Road from IBM to handyman franchise

Thought you might be interested in some info on one of our newest franchisees. I always remember when I became a franchisee. I went to the first Convention thinking everyone would be like me. The amazing thing was that everyone was different. People come from different industries and careers but all had found themselves at a crossroads. There career had led them on a journey that had taken them to a point where business ownership or franchising was indeed an option or a road that they could travel. When choosing that road they found many travelers who would be joining them. The exciting thing about franchising was that they had an immediate bond with the others they met as they now traveled the same road together.

The road from IBM to handyman franchise

George Wasickanin whose career started with IBM in the 70's is the latest franchisee to open one of our House Doctors handyman and remodeling franchises. George plans to bring professional handyman and remodeling services to homeowners in the Rochester, New York area.

George’s father had worked for IBM so it was a natural progression for George in '79 to start his career in computer maintenance with IBM. George worked on the Kodak Park account in Rochester till 1984. and experienced IBM's leading training during that period. He attended many IBM training classes on everything from the infancy of telecommunications and disk technology to advanced computer systems. George left IBM in 1985 to start his own computer maintenance business where he maintained his competitive edge by satisfying customers needs and following through on promises so he did not let people down. He sold that business and returned to the Corporate world where his career path took him in a Sales and Management direction. However his entrepreneur journey still had some miles in it. While a Systems Administrator with Crosman Corporation he decided to look into franchising and learned about House Doctors.

We are pleased that George is bringing his IBM skills and his understanding of good customer service to our network. He expects to see continual growth in home repairs and remodeling in the Rochester, New York area. He knows a lot of the markets across the country are booming and the House Doctors professional approach and high ethics is what keeps customers coming back. George's goal lines up with HD that is to provide the best quality work and the best customer service for his customers. If you feel that would be important in any business you would like to be involved in please contact me.

Is good customer service important for a new business? Please comment.

Be Your Own Boss! Home Repair Franchise Opportunity By House Doctors

Although it can be hard to really wrap your head around such a large number, the home improvement industry is literally worth over $100 billion. Because there's so much money to be made in this field, starting a home repair franchise or home improvement business can be the perfect way to become your own boss. However, since so many people want a slice of this very lucrative pie, competition can be quite stiff. That's why all the education, training and support that goes along with a House Doctors franchise is so appealing. All of those components can combine to provide a significant competitive advantage.

What Makes Franchising Such an Attractive Opportunity?

A big part of why franchising is such a great decision is because it means you will have support throughout every step that your business experiences. From the beginning, you will have access to great training materials that will show you exactly what you need to do to launch your business and then keep it growing. You will also have access to real people who will be happy to answer your questions and provide guidance based on their successful track record within the home improvement industry.

Another major advantage you'll get from opting for a franchise is being able to leverage an established brand. While you'll obviously need to put in the necessary work to ensure you provide the best possible experience to your customers, being able to utilize the House Doctors brand is a great way to immediately establish trust with potential customers. Additionally, you will have the ability to use a wide range of marketing materials that have been thoroughly tested to maximize their effectiveness.

Is Franchising Right for You?

While there's no question that opening a franchise within the home repair and improvement industry is an attractive opportunity, not everyone is the right fit for running this type of business. It's worth noting that even though there's no specific background requirements for becoming a franchise owner, it is vital for someone to have the right outlook on running this type of business. Specifically, individuals need to have a desire to manage contractors and other home improvement professionals.

If you feel you possess that desire but still have lots of questions about your suitability for this type of position, the good news is you'll have plenty of time to figure out if becoming a House Doctors franchise owner is the perfect fit for your desired lifestyle. Prior to making your decision, you'll have many opportunities to interact with the company and its team, as well as ask any questions that may be on your mind.

Since there is so much to gain from becoming the proud owner of a House Doctors franchise, don't hesitate to reach out by submitting the online contact form. Doing so is the easiest way to get started and have a chance to discuss home repair franchise opportunity in much greater detail! Click the button below to get started:

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!

Enjoy Home Improvement Projects? Be Your Own Boss and Do What You Love!

