Businesses in Home Services are Booming Despite the Economy

There are many types of home-based businesses that provide services to homeowners, and with the demand for these services continuing to rise, business owners are reaping the rewards.

Let’s face it—we’re all busier than ever. Between work, running the kids to sports or music lessons, volunteering, or hitting the gym, we don’t have a second to spare. We all may want our households to run smoothly and our homes to look beautiful, but often, there’s just not enough time to reach those goals.

That’s where a home-services business can help. The industry is hotter than ever thanks to our busy schedules. Many people just don’t have the time to devote to things like housecleaning, home maintenance, or lawn work. Instead, they’re looking to outsource for help. And if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you can be the one they reach out to. From rug-shampooing to stamped concrete, there’s a home-service business out there for everyone.

Home-service businesses offer a lot of flexibility, says Lisa Morantz, vice president of Morantz Ultrasonics, a company that provides cleaning solutions for busy homeowners and small businesses.

“High profit margins, along with the opportunity to diversify into many different areas [of the business] and flexible hours are a big draw,” she says.

The home-services industry is booming even in a tough economy, says Mark Woods, director of marketing for The Master’s Touch Inc., a tile- and grout-cleaning company. He says his business in particular fulfills a constant need.

“Cleaning is still a necessity even in a down economy,” he says. “Many of our business owners recorded record revenue in 2009.” And whether you want to own and operate your own franchise or hire employees to handle day-to-day operations, home-services businesses can give you the opportunity you’re looking for.

“Most of our owner-operators run this business opportunity on their own first, and then add people as the business grows,” Morantz explains. Most businesses also offer a range of ways to get involved.

“There are many different applications of cleaning that you can perform with the same equipment, so there are definitely different ways to be involved,” Morantz explains of her business. “We have some [people] specializing in just one application, such as window-blind cleaning, and others who diversify into many applications.”

Opportunities in the home-services industry can also meet the needs of a variety of potential business owners.

“We have current owners that operate this business part time to supplement their current incomes, and we have business owners that operate multiple units,” says Woods. “We have solutions for just about anyone who is interested in this.”

Depending on your budget and interests, you can purchase a franchise opportunity, such as a ChemDry carpet cleaning business, or stick with a particular product or service to focus on, like Starscapes International, billed as “The original realistic 3-D stargazing ceiling.” The opportunities are endless—you can specialize in decorative concrete with a business like Elite Crete, or offer air-duct cleaning through opportunities like Rotobrush International. Whatever you choose to pursue, success in the home-services industry can be achieved if you follow a few simple words of advice, experts say.

On a basic level, success comes to those who simply take the first step toward it, says Joe Petrashek, founder of Starscapes International.

“You need the ability to get off of your sofa and away from the TV,” he says. It’s also important to be a “people person” and enjoy interacting with others, he says. Morantz advises finding a niche business that provides an in-demand service, and keeping your sense of humor as you start and grow your business, because success requires hard work and dedication.

“Research if there is anyone else in your area providing the service you’re interested in,” she says. “Also work with an equipment provider that provides a free training service and support, because [support] is critical to success.”

Finally, Woods says, it’s imperative to have the right attitude about the industry.

“Success in the home-services industry really comes down to passion and commitment,” he says. “You have to be passionate about your product or service and you have to commit to doing what it takes to get it done.” ♦

Read more articles like this in the digital edition of Home Business Connection.