7 Tips on How to Start an Appliance Repair Business

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It costs a lot of money for homeowners to replace the various appliances that they have in their houses.

The average refrigerator, for example, can cost anywhere from $500 all the way up to more than $2,000. The average stove, meanwhile, often costs somewhere between $760 and $1,260.

Because of this, many homeowners will try to repair their appliances rather than replacing them when they're broken. They'll reach out to a local appliance repair business to see if their old appliances can be salvaged before they even think about the possibility of putting new appliances in their place.

Would you like to help these people by opening up your own appliance repair business? Here are seven tips that will help you do it.


1. Create a Name for Your Company and Register Your Business

You can come up with a name for your company at any point if you can't think of something great right off the top of your head. But your appliance repair business isn't going to feel real until it has a name.

Brainstorm some ideas and see what you can come up with. Try to think of a name that will let people know what it is that you offer while also proving to be plenty memorable. You want people to think of your business first when they need appliance repairs done.

Once you have a name in place, register your business and get your hands on any business licenses that are required in your city or town. This will show everyone that you're serious about jump starting an appliance repair company.


2. Come Up With a List of Services Your Business Will Provide

What kinds of services is your appliance repair business going to provide to your community? This is the next thing you should consider after you've settled on a name for your business.

In a perfect world, you should be prepared to work on almost any appliance. This should include:

  • Refrigerators
  • Freezers
  • Ovens
  • Dishwashers
  • Microwaves
  • Washers and dryers

You should, of course, make sure you're trained to fix certain appliances before you do it. But as long as you have a background in fixing appliances, you should be able to take care of appliance repair on most appliances within the average home.


3. Invest in the Tools You'll Need to Repair Appliances

You might be the best appliance repairman that this world has ever seen. But if you don't have the right tools to work on appliances, that's not going to do you much good, is it?

If you don't own the tools that you'll need to fix appliances already, you'll want to invest in them when you start your appliance repair business. You'll need to spend at least a few thousand dollars on all the basic tools that are used for appliance repair.

You might have to take out a business loan to buy these tools or find a family member or friend to invest in you. Either way, it's important to have at least some money in the bank for expenses prior to starting any type of business. 


4. Find a Used Truck or Van Large Enough to Fit Your Tools and Appliances

In order to repair appliances for those within your city or town, you're going to need to drive out to their homes and make your repairs inside of them. This will require you to have reliable transportation available.

And you'll need to buy more than just a compact car to get the job done. You're going to need a large truck or van that can fit the tools you'll need to bring along to repair jobs. It should also have room to transport new appliances like this product around, if at all possible.

Steer clear of purchasing a brand-new, straight-off-the-lot truck or van for your appliance repair business. Instead, go with a used truck or van that will cost a lot less than a new vehicle.


5. Obtain Business Insurance to Protect Your Company

As we just mentioned, you're going to spend a lot of your time working inside the homes of people in your community. They're going to trust you to do high-quality repairs without making a mess or causing any problems.

There are, however, going to be times when something unexpected happens and causes an issue. If this issue leads to an injury or damage being done in a home, you're going to want to have a good business insurance policy in place to protect you.

You should not, under any circumstances, work as an appliance repairman without insurance. You'll be asking for trouble if you do, and you'll also scare away many customers who won't want to work with someone that isn't insured.


6. Set Up a Website for Your Appliance Repair Business

People who need the services of an appliance repair business in your city or town will often Google the words "appliance repair near me" to see their options. If you don't have a website set up, there is almost no way they're going to choose to work with your business.

Create a website for your business and use it to showcase your services. Post blogs on it on a regular basis to keep the content on it fresh and make sure you include your contact information in different spots on your site so that it's easy to find.


7. Figure Out the Best Ways to Market Your Business

How are you going to market your appliance repair business to the homeowners in your city or town? Are you going to:

  • Run commercials on local TV and radio stations?
  • Establish a strong social media presence?
  • Use email marketing to your advantage?
  • Sponsor local events in your community?

No matter how you choose to do it, marketing your business is of the utmost importance. It'll help build up brand recognition and bring in more calls and emails regarding your services. 


Get Your Appliance Repair Business Off the Ground Today

Starting an appliance repair business isn't as difficult as it might seem. If you enjoy working on appliances and injecting life back into them, consider opening up a business that will allow you to do it all day long.

Use the tips listed here to turn your business idea into a reality. You can start serving those in your community within a month or two once you lay down a solid foundation for your company.

Read our blog for more tips on starting a successful small business from scratch. Click on our Startups section today.

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