of small businesses to still be running after ten years.

Know Exactly What You're Committing To

Anyone who's starting a business on their own knows the importance of doing their research before they start making any investments. However, regardless of how much research you do for a non-franchise business, there's still no way to know with 100% certainty exactly how everything is going to go. With a franchise, you have much more certainty thanks to the amount of detailed information that franchisors are required to supply. From its audited financial statements to the phone numbers of current franchise owners, you'll have everything you could possibly need to know if this business opportunity is right for you.

Set Realistic Financial Expectations

While a lot of people who start their own business create a plan and a set of financial projections, those projections are usually nothing more than semi-educated guesses. Because there are so many variables at play, it's very hard to come up with anything accurate. What's nice about a franchise is because more detailed and relevant financial information is available, it becomes possible to calculate a far more accurate ROI.

A Layer of Protection

Because the franchisor will have already taken steps to develop HR policies and other procedures, having access to this documentation is very useful for avoiding common obstacles that other new businesses run into.

Find Out If House Doctors is the Franchise for You

Now that you've seen some of the key benefits of a franchise, if you're interested in entering the home improvement market, House Doctors may be the ideal opportunity for your skills and goals. To find out more, give us a call at 1-888-598-5297. Or contact us by clicking the button below:

Aging in Place: Impressive Stats and Popular Trends Potential Franchise Owners Should Know About

One area of the home improvement market that has seen a huge spike in demand in recent years is the aging in place segment. This term refers to senior homeowners who want changes made that will allow them to maintain their comfort and independence by staying in their home. Research conducted by the AARP found that a full 90% of seniors want to stay where they're currently living. Even for people who require daily care, only 9% would rather live in a care facility. A big part of this is seniors are afraid that even if a facility provides a safe environment, they're going to be burdened by unwanted rules.

What Do Seniors Want?

Getting older creates a lot of mobility and safety challenges. Since seniors are aware of these issues, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they have strong opinions about what they want in terms of aging in place services. When surveyed, the eight improvements seniors feel are most important are:

·         Safety features (ex. non-slip floor surfaces)

·         Bathroom aides (ex. grab bars)

·         A way to call for help in an emergency situation

·         Entrances with no steps

·         Wider doorways

·         Doorknobs that feature a lever handle

·         Electrical outlets that are higher up the wall

·         Electrical switches that are lower on a wall

In terms of why seniors want these features, the most common is for their own safety. However, their decisions are also influenced by wanting to make their home more convenient for everyone, ensuring they can continue living independently, and providing features that another family member absolutely requires.

It's also worth mentioning that seniors themselves aren't the only people who are thinking about these issues. A full 88% of adult children think about their parents getting older on a regular basis. And of those, 54% feel strongly that their parents are going to need some form of help. Thanks to all these factors, the National Assocation of Home Builders believes this market will grow all the way to $25 billion in the near future.

Key Aging in Place Issues and Trends

Entering and exiting, going up and down stairs, and safely using the bathroom are three of the biggest issues related to aging in place. Because those issues present a wide range of challenges, many of the most popular trends address them in at least one way. For example, a lot of seniors are looking for ways to create a level entry and open up the space throughout their home so it's easier to navigate. This ties into many seniors' desire to be able to live on the ground floor.

Ensuring that storage is easy to reach and open is another significant trend that helps drive aging in place designs. This also influences many other design choices that enable someone to access what they need without having to bend. Also, creating bathrooms that balance comfort and safety plays a big part in satisfying the desires of aging in place customers.

Are you interested in learning more about a House Doctors franchise? Click this button:

Thinking About a New Career? Why You Should Be Your Own Boss!

Regardless of how good you are at what you do, when you work for someone else, there's almost always going to come a point when you hit some kind of ceiling. Even though some people are OK with that, if you feel your ceiling is too low, it's time to remove it by becoming your own boss. While there are definitely risks involved in starting your own business, it also means you get to fully reap the rewards of your hard work.

Obviously, if starting a business was an easy way to quickly get rich, everyone would do it. And while hundreds of thousands of people do start their own businesses, the bad news is around 70% disappear within their first two years. Although that statistic may come as sobering news, it shouldn't discourage you. Instead, it should simply drive home the point that in order to succeed, you need every advantage possible.

One of the best ways to give yourself a leg up against other businesses is to own a franchise. Specifically, you can become the proud owner of a House Doctors franchise. By taking this step, you'll benefit from being able to use the brand, as well as all of its proven marketing programs, technology and operating systems. Additionally, whenever a new challenge comes your way, you'll have a support network that you can turn to for help.

