And just for extra encouragement for newbies. I am semi-retired at 68 years old. I can still make up to $2000/week working less than 20 hours. With KZfaq channels like yours and all of the fix-it channels out there, it can really speed up the learning curve and give one the confidence to be self employed.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
I agree, the resources are there to learn. Thanks for helping with the encouragement!
@brucewilliamsstudio4932 Жыл бұрын
Hi James, Like you, I'm 68 years old but hardly could call myself semi-retired. I'm working 40+ hours a week, plus all of the other stuff that goes into running a business, so probably closer to 60-65 hours a week. I'm in Canada, and unfortunately the Canadian dollar is equivalent to toilet paper these days. I charge $105 an hour plus a $55 trip fee and last year I pulled in $177K. However, all of my other costs (insurance, licences, fuel, maintenance, alarm systems, etc.) added up to $55 an hour so in reality I'm only making $50 an hour while on the clock, but closer to $30 an hour with all the other activities that go into running a business. Man, it's tough out there!
@brucewilliamsstudio4932 Жыл бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman I'm curious about your trip fees.... perhaps you have explained them in other videos, but I'm wondering if that is on top of your hourly rate?
@TheRealVsauce Жыл бұрын
You're making 2k via YT?
@chuckleaf80277 ай бұрын
I live in San Diego and there's no way people will pay that sort of price....I tell people 35 an hour and rarely get a bite... on bids.. I give prices I gave 20 years ago and still have trouble getting jobs. I see these handyman guys charging a lot...and I have never seen it..and Im 58... the only time Ive made 50 plus an hour was doing whole room additions... but NEVER on anything smaller... Maybe there's too many guys from Mexico here...who knows.. might just be me too..@@brucewilliamsstudio4932
@michaelwalker9734 Жыл бұрын
I’m a electrician who is seriously considering quitting my job and becoming a full time handyman. Great advice about ceiling fans. Some are super easy to install and some are complicated. Good tips.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
Good luck!
@jamesnewsom5899 Жыл бұрын
I just priced a 2 ceiling fan job. One was an installation with an existing fixture box. One was going to require attic crawling, finding live power, installing a wall switch location, and installing a fan rated ceiling box, plus fan kit install. I priced it a little high at $850. I really didn't want the attic crawl. The customer said her boyfriend could handle it and I was very happy with that! The calls keep rolling in from steady customers and referrals, and I am able to be much more choosy now. I even attempt to refer them to others for work I am not anxious for and my steady customers are willing to be put on the wait list. Bottom line if you do quality work, communicate timely, you will keep and build a steady customer base.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
You are 💯 correct!
@michaelpidgeon49 Жыл бұрын
Great info thanks I'm about to start my own business soon so looking for as much advice I can get!
@Jack_of_1_Trade8 ай бұрын
I quoted a job for next week. 3 fans, new instal with stack switch $350 each. Should take me 3-4 hrs alone.
@jamesnewsom5899 Жыл бұрын
You are doing a great job especially for new guys and girls entering independent business in a tough job market. On your own it takes years to figure out proper pricing. I think a lot of people quit home repair because they don't price right and they don't know what it is worth, and they therefore don't make enough $$$ to feel it is worth it. You probably already have, but it can't be overstressed that you need to cover your overheads in your pricing. For instance I am pricing a Spa installation/ electrical and I have 2 hours into it already just visiting the job, measuring, and pricing materials. If I don't cover that time and travel, I am losing.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
Yes sir I agree 💯
@jamesnewsom5899 Жыл бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman hey man, I wish you all the success in the world. You are doing a great job educating people and I’m sure your channel is growing.
@scottbianchini65823 ай бұрын
Hi great video I’m a Handyman north of Boston, Massachusetts and I get 250 to 300 depending on the height of the ceiling. Working up high is always more money.
@bulletproofhandyman3 ай бұрын
Yes sir!
