Even if you consider yourself the handy sort , the type of person who can do odd jobs , there are times when you might need to hire a professional .
Usually the professional has a specialty, like plumbing or electrical work. But there are general-purpose handymen out there — including those whose specialty is simply and vaguely “odd jobs.”
One woman literally rents her husband out for these jobs — and she says her phone’s been ringing off the hook.
Laura Young says the idea came to her while listening to a podcast.
38-year-old mom Laura Young, who lives in the U.K., says she was listening to a podcast about a guy who puts together flat pack furniture — y’know, Ikea stuff — for a living.
She has a handy hubby.
Laura’s husband James is good at all sorts of DIY stuff, including painting, decorating, carpet laying, and presumably flat pack furniture assembly. At this point, Laura decided to post an ad. She couldn’t believe how many people contacted her.
They’ve made it an official business.
After James was booked solid, eleven hours a day and six days a week, he and Laura decided to set up some parameters. James reduced his hours to a typical 9 to 5 schedule and the couple made a Facebook page for their business .
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At this point, they’re booked for nearly the next month.
Things get busy this time of year as people want Christmas lights put up and decorations assembled, so James is booked until later in the month.
“We booked our first job for January too,” Laura added.
James gave up his old job for this.
He’d been working in a warehouse, but ever since the runaway success of his handyman business, he was able to quit his job to pursue his handyman stuff on a full-time basis.
It suits his skill set well.
James, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder a few years back, says he’s always been good at putting stuff together and general DIY tasks.
“He’s really good at building things and doesn’t bother with the instructions,” Laura said.
Maybe it runs in the family.
“James doesn’t come from a trade background but his grandad was a nuclear engineer, and they think he was also on the spectrum,” said Laura. “He’s got a very methodical mind and can think outside the box. He sees things differently.”
So far, it’s going great.
A big part of James and Laura’s business is catering to older people who don’t have the means to do DIY stuff themselves. They offer a discount to healthcare workers, along with senior citizens, disabled people, and people on social assistance.
What do you think of this?
Are you handy with odd jobs? Have you ever thought of quitting your job and becoming a full-time…handy…person? It’s an interesting career stream, and it’s working well for James, so let us know what you think in the comments section.