Do you enjoy fixing problems around your home? Are you the type of person who loves having an entire weekend to devote to home improvement projects? Do you have experience managing a team to successfully get a project done? If you said yes, yes and yes, House Doctors has a franchising opportunity that may be right up your alley.

What Makes a Home Maintenance and Repair Franchise So Appealing?

Before we dive into exactly what makes a House Doctors franchise so great, let's take a look at why this is the line of work you want to enter. If you ask a group of people who already work in this field why they like what they do, chances are their answer will in one way or another relate to variety. Instead of showing up at an office and going through the same routine five times a week, home maintenance and repair means there's always going to be a new challenge on your plate.

While working in an industry that provides fulfilling work is great, that's not the only criteria for running a successful business. If it was, the term "starving artist" wouldn't exist! In order to find the right balance between passion and smart business, it's crucial to ensure that there's an actual market for the services you want to offer. And in the case of home maintenance and repair, the good news is the demand is definitely there.

It's no secret that when the financial markets collapsed in 2008, the home construction industry took a huge hit. However, just because it took people quite awhile to get back to buying new houses didn't mean they weren't caring for their existing ones. On the contrary, this industry continues to be on a path of growth. And if you're wondering how big the market is, remodeling in the US alone is a market that's generates over $120 billion a year.

Why is a Franchise the Right Way to Enter This Market?

Although just about anyone can see the appeal of this opportunity, some people may think that they can strike out on their own without utilizing everything a House Doctors franchise has to offer. Even though that is technically true, it means they're going to have a very hard time becoming one of the just 30% of businesses that survive their first two years of operation.

Since opening a business in any market is very hard, the big appeal of becoming a House Doctors franchise owner is you don't have to blindly try to carve a path to success. Instead, you'll be running a business that's already been proven and refined. Getting your own slice of the House Doctors pie means you'll receive technology, mentoring, training, support, networking and much more. All of those components will help make it possible for you to build the type of thriving business you've always dreamed about owning.

So if you're ready to find out exactly what steps you need to take to make your dream a reality, be sure to get in touch with us today!

Remodeling numbers good news for handyman business

The Remodeling Market Index (RMI) continued to climb in the third quarter of 2013 rising another two points. This is the highest reading since the first quarter of 2004, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). I believe this is another sign of a strengthening economy and good news for anyone considering a handyman business.

Improving economy is good news for handyman and remodeling franchises

The RMI's current market conditions index rose from 54 in the previous quarter to 58.
You know this is the highest reading since the creation of the RMI in 2001.
What does that mean? For those not familiar with the RMI it's an indicator of remodeling activity and confidence. Being above 50 indicates that more remodelers report market activity is higher as opposed to reporting it lower.
Increasing home equity and home sales, and a strengthening economy, definitely have an impact. We see it in our own network. Across the country our franchisees are producing some great numbers.

The exciting thing is that all of the three major components of the RMI's market conditions index increased in the third quarter. Minor additions and repairs increased from 55 to 58 while maintenance and repairs increased from 57 to 59. Even major additions and alterations increased from 51 to 55.

The growth in home equity and home sales has given home owners confidence to remodel, repair and do handyman upgrades that they had put off during the tough times.We expect the demand for remodeling services to continue to increase however at a more gradual pace as the housing recovery makes progress.

Do you think this is a good sign?

Remodeling numbers good for handyman franchise

Zillow Digs Home Improvement Survey in September showed 52% planning to remodel in the fall. Those numbers are still remaining strong as we head towards Winter. Our professional handyman and home improvement franchisees are still keeping very busy as people are still planning to remodel before the year end.