@gregorycheatham49033 ай бұрын
I used to install hundreds of Ceiling fans in showrooms all across the United States for Home Depot Expo’s. A trick we used is using red loctite on the ceiling fan arms going into the motor. That keeps them from wobbling loose and getting out of balance. But red loctite will not come out so it’s permanent, but you can also use blue loctite which you can remove if you want but usually you never take the blade arms off for the life of the fan. If it’s wobbling and out of balance fresh out of the box, you either did something wrong or it’s a real piece of shit fan.
@bulletproofhandyman3 ай бұрын
Good Tip!
@lestalkmorebasss3 ай бұрын
Yep….. the extendable arm with box is worth keeping one on the truck
@bulletproofhandyman3 ай бұрын
Yep!
@mikeneal429722 күн бұрын
Great info, thank you.
@bulletproofhandyman21 күн бұрын
You're welcome!
@utulangi6078 Жыл бұрын
Thank you again. Learned a lot on ceiling fans today. I thought I knew.😂 thanks.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
We're always learning new stuff
@utulangi6078 Жыл бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman your contents are priceless to me. Thank you very much.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
You're welcome!
@gordonslightandsoundllc5878 Жыл бұрын
Chuck with a truck. Love it! Also trunkslammers cause they’re working out of their cars.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
A friend of mine calls them Chiropractors. They're not bad people, but they also haven't decided to take their business seriously yet. I'm here hopefully to motivate them to step up a level.
@jadiep8275 Жыл бұрын
Come on guys! Let’s give that like right away because y’all know the video is great, the information is priceless 👌🏽💯
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
You're the best! Thanks!
@charlesbaird5907 Жыл бұрын
Good video - I did notice you were talking about a ceiling fan rated box - I may be misunderstanding you but the blue nail in boxes you find are normally rated to hold up to a 50 lb ceiling fan -anything above that would require a ceiling fan support bracket - however it is always good to put in a ceiling fan support bracket when possible because you never know what type of fan someone may want in there in the future. As for price - I know here in my part of Texas the average Electrical Company (licensed Electrician) will charge about $250- $300 to assemble and install a customer supplied standard ceiling fan and about $500-$600 for a large fan up to a height of 10 feet - anything over 10 feet gets charged extra.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
Those boxes aren't inherently dangerous but they all are fairly wobbly and the fans inevitably make them worse over time. If I install a new fan I always require approval to upgrade the box if it's not already a really solid box.
@IconMaintenance Жыл бұрын
More gold Ray, thank you! Do you have a "go-to" ceiling fan brand that is a good value and readily available?
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
Hampton Bay is typically a good value, but each ceiling fan is different. Typically you need to match the new fan to the old fan so you just end up finding the most affordable thing that's the same size, color, etc
@IconMaintenance Жыл бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman Oh ok, I've installed a few of those. Thank you.
@IconMaintenance Жыл бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman Would you have a list of your "go to" parts (or brands) for the most common jobs? This would probably be a good video too, if & when you have time. I gave my 2-week notice & am already using what I have learned from you to go out on my own. Thanks again Ray! Be blessed!
@hondaman33179 ай бұрын
Before i watch or read.... if im at the home for multiple projects, the fan is $50-75, if im only going for the fan $125. Now let me see what the pros say.....
@bulletproofhandyman9 ай бұрын
Almost spot on
@johnwquick36162 ай бұрын
Maybe mention time spent trying to acquire a replacement part. Then it is not correct. 3rd trip to the job. At least 2 to the supplier 😢
@bulletproofhandyman2 ай бұрын
Yep that happens. I do have a decent little kit with quite a wide array of replacement parts that fit most fans.
@ScreamingEagleFTW4 ай бұрын
its a misdemeanor in Florida to install a ceiling fan unless you are a state licensed electrician.
@bulletproofhandyman4 ай бұрын
I've heard that the laws for handymen in Florida aren't great.
@ScreamingEagleFTW4 ай бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman the hardest part is saying no to your customers when you know you can easily do what they want done. Some take a chance, some dont, some end up on the losing end of a sting operation and get their mugshots taken and name in the paper. Thats not good for business.