Is Franchising a Legitimate Way to Start a Business?

Not only is it a legitimate opportunity, but it's one with a very good track record. When Price Waterhouse Coopers did a study of franchising in the United States, they found that there are around 850,000 franchise establishments in existence. In total, those establishments employ over 9.5 million people and contribute over $830 billion to the US economy.

Since franchises are obviously quite prevalent, if you're worried that you've missed the boat, you'll be happy to learn that's not the case. The reason the concept of franchises is far from being saturated is because it spans across a multitude of industries. As a result, one of the keys to franchising success is to find a market that's growing. And that's exactly what you can get with House Doctors.

What House Doctors is All About

This franchise opportunity isn't about going out and doing odd jobs as a solo handyman. Instead, House Doctors provides the technology, training, marketing and support necessary to build a business that allows you to successfully manage a team that's capable of handling anything from gutter repair to complete kitchen remodeling.

As you may have guessed, trying to build that type of business and team from scratch is anything but easy. And while owning a House Doctors franchise definitely takes hard work, you get the huge advantage of running a business with a model and strategy that's already been proven.

If you feel that all your previous professional experience has prepared you for this type of opportunity, call or email us for more information about how a House Doctors franchise can completely change your life!

Two New Handyman Franchisees share their excitement

When you start your new business it's understandable that the excitement is high. That's how
Tom Sullivan, a former principal engineer in the nuclear industry feels as he improves homes in Norwich, CT as one of our newest House Doctors handyman and home improvement  franchisees. Shawn Dillon another new handyman franchisee worked as a project specialist for Lowes before joining the House Doctors franchise. The franchise is now ranked as a leading remodeling business and one of America's fastest growing business opportunities today.

New Franchisee Backgrounds

As a former project manager, Tom is now using his skills to provide value to customers and bring security to his family. Tom shared this with me, "As a principal engineer in the nuclear industry, I was used to managing people. I needed a business where I could use those skills to build something not just for myself but for my family's future. House Doctors is that business. Why re-invent the wheel? Even with my experience, I still see the benefit of being part of a growing National Brand. This franchise has the right business model and the core beliefs and emphasis on service, quality and reliability that you have here aligns with what my work experience has instilled in me."

Shawn, 39, knows a bit about professional home repairs and improvements as he began working for his uncle in a remodeling business when he was 9 years old. His goal with House Doctors is to bring affordable reliable handyman services to residents in Fremont, Perrysburg, Oregon and other nearby areas in Northwest Ohio. Shawn told me, "Homeowners can have difficulty finding a reliable contractor. That's exactly where I see House Doctors coming in. If we only hire experienced handymen and train them to provide excellent customer service and insure and bond them homeowners can be confident that the work performed on their home will be completed to the highest level of professional quality."
Shawn like Tom is enthusiastic to service his local community through building a trustworthy and reliable home improvement and handyman company. Both realize with the aging housing stock and more and more homeowners deciding to stay in their homes longer there is a growing need for repairs, improvements and modifications.
They both see a growing need for aging in place products like home modifications and improvements to help people live safely and comfortably in their homes.

Big Box Sales Increase Impacts Remodeling Franchises

Last week retailers Home Depot reported their first double-digit comparable sales increase since 1999. Lowe’s also reported a 9.6% increase. Is do it yourself taking off again or does this mean more work for handyman franchisees with House Doctors Remodeling?

The 3 different customers that visit Home Depot and Lowes

Home Depot and Lowes market products to;-

1) Home owners who tackle their own home improvements (DIY)

2) Home Owners who hire professionals to install the products (DIFM)

3) Professional contractors who choose the products to install for their customers.

At House Doctors Home Improvement Service we see the improving housing market definitely making a difference. Home Depot and Lowes are big players in product sales. Our franchisees are big players in product installation. When Home Depot and Lowes sell their products it creates a ripple effect. Many of our franchisees are experiencing double digit growth.
The increasing business seems to be coming from all three categories DIY, DIFM, and professional contractors. Sales of products to remodeling companies and contractors is the largest revenue generator for Home Depot, with almost double the sales of the DIY customers.
Our franchisees have customers who come from two of the segments the big box retailers target. Some of our customers purchase products then hire our professional handymen to install them (DIFM) and others have our franchisees recommend a product as part of the remodeling service we offer.