Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) – Employers with employees, business partnerships, and corporations, must obtain a Federal EIN from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Businesses can obtain appropriate federal income tax forms from this location. Please consult the IRS website at
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Apply-for-an-EmployerIdentification-Number-(EIN)-Online

Employment Development Department (EDD) Registration – An employer is required to file a Registration Form within 15 days after paying more than $100 in wages to one or more employees. Please consult the California EDD website at http://www.edd.ca.gov/Payroll_Taxes/Am_I_Required_to_Register_as_an_Employer.htm#business_subject.

Worker’s Compensation – Businesses with employees must maintain Worker’s Compensation Insurance coverage. Consult the California Department of Industrial Relations website at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/employer.htm

For Employers – If your business will have employees, be advised of the following:

Wages, Hours, & Working Conditions – Businesses with employees must comply with laws establishing minimum standards for wages, hours and working conditions. Consult the California Department of Industrial Relations website at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/dlse.html.

Sales & Use Tax – If you will be selling tangible property, consult the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) for a Seller’s Permit. You may also qualify for a Resale Certificate. Note: These activities
were formerly administered by the Board of Equalization (BOE).

o Seller’s Permit info: http://www.boe.ca.gov/info/reg.htm
o Resale Certificate info: https://www.boe.ca.gov/sutax/faqresale.htm
o Tax Guide for Construction Contractors: https://www.boe.ca.gov/industry/construction.html

Contractor License: The California Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State License Board (CSLB) administers a variety of licenses for contractors, from general contractors to specialty contractors. There is no specific “handyman license.” However, the CSLB limits unlicensed work to less than $500, including both materials and labor. Any work valued at $500 or greater requires a valid contractor license.

Sure most people want to save money which is why we shop rate/cost for many of the things we buy and do. However, when it comes to home improvement, you never want to hire the lowest bidder. There is a reason why that handyman service is the lowest bidder, whether it is for skipping corners, buying subpar supplies or delaying the work, more often than not, their quality of work will not meet your standards. Remember the old saying if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

That does not mean you have to over pay either. Do your homework. Check to see what is the typical going price for the job you are wanting to have done.

It may seem odd but many people ask for reference but never reach out to them. What good are references if you do not give them a call? You should take the time to give all their references a call. You want to ask them their overall thoughts and what their communication style was like with the handyman. Ask them how they handled pressure or delays in product deliveries. If the reference is willing to oblige, ask them anything you want to know before hiring said handyman.

Sadly there are some handymen that will lie about their contractor’s license numbers. While some states do not require such verification, others do. You may want to check with your local government to see if your state requires it and if they do, verify their number.

Additionally, you will want to make sure they have insurance. You always want to be covered should a surprise come up. Without insurance, you could be on the hook for an even bigger repair bill.

When it comes down to payment, you should never pay for the entire project until it is 100% completed. Some pros will ask for a deposit to ensure the work, which is very common. However, if they ask for the entire payment before the project even begins, a huge RED Flag should be raised. Remember, you hold the power in the relationship. If you hand over all your cash before the project is done, that power has shifted.

Often times, homeowners will have to pull their own permits. When it comes to fixing the floors or repairing pipes, you do not need permits, but there are other projects that do require them. Your local government is your best source of information regarding which projects require permits and what needs to be presented during the filing.

Some handymen may offer to pull the permits for you, but it tends to comes with an added expense.

When hiring a Handyman make sure to avoid miscommunication. Often time this happens when you and your handyman do not fully agree on the scope of work that needs to take place. The end results is almost always a delay in the project or a higher bill.

Therefore make sure that before you sign an agreement that the entire project is mapped out.

When looking for a handyman that is right for you and the job you have, may take a little time. Hiring a handyman is not just as simple as hiring someone over the phone. To get the job done right you will need to ask various of questions. Below are some questions you may want to ask the next handyman you are thinking for hiring.

• How long have you been in the business?
• What is your experience with this project? Typically you will want someone that has years of experience doing the job you want to have done, compared to someone that only did once.
• Can you show me pictures of similar work? Being able to see they types of jobs they done and how it came out, is helpful in feeling like he or she can do your job.
• Have you worked with anyone in the area?
• How much will it cost and how long will the project take?
• How did you come up with your price (see a full breakdown)?
• Can you give me a list of references?

Before you go online (or pull out the yellow pages) looking for your next handyman, talk to your friend and family. When it comes to working with handymen, a main aspect of the entire project is to find someone you trust. Luckily for you, your friends and family would never recommend someone they did not trust or that did not do a good job.

Therefore a good resource for you when looking for a handyman is your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Ask them for recommendations. You could also ask past pros that you have worked with. They oftentimes have friends in the industry.