@johnny968887 ай бұрын
I live in Ohio and you cant do any electrical or plumbing without some sort of contractor license, being a licensed plumber, being a licensed electrician, or permit. Is there a way around this?
@bulletproofhandyman7 ай бұрын
Here in Arizona we have the same law but every state has different definitions for what constitutes plumbing or electrical work. In my case, I spoke to an investigator at the Arizona registrar of contractors and he told me that if it's under $1,000 and doesn't require a permit then it would be legal. An example he gave was that swapping out an outlet doesn't require a permit and can be done by a handyman. However, moving the location of the outlet does require a permit and would not be legal for a handyman. I suggest calling your states contractors agency and asking for clarification of the definition of electrical and plumbing jobs with the context of faucets, fixtures, etc...
@johnny968887 ай бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman thank you that was very helpful. I’ve been trying to figure that out for the longest time.
@ScreamingEagleFTW4 ай бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman ok so when you get arrested you just say you talked to a guy on the phone at the contractors agency and then they will take the cuffs off right?
@elpitkin857 ай бұрын
Hey Ray, sorry to bring up and old video. But does the $125 you charge is that in addition to your $125 trip fee? Or is the fan install included with your $125 trip fee?
@bulletproofhandyman7 ай бұрын
The trip fee and the fan install are one in the same. In other words, I can install a ceiling fan fast enough that I don't need to charge anything above the trip fee for it. This means most of my one-off jobs are 125
@elpitkin857 ай бұрын
@@bulletproofhandymanthat’s what I figured. In the works of picking up 2 property management contracts. Have in person meetings tomorrow morning. Would be a total of 645 units total between the 2.
@bulletproofhandyman7 ай бұрын
That's great! Good luck!!!
@southerncharmhomeservices3 күн бұрын
I can tell this is an older video, because your hat isn’t browned yet.
@bulletproofhandymanКүн бұрын
Yep!
@maxxtheautumn11 ай бұрын
You mentioned $225 for two fans - does it mean $125 for one and $100 for the second one?
@bulletproofhandyman11 ай бұрын
Yes exactly. 3 fans for 325. 4 for 425. Of course that pricing assumes 8' ceilings, traditional fans, etc ...
@maxxtheautumn11 ай бұрын
What if this is a condo with a concrete ceiling? Can the box be upgraded there?
@maxxtheautumn11 ай бұрын
I just got a ceiling fan replacement job in a condo and, after seeing another video of yours, where you’ve mentioned the box upgrade, realized that in that condo (I had been in another unit of the same building and on the same spot there was just a ceiling light there) the ceiling fan may have been installed in the regular box at some point.
@bulletproofhandyman11 ай бұрын
Interesting. I don't want to pretend to know things that I don't, so my honest answer would have to be that I don't know. You definitely wouldn't be able to install what I would refer to as a remodel fan box, however, I would imagine since the ceiling is concrete it wouldn't be very hard to find an alternative way to ensure that the fan is definitely solidly mounted.
@maxxtheautumn11 ай бұрын
@@bulletproofhandyman okay, I guess, we’ll soon find out)
@charleshairston48536 ай бұрын
@@maxxtheautumnso how did it turn out?
@maxxtheautumn6 ай бұрын
@@charleshairston4853 of course it turned out to be a not rated box. I managed to fix the fan (the problem was actually just with the wall switch) without replacing it. Left it as is.
@Kristina-py6sz Жыл бұрын
Thing is hit .em hard up front.i tell them look I'm going to give you a high bid based on worse case.thrn I kinda laugh say I'd rather come with good news.
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
Under promise, over deliver
@TheRealVsauce Жыл бұрын
This vid is 💯🤌
@bulletproofhandyman Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@chuckleaf80277 ай бұрын
Craigslist seems to be very cheap people.
@charleshairston48536 ай бұрын
I'm in the drywall repair business, and yes Craigslist is is awful.
@chuckleaf80276 ай бұрын
Thanks. I thought it was just me. Referrals are best...but just like selling a car or something, craigslist seems like it's all lowballers.. @@charleshairston4853