Subcontracting Drywall and Trim Work as a Handyman - Tips from 15 Years In

Been doing handyman gigs for 15 years, mostly small repairs like fixing leaky faucets with Delta parts and hanging shelves with toggle bolts, but when jobs get bigger I subcontract out the drywall patching and crown molding installs to specialists. Out here in the Chicago area my whole career, I've learned to always get a written scope from the sub upfront, like exactly how many sheets of 1/2-inch greenboard they're hanging and if it's mudded to a level 4 finish. Use Housecall Pro to track the subs' invoices so nothing slips through, and build in a 15% markup to cover your coordination time without screwing yourself on profit. Someone in the Handyman Nation Facebook group mentioned watching Tommy Mello's video on scaling with subs, and it changed how I vet them now - always check their liability insurance matches your commercial policy. Last week I subbed out a kitchen remodel trim job, and it saved me two days of hassle. If you're solo, start with one reliable guy for the messy stuff like that.

god damn subs who ghost you after you front them for materials, it's why I stopped subcontracting trim work altogether - total BS.

same here man, had a drywall sub flake on a basement reno last summer and I ended up finishing it myself at midnight.