Final quarter always strong in handyman business

Since I've been involved in this industry I've always seen strong fourth quarters. It starts off getting busier in September then builds up momentum before slowing down just before the holiday period.
This year seems no different with many franchisees recording record revenue numbers.
The Zillow Digs survey in September was showing at that time that more than half their homeowners were planning to make a home improvement this fall.
According to the survey the most popular rooms for remodels would be the home office and playrooms and we are finding that as the monthly data comes in from our network.
The survey has been right so far. We are continuing to see strong growth and the data we pull from  shows more technicians working on indoor remodeling projects another point the survey raised.
Not surprisingly one more interesting observation of the survey was that more than one-third of homeowners listed the most popular sources for ideas for home improvements to be online.
Around 48 per cent of younger homeowners and 47 percent of homes with children found their inspiration online. This trend of looking online for ideas is definitely growing. I remember that not long ago we didn't trust anything that we read or saw on the internet. How quick things seem to change especially when technology is involved.
Sites like Zillow Digs do a great job of helping homeowners get inspired. At House Doctors, we recently launched our new website www.housedoctors.com. It too includes more images and visuals and a gallery and ideas page for customers to view. We are not quite at the Zillow Digs level but it's a start.
The Zillow Digs survey also shows homes with children more likely to be planning three or more home improvements (median spend of $1,500) as opposed to homes without children ($1,000). Overall, younger homeowners and homes with children are significantly more likely to be planning a home improvement. All very interesting data.
What do you think?

Texas engineer builds successful handyman franchise

Following on from my other posts on some of our successful handyman franchisees allow me to introduce Dave Mauldin. Dave had spent most of his career in information technology with Texas Instruments and Compaq before becoming a House Medic Franchisee. House Medic is our sister company that we use in some States as an alternative to House Doctors.

Texas Engineer runs home repair business in Austin

Dave who has made a successful transition to become a House Medic Franchisee now offers Austin residents professional handyman services, home repairs and home improvement services.
Dave was born and raised in Texas and after his successful corporate career he took an early retirement package and is now building a team of professional handymen who work on busy homeowners to do lists. Dave thinks that the need for professional handymen is obvious. Our population and our properties are aging.
He admits that when he started looking for a business he didn’t even know that a franchise in home repairs existed. House Medic handyman service is growing nationally by giving people like Dave the opportunity to get into business for themselves.
Dave says that he bought his House Medic because of the growing market and the professional model. He immediately hired a professional CSR, a great guy he has known for years, Markus. Dave's handymen are experienced, insured and screened and then trained to provide excellent customer service. His customers are then confident that the work performed on their home will be completed to the highest standard.
Dave will tell you that he felt all of his skill sets were a great match with House Medic. The culture in House Medic is to follow through with what is promised and not to let people down. Dave is building credibility in his business, with that approach, with support of his community and neighbors. He is building a company that people in his community can trust to do what they say.

Do you think Dave's approach to business is the right one?

6.4 % Home Value Increase Good For Home Repairs

The third quarter Zillow Real Estate Market Report shows the U.S. Zillow Home Value Index standing at $163,000 as of the end of the third quarter. This is a good pace for the market and good for home repairs, home improvements and a handyman franchise.

Home value pace good for home improvements

Report shows the home value index up by 6.4 percent  year-over-year and up 1.2 percent from the end of the second quarter, but unchanged from August. This is a good pace for recovery and keeps us out of the boom and bust cycle. This new pace of home value appreciation has even brought a number of markets back from the edge of entering possible bubble territory again. This pace is good for handyman services and home improvements. When people are confident that we have a growth that we can sustain they invest in their properties.

A steady annual sustained growth is what we want. People get nervous quickly now if we grow too fast. It may seem strange to say but sometimes its better if the pace of home value growth in some markets slows down. Remember what happened when increasing home values got out of control before. The data shows some markets like California for example have already touched on the edge of bubble market territory again and expensive metro areas that experienced relatively modest declines during the crash have already shown very robust gains during the recovery.
Across the country as recently as July, all of the top 30 metro areas showed positive monthly appreciation, with none exhibiting a monthly pace slower than one percent month-over-month.

People need to feel that we can sustain our growth. Confidence effects our economy more than some realize. It certainly effects the level of activity in the home improvement market. When people feel things are heading in the right direction they spend more on home remodeling projects. I believe we have come off the bottom and are at a sustainable level of growth in home values that should now continue for sometime as people become more confident with their decisions to buy and sell.

What do you think?

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.

