Plantains growing instead of a lawn. The greenest lawn is no lawn. What if property owners ask you to help them make a wild weed garden? Property maintenance for the sustainably-minded consumer will give you these challenges.
Are you someone who has long been thinking of kickstarting a property maintenance business? If yes and if you have done your research, you must already be in a soup after getting to know the large numbers of companies that wind up their property maintenance services overnight due to lack of planning. And maybe you want to look at a special niche: like green or eco services to give you a special edge.
If you have to start off on the path to this kind of business, make sure you write down a precise business plan to make sure there’s no area of your business model that goes overlooked. Maybe you are passionate about indoor air health or wild lawns? Being passionate about property maintenance, you must be trying to turn your dream into a profitable business. Here’s how you can go about the process.
Acquaint yourself with the industry
In case of non-residential or residential properties, there is a range of services that needs to function primarily, some of which are exterior and interior cleaning, carpentry, painting, groundskeeping, locksmith services, plumbing, and much more. Unless you get acquainted with the industry, you’ll find it difficult to forge a good path.
Some clients will ask for ecological solutions like chemical-free paint and pest solutions. Will you have the right answers and partners to satisfy these requests?
Determine your experience and training skills
If it’s a commercial or business property, you need to be able to offer business key performance indicator’s, failure metrics like MTTR in order to let the company get an idea about its performance. On the other hand, in case of residential properties, your training and skill will depend on whether or not you provide the services yourself or you hire experts for each service. For rendering plumbing, electrical and HVAC services, you will need formal training. Or be able to find the pros in your area.
Evaluate the challenges and risks
Most often, it is seen that property maintenance needs serious physical labor where you may have to be exposed to precarious and dangerous environment conditions such as dust, fumes or the risk of falling. You and your employees might even be subject to bodily injuries and other hazards. Consider that on top of the risks, you will have to put in the hours, especially when your property maintenance business is in its initial stage. It is only when you’re ready to face the challenges that you think of setting up the business.
Ask yourself whether you prefer a team or work alone
It might happen that you don’t possess the skillset that is required to offer the array of property maintenance services that you’d like to offer. If this is your case, are you open to hiring new employees and their skillset? Are you ready to work with a team of employees or would you like to work solo? Do you enjoy talking with people during the day or do you like to work alone?
Decide on an appealing name for your business
Among several other things, the name of your business should not only be easy to pronounce and spell in your local language but should also be fitting with the brand identity you’re looking for. Ask some friends and colleagues what they think before you settle on a name.
Draft a business plan
Your business plan should mainly speak about the core goals of your company and also the significant steps you’ll take to achieve the goals. The business plan will serve as a tool and a roadmap to hold yourself accountable later on. Your business plan should have the following details – summary, overview of the company, marketing strategy, market analysis, financial summary, and future goals. Consider sustainability milestones too. All businesses are moving in this direction.
Get a bank account for your business
Once you have a business bank account, you can distinguish between your professional and personal finances. This will also serve as a sign of professionalism while dealing with vendors and clients. For some novice business owners, having a business account is nothing more than just a nice feeling. But the IRS makes it mandatory for all businesses to have a business bank account.
Assemble all the required tools
Lastly, start assembling all the supplies or tools you may require for carrying forth your first week of operations. This will help you avert a last-minute discrepancy while making sure you didn’t forget vital supplies.
Now that you know the steps to start off with a property maintenance business, why not make it more sustainable?
