semueller

I'm a handyman in the process of obtaining a painting license, since that's been a significant part of my business and I'd like to be able to take on larger painting jobs. However, I want to continue my handyman business for non-painting-related jobs under $500. Once licensed, I plan to create a separate DBA for painting only and include my license number on all advertising materials. My question is: Can I continue to promote my handyman business (excluding painting services) under my current DBA? As long as I remove "painting" from the list of services offered, can the handyman ads still state "not a licensed contractor" (as required by the CSLB)? I would not be licensed for these other services, but would be a licensed painting contractor. It's very confusing!

JonM

It might help if you tell everyone where you plan on doing this work....

480sparky

Laws vary from state to state. Some don't require licensing for painters. Like Jon said, it would help to know where you are.

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Handymanservice

Sounds like California to me.

You can do both, keep your Handyman DBA, and start another if you want.

You don't have to remove "painting" from your services, a handyman can still paint, it would be tough to paint a house and still stay under the $500 cap though.

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Celtic

Smells like it to me too

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katoman

Just wondering why a person who is getting his painter's licence, which must have taken him at least four years of apprentiship would be doing handyman work?

License Guru

And why continue with the "handyman" business after obtaining the license. More to the story I'm sure.

Celtic....."Smells"?? and you live in New Jersey?

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Handymanservice

Some people can make a very good living doing "handyman" work. Everyone with a license should offer the service.

You have no idea how much work I pass off because I can't do it. That will change shortly when I pass my test. I passed an $8000.00 job on to a fellow contractor on this forum, he did pretty good on the job too.

I'm telling you, handyman is not a dirty word. It is a profitable venture if you know how to push it.

Get your painting license and keep doing your handyman work.

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"You can shear a sheep every year, but you can only skin him once!" Remember that when dealing with your customers and pricing.

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naptown CR

There is more to New Jersey than what you can see from the NJ turnpike.
I will admit that elizabeth is the smelly anus of the world.

semueller

I am in California... and I enjoy fixing things. I'd like to take on bigger painting jobs, but keep the handyman thing going. There are lots of small jobs, and I don't necessarily want to give them up once licensed. But how can I legally promote the handyman business when the CSLB requires the statement "Not a licensed contractor" in all ads... and I will have a painting license? Any suggestions?

Aggie67

From personal experience, if the world ever needed an enema, Doremus Avenue in Newark is where they'd stick the hose.

DBA's are a valuable tool. You may want to think about a couple versions of your business card (each one directed to a specific market segment). If the same skill is being applied, and it's just a matter of properly marketing it to vastly different niches, why not do a DBA?

The thing you want to avoid is appearing to be everything for everyone, because in reality people have fixed perceptions of a contractor versus a handyman. But if you're a pro, and you want to market similar services to different market targets that would otherwise look weird or jumbled together on a business card or web site, take advantage of the DBA rules.

semueller, I just reread your post. I can't answer it directly, but in NJ I can market engineering directly to residential, engineering to residential contractors, engineering and/or construction to commercial and industrial, environmental consulting to res/comm/industrial, but without the NJHIC registration number, I can't market residential construction to residents, nor can I use my engineering license to cover residential construction. I need my NJHIC # for that (foundation repairs), which is pending. But for each of those segments (other than res construction), there's a DBA registered with the state.

You have to check the rules. But I would think you'd need to get the license to cover you for the handyman service.

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