Handyman services made easy with technology

With improvements in communication, and other technological innovations and the advent of social media House Doctors aims to use the latest advances in technology to help make handyman services and home improvements easier for our customers. We have just launched our new website that is more inviting, easier to navigate, displays our products and services better and improves the process for our customers when they need to find a location and request service

Successful House Doctors site launch

All site launches don't go well. Last week the other major site launched by the Government didn't perform well. I'm glad to say ours was very successful. We have almost doubled our daily visits already.
The successful launch of the House Doctors website is just the first of a number of new initiatives that House Doctors Corporate is working on that will benefit the franchisees and the Brand in the future. Like a number of leading companies we are finding ways to use new technology to improve our systems and procedures.
Think about it we are in the business of helping people and making their lives easier. We maintain and improve their homes. We offer services that can simplify lives. We plan to use technology to help make the process of using us as seamless as possible. Hiring a handyman or contractor that you can rely on has been difficult in the past. Through our new website it's now easy for homeowners to find a trusted, reliable handyman or remodeler.
But our use of latest technology doesn't stop there. At House Doctors our franchisees use the latest on line scheduling software, smartphones and mobile presentation devices, to offer our customers the best home improvement customer experience in the market today.
Technology continues to increasingly impact our lives every day. Think about when you wake up to your alarm, then check your schedule, read your email or text, check the weather, traffic, flights, leave a message, and use your camera and your apps...and all of that from your phone!

In the business world, like House Doctors, many leading companies are introducing the new technology to help them better serve their customers.

Handyman services can help reduce falls

A growing market for a professional handyman company is making simple modifications to homes to make them safer and to help reduce the number of falls. As National Fall Awareness Week ends, numbers show that one third of seniors who are over the age of 65 and one half who are over the age of 80 will fall each year resulting in much pain and suffering and medical costs exceeding $27 billion annually.

Simple home modifications can help

This subject is close to my heart. I lived through it when my own mum fell when she was later on in life. We need to raise awareness of the simple home modifications available that would help reduce the risk.
The pain and the suffering and then the emotional decisions that you need to make afterwards about the persons safety going forward. National Fall Awareness Week raises awareness for a short time but we need to have this subject up front and center all year round. It's really annoying for example that most falls in the home can be prevented by doing some simple modifications.
In 2013, communities in 47 states and Washington, DC participated in Falls Prevention Awareness Day on Sept. 22, 2013.The National Council for Aging is working hard to raise awareness and prevent falls by uniting professionals, older adults, caregivers, and family members to play a part in getting people talking about the issue.
As far as a professional handyman company is concerned, the fact that more than a third of falls happen while bathing or showering, and more than 14 percent happen while using a toilet means something as simple as having grab bars fitted or installing a walk in tub in your bathroom can dramatically lower the risk of falling. All work that a professional handyman company can do.
Our franchisees in House Doctors for example have their technicians working on modifying homes to make them safer by adding grab bars and installing walk in tubs monthly.

Please let me know if this is an important issue for you.

Strong remodeling spending brings handyman franchise growth

House Doctors, our handyman and home improvement franchise, is growing at an unprecedented rate as a study from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University shows that the general strengthening in the housing market over the past 18 months is translating into increasing spending on remodeling.

Latest remodeling activity data and information 

The latest data from the leading indicator of remodeling activity (LIRA) continues to show improving spending trends that are solid and on an upward slope. Projections also show a continued strengthening of the market through the end of this year and into the first quarter of 2014.
The LIRA is released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University in the third week after each quarter’s closing. The LIRA is a comprehensive study of the factors influencing the growth and changing characteristics of housing renovation and repair activity in the United States. The next LIRA release date is October 17, 2013.

Latest handyman and home improvement franchise data and information

At House Doctors we are seeing the fastest growth in years. Four new franchisees recently came through training for openings in Tennessee, Connecticut, Ohio and Michigan. Another six are already scheduled to come on board in the next couple of months and a number of others are already in the pipeline. Homeowners are more comfortable investing in their properties right now as consumer confidence returns and the growth in sales of existing homes increases. Continuing strengthening in the economy is leading to increasing spending levels on renovations and upgrades.

The growth in home sales and the rapid and steady growth in property modifications and maintenance we are seeing is providing more opportunities for our franchisees. Our model meets all of the requirements of busy professionals and aging boomers who need home repairs and home improvements done."