Regardless of what the job is, whether it to do a little plumbing, painting, or a honey do list. Make sure you do your research first. There are many resources online giving you valuable information regarding each potential hire. Some of the questions you will want research can include:

• What is the average price information in your area
• Can you fine reviews and testimonials
• Do they have a Portfolio of recent work
• What is their license numbers
• What is the average timeline for scope of work
• what is their experience for project in question.

Although gutter cleaning and maintenance is not a hard task to take on yourself it is messy and involves climbing on the roof. Not something everyone feels comfortable doing. If you hire a handyman with the right equipment and experience, you will not have to risk injuring yourself. A handyman can also install gutter guards to prevent seasonal clogging.

Did you know that by adding a fresh application of caulk to gaps between windows, doors and siding is a great way to improve energy efficiency and lower your utility costs. Yet if you do not feel you are up to the task, this would be a good job to higher a handyman as they should be able to take on this task with no problems.

If you have minor plumbing jobs like installation of new fixtures or a repair of a leaky faucet a handy many may be a good choice for the job. Many handymen are capable of completing small plumbing jobs.

However, if you have a more complex project such as relocating plumbing within the home that should be left to a licensed plumber.

How do you know if you need to higher a handyman or contractor for a job? Generally you know by the scope of the job and level of skill required to complete it.

Example: If you need to have a specialized trade done such as pluming repairs or electrical issues you should higher a plumber or an electrician for such work. Yet if it a job that you feel you could do yourself but prefer not to hiring a handyman is probably a good choice.

What you do not want to do is higher a handyman for us any emergency service for plumbing, electrical or appliance work, unless the handyman is licensed in that trade. If a unlicensed person does plumbing or electrical work, you will not have a guarantee that the work has been done to code, which could affect your homeowners insurance policy or any claim related to the work.

There for you would want to use a contractor or specialist for remodeling work, room additions and projects that require heavy-duty equipment or licensed professionals like electricians.

One way to get a better price for your home is by doing home remodels and renovations. Home remodels and renovations can definitely pay off if you plan carefully. Make sure to ask a local realtor about what improvements in your home will help it sell. Repairs, along with upgrades in the bathroom and kitchen, far outweigh other renovations and add-on projects you could undertake. By planning ahead and understanding how your renovation project will affect your bottom line, as well as home value, you are protecting your investments and your money in the process.

Right now for many people it is all about going green. Yet going green is not such a bad idea in many cases with regards to your home improvements. Going green can make good financial sense. You can save money in the long run with energy efficient appliances, windows, doors and more. In some cases, you can also get tax breaks on these energy efficient products too.

When shopping for a Handyman you want to get an itemized quote, keeping in mind that quotes should always be free. If during your search you run into someone that wants to charge you for going out to your home in order to provide a quote, you should tell them you are not interested and continue looking for someone else.

Once you are provided a quote, ask for a breakdown of the cost of materials and the cost of labor so you know exactly what you are paying for. You will want to get quotes from a handful of handymen this way you are able to compare labor costs for the best deal.

We talked about leavings reviews in a prior post, but where can you leave and read reviews on a handyman? There are a number of free services such as Yelp.com, Google, Angies List even BBB (Better Business Bureau) that can provide ratings for many contractors in your area. By reading the reviews on the contractors you will get a much better idea of how the contractor performed for other customers and if they may be right for you.

If you are a handyman you know missing out on work is typically not an option. Yet many people miss out on work due to dental pain issues. According to one study, one in five people say they would be prepared to call in sick because to a toothache. Yet if you are a self employed handyman this could make you lose money you can not afford to miss out on.

One way to avoid this is simply good at home dental care habits. The better you take care of your teeth at home the less likely you are to have larger dental care issues that can keep you away from work.

Another way is to make sure to see your dentist for your regular check ups. So that a dentist can spot a dental care issue and fit it before it becomes a larger problem making you miss out one work.

Therefore it is a good idea to have dental insurance to help lower your dental care costs. People with dental insurance are also more likely to maintain regular dental check ups. visit dental4less.com where you can get dental insurance quotes in your area quick and easily without answering tons of questions about yourself or your family, before receiving plan pricing and information.

Before starting on a home repair or home project take some time to do your research on your project needs. Access to information on almost anything is available to you with the use of the internet.

Do not be afraid to use the internet as it makes it easy to research virtually any topic. Say you need a door replaced, or water heater installed, maybe you want a new toilet, or any other home improvement project simply go online and use your favorite search engine (such as google, bing, duckduckgo etc) and typed your project and add research.

From there you will have access to a wealth of information about your project and be able to learn how and why you should continue with the project. Knowing more about your project needs beforehand will help in your conversations about the project. You will also be familiar with some of the home improvement terms that the contractor will most likely use.