How to start a business in the trades
Pick your trade. Each guide goes step by step: the license, insurance, gear, prices and first customers, with the official pages it was read from.
29Trade guides
SourcedRules read from official pages
FreeName and plan tools
Pick your trade
Appliance repairHow to start an appliance repair businessEPA 608 for refrigerators, the diagnostic fee, parts, and warranty work.Auto detailingHow to start a mobile detailing businessThe van setup, water runoff rules, packages, deposits and repeat customers.Carpet cleaningHow to start a carpet cleaning businessPortable or truck-mount, training, pricing by room, and move-out accounts.CleaningHow to start a cleaning businessResidential and commercial cleaning, from supplies to recurring clients.ConcreteHow to start a concrete businessLicensing and permits, silica rules, pricing flatwork, and planning every pour.DrywallHow to start a drywall businessLicensing, lead and asbestos in older walls, pricing by board or job, and steady builder work.ElectricalHow to start an electrical contracting businessThe contractor license, permits, tools, pricing small jobs and finding the steady accounts.FencingHow to start a fence company811, permits and property lines, pricing by the foot, and material orders.FlooringHow to start a flooring businessLicensing, old floors and asbestos, pricing by the square foot, and work from stores.Garage doorHow to start a garage door businessLicensing, spring safety, stocking the van, and pricing repairs and installs.General contractorHow to start a general contractor businessState license, bonds, subcontractor paperwork, bidding and cash flow.Gutter cleaningHow to start a gutter cleaning businessLadder safety, pricing by length and story, and twice-a-year customers.HandymanHow to start a handyman businessWhat a handyman can do without a license, pricing small jobs, first customers.Home servicesHow to start a home services businessThe steps every home service business shares, in order.HVACHow to start an HVAC businessState license, EPA 608, the tools, pricing, and maintenance plans that carry the slow months.Junk removalHow to start a junk removal businessThe truck, dump and recycling fees, pricing by volume, and repeat clients like realtors.LandscapingHow to start a landscaping companyInstalls and hardscapes: 811 before you dig, pesticide rules, pricing projects, first clients.Lawn careHow to start a lawn care businessMowing routes that pay, pesticide rules and recurring customers.MovingHow to start a moving companyLocal versus interstate rules, the truck, cargo cover, and pricing by crew and hour.PaintingHow to start a painting businessLicensing, the EPA lead rule, pricing interiors and exteriors, and winning the first bids.Pest controlHow to start a pest control businessPesticide certification, pricing quarterly service, building routes and renewals.PlumbingHow to start a plumbing businessThe license path, the van, pricing service calls and drains, and the first ten customers.Pool serviceHow to start a pool service businessWeekly routes, chemical handling, pricing service and repairs, and building route density.Pressure washingHow to start a pressure washing businessEquipment, soft washing, pricing and the neighbors of every job.RemodelingHow to start a remodeling businessLicensing, permits, the lead rule, bids and change orders, deposits and draws.RoofingHow to start a roofing companyLicense rules, fall protection, insurance, measuring and pricing roofs, and storm season.Snow removalHow to start a snow removal businessPer push or seasonal contracts, slip and fall insurance, plows and salt.Tree serviceHow to start a tree service businessSafety and power lines, insurance, the saws and chipper, pricing removals and trimming.Window cleaningHow to start a window cleaning businessLow-cost gear, ladder safety, pricing per pane, and storefront routes that repeat.
Tools for the first month
Free toolBusiness name generator36 name ideas for your trade and town, with domain ideas.Free toolBusiness plan generatorFill in a form, get a plan you can download for Word or print to PDF.LicensingContractor license requirements by stateRead from each state's own board, dated.TemplatesCustomer message templatesQuote follow-ups, payment reminders, review requests and more.ChecklistsPrintable job checklistsInspections, maintenance, safety and onboarding.Free toolLabor rate calculatorWhat to charge per hour to cover your real costs.
How these guides are made
Every rule a guide states (the EPA, OSHA, IRS and SBA lines) was read on the agency's own page, and each guide lists those pages and the date. Startup costs are left for you to price, because they depend on what you own and where you buy. The business plan generator adds up your own numbers.