For more than 15 years we have brought homeowners and commercial property owners high standards of customer service, reliability, and quality workmanship. Every one of our locations is independently owned and operated. Today, we continue to expand throughout the United States by offering franchise opportunities

Baby boomers driving growth for handyman franchises

As baby boomers age they are growing the market for handyman franchisees. They start to think about modifying their homes for health, comfort and safety reasons. If people can do something to make things easier or safer in their homes as they age it just makes good sense to do it. Today's boomers definitely think more about their health and comfortable living as they near and enter retirement simply because many have already seen older relatives and friends age. This is providing great opportunities for handyman franchises.

Poll confirms health more important than finance for younger boomers

The Fourth Annual RBC Retirement Myths & Realities Poll shows maintaining health is more important than finances to Canada's younger boomers (aged 50-59) and maintaining that good health by improving safety and comfort in their homes is important to them. .
A handyman franchise and home improvement franchise can offer seniors and boomers services that can help them modify their homes in efforts to maintain health and lifestyle as they age. This aging in place market is one of the niches driving growth of House Doctors. The RBC poll shows what is important to boomers as they age and explains why the aging in place market where homeowners modify their homes to help them continue to live safely and comfortably in them as they grow older, is now rated by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) as the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry. Seniors and aging boomers nearing retirement who are modifying their homes are having a major impact on handyman franchises and home improvement franchises. As the population ages the 'aging in place' market will continue to grow and play a major part in your franchise.

Check out our latest press release on this topic http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10978704.htm

Improve Air Quality With A Handyman Franchise

Franchisees with our handyman franchise or a home improvement franchise now have the opportunity to improve indoor air quality.
Recently at House Doctors Handyman Service we announced a new partnership with Tamarack the creator of the modern whole house fan and a leading ventilation product provider so their franchisees can install products that will help make homes healthier. Now House Doctors franchisees will be able to install Tamarack products to help customers improve the air quality in their homes.

Improve air quality with your handyman franchise

There are pollutants everywhere like chemicals, gases, and even living organisms like mold and pests. But did you know that one of the worst places to breathe in polluted air is in your home. As more and more people become aware of this the market for installing good ventilation is increasing. People want to improve their indoor air quality.
House Doctors handyman service franchisees are now able to install products from Tamarack, the leading ventilation product manufacturer. The professional handyman service franchise is now offering customers a range of products that can help with home ventilation thus improving air quality in homes.
Whole house fans, exhaust and ventilation fans can help improve ventilation in all sorts of rooms from basements, bathrooms, crawlspaces, attics, garages, kitchens, and many more.

Read the press release on the new partnership http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10966997.htm

Please let us know what you feel about today's indoor air quality?

3 new handyman framchisees join House Doctors

We have just completed training for 3 new franchisees. They will launch their business in August. We have another 7 prospective franchisees moving through our discovery process. Our August new franchise training class will see at least another 3 franchisees join us then. This short post will give you some background information on our newest franchisees and why they decided to buy the House Doctors handyman franchise.

You undersell yourselves.....

"You undersell yourselves." That was a comment one of our newest franchisees made after spending a week with us on his initial training. Sean is a former manager with Lowes and as such had been through numerous training programs in the past so he had a good idea what to expect. But we are a company that is constantly working hard to continually improve our model and the training associated with it. We coach our franchisees on how to astound the customer so we're very happy when a new franchisee notices the standards that we are already achieving at corporate.

Our newest training class of franchisees came from Connecticut, Michigan and Ohio. So if you live in these States keep a look out for a House Doctors franchise opening there soon. All franchisees in the July training class came from different backgrounds, each one had a very different career path to get here but all three did have some things in common.

A former Marine with Project Management experience, a former Lowes Manager, a former House Builder. Varied backgrounds but all three had a goal of building a business that would become an asset for themselves. They all wanted to control their own destiny and have financial freedom through building something they could be proud of, the best business of its kind in their local community.

In our model our franchisees manage the business and do not swing the hammer. That was important to all three. They all saw the need of bringing professionalism to the handyman and home improvement industry. They all saw the increased opportunities being created through aging in place and energy efficiency. All three saw great opportunity to build their vision through the House Doctors whole house  model.

 

Take a look at our home improvements just got easier video to see how our model works for customers.
Take a look at our latest Press Release http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10854521.htm