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The business opportunity then is to provide an anti-burglar service.
This service could include surveying homes for risks of break-ins, installing anti-burglar devices, replacing broken window glass, fixing damaged doors, and selling anti-burglar service contracts.
You can start this home business on a part-time basis, and expand it into a full-time operation, if desired.
Getting these jobs usually is just a question of making yourself known to potential customers, being qualified to do the work, and quoting the right price for the job.
Some of these services may be requested on an emergency basis.
Thus, you might be able to charge a higher fee for working on weekends, holidays, and at nighttime.
You can purchase how-to manuals on these services at most lumberyards, building materials stores, or big-box stores (such as Home Depot or Lowe's).
Following are the five anti-burglar services you can provide your customers.
Fixing damaged doors -- Use your handyman skills and equipment to repair or replace damaged doors and doorjambs, and replace damaged locks.
There are various ways to repair damaged doors and door jams if the customer doesn't want to pay for replacing them.
These items typically are damaged when an angry spouse or boyfriend, a burglar, or the police kick a door in.
Installing anti-burglar devices -- Use your handyman skills and equipment for installing anti-burglar devices in homes.
This service increases the safety and value of homes.
It is a service that owners or tenants may not have the skill or time to do themselves.
Replacing broken window glass -- Use your handyman skills and equipment to remove and replace broken window glass in wood sashes.
You need to wear safety goggles and heavy work gloves to protect yourself from the pieces of broken glass.
With the hard times we are having, people will be staying in their present homes longer, rather than trading up.
This practice increases the demand for home repairs.
Selling service contracts -- Customers pay for a service contract upfront.
This gives them the right to call on your services for a certain period, such as one year.
A contract might provide for a specified discount on your services.
On the other hand, it might provide for a free service within the contract period.
This is like an insurance policy, in that the customer pays for a lower fee than the service would require, but would receive a service only if it was needed.
Surveying homes for risks -- After you become acquainted with all of the methods that burglars use to break into homes, you could sell your knowledge by going through homes and making a list of areas that are likely entry points for burglars.
You could provide the customer a report identifying these weak points and showing what hardware can be used to correct them.
You could also offer to install these hardware items yourself.
Choosing a service to perform -- I recommend that you start with whichever service you are presently qualified to provide.
Then you may choose to expand into other services per the market demand in your local area.
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