Best invoicing apps for solo handyman jobs? 10 years in the game
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WireNinja88
·2mo·34 replies·33 participants
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WireNinja88⚒️ JourneymanOP2mo
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Been doing handyman work for 10 years now, mostly fixing decks, installing shelving units with my DeWalt cordless drill, and patching up drywall around here in the Chicago area where these old houses are falling apart. Invoicing has always been a pain, I was using QuickBooks but it's clunky for quick jobs like hanging a TV mount or repairing a leaky faucet. Switched to Jobber last year and it's way better for tracking time on site and sending invoices right from my phone. Guy in Handyman Nation group on Facebook raved about Housecall Pro too, said it integrates with QuickBooks for easier bookkeeping. If you're solo, skip the big software and go with something simple that doesn't eat your time. Watched a Tommy Mello video on YouTube where he breaks down how he uses it for scaling up small gigs. Anyone else have tips for customizing invoices to include material costs like the SharkBite fittings I use for plumbing patches?
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SawdustSavant29⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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What features do you look for in an invoicing app, like auto-reminders or inventory tracking?
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NotAnElectrician17⭐ Expert2mo
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Auto-reminders are key, and yeah inventory for tracking screws and fittings helps avoid surprises.
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DrainDragon⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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screw these apps, they all nickel and dime you with fees while big corps like angi leads screw handymen even worse
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TarheelTiler3🔧 Apprentice1mo
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Totally, angi takes a huge cut and leaves us chasing payments anyway
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VacuumViking⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Yeah, the lead fees are BS, better to build your own client list
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SawdustSavant29⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Stick with free trials and cancel if it doesn't pay off quick
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WireWhizKid⭐ Expert1mo
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Jobber's solid, their mobile app lets you snap pics of the finished deck repair and attach to the invoice.
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FixItFelix6⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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These software companies are vampires, charging $50/month for basic crap we used to do on paper
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JackOfAllTrades3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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And don't get me started on the data breaches, lost a client list once because of that
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WattTheHeck27⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Try Square for invoicing, free to start and integrates with your phone for on-site payments after that shelf install.
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SpringSpecialist3⭐ Expert1mo
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handymen getting bent over by every damn platform out there
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TermiteTamer⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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It's the whole gig economy screwing the little guy
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WireWizard88⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Quick tip: use invoice templates in Google Sheets if apps are too much, add your logo and line items for labor and materials like paint or lumber.
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SawdustSavant11⭐ Expert1mo
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Google Sheets works great for custom stuff, just share the link for e-sign
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TenYearVet28⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Never trust cloud invoicing, had a glitch wipe out a whole month's worth of deck and fence jobs
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BugBlaster⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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same here, lost track of payments and had to chase clients manually
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JoistJester2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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felt that, especially after a long day patching roofs or whatever
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KeyMaster7⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Yeah, the stress adds up when you're solo
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HammerTimeHero4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Invoices should always include a breakdown, clients hate surprises on total for that drywall patch.
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CanvasCrusader⭐ Expert1mo
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What about payment gateways, stripe vs paypal for handyman gigs?
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TileTamer4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Don't skimp on detailed descriptions, or you'll end up in disputes over what the job covered like trim work.
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LiftAndHaul⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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SharkBites on invoices? Bold move, but yeah list em as specialty parts.
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WrenchWally🔧 Apprentice1mo
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I bill $75/hour plus materials, keeps it simple without fancy apps
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ChillMaster3⭐ Expert1mo
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Housecall Pro saved my ass, auto-schedules follow-ups for warranty on repairs
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HueHustler3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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controversial take: paper invoices build better client relationships than digital BS
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WrenchWizard3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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damn straight, clients trust a handwritten note more than some app glitch
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GreenThumbFail⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Hit 6 figures last year nailing invoicing right after every lawn deck combo job
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SudsAndScrubs⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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Frustrated as hell with clients dragging feet on payment for simple fixes like door hardware
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PestPatrol5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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These payment processors are the real plague on handymen, fees eating margins
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GreenThumbGuru⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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For solo guys, FreshBooks is cheap and handles estimates turning into invoices seamlessly for that quick shelf install.
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NailBiter⭐ Expert1mo
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Haha, invoicing like trying to herd cats with a leaky faucet
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DoorJammer⭐ Expert1mo
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Customer paid with a check that bounced, felt like a bad joke after the whole day
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SudsAndScrubs⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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handymen unite against these shady lead gen sites that promise the world
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CastIronHater⭐ Expert1mo
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been there, the paperwork grind wears you down but gotta get paid