The Only 3 Ways You Make Money In Home Services
There are only three ways to make money in home services—and if you're not clear about which one you’re working in, you might be grinding away harder than you need to without making real progress.
So let’s break it down—because every dollar you earn falls into one of these three categories: Working, Selling, or Owning.
1. Working – Trading Time for Money
This is where most people start—and where too many stay stuck. You're either working for someone else or for yourself, but either way, your income is tied directly to your time.
If you’re burning out, you’re probably here.
- Track your time and identify low-value tasks you can offload or automate.
- Charge more when your demand or skill increases—don't stay at your "starter price."
- Specialize in high-value jobs that pay more for your expertise.
- Streamline your daily schedule to reduce wasted time between jobs.
- Use home services business management tools to eliminate administrative headaches.
2. Selling – Turning Skills Into Transactions
Sales is where you start to disconnect your time from your income. You're no longer just getting paid to work—you're getting paid to close. And how well you communicate your value becomes more important than how well you swing a hammer.
You don’t need to be the best tech—you need to be the one who wins the job.
- Develop a simple, repeatable sales script that handles common objections.
- Offer bundled services or value upgrades to increase average ticket size.
- Upgrade your estimate and proposal tools with testimonials, before-and-after photos, and warranty info.
- Prequalify leads to avoid time-wasters and focus on high-intent clients.
- Use fast follow-up tools like AI chatbots for home service companies to respond before your competition.
- Test tiered pricing packages to give clients options—and push them to spend more.
3. Owning – Building Systems That Earn Without You
Owning isn’t about doing—it’s about building. You make money through others, through systems, and through repeatable processes that work whether you're on-site or off-grid.
Stop working a job. Start building a business.
- Start by hiring one helper or virtual assistant—get the ball rolling.
- Document your day-to-day processes so others can replicate your quality and standards.
- Create a system to capture and leverage client reviews and referrals.
- Shift your focus to high-leverage tasks like marketing and leadership.
- Use dashboards and reports to manage your business by numbers—not gut feel.
- Block out weekly time away from the field to work on—not just in—your business.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, it pays to know exactly where your money is coming from—and how to level up.
If you're stuck in the “working” stage, start charging more and systemizing the repeat stuff. If you’re ready to improve your sales game, build a repeatable pitch and sharpen your close. And if you're ready to grow beyond yourself, start delegating—because that's where real scale happens.
Need help getting more qualified leads so you can sell and own more effectively? Check out our contractor marketing options and our Google ad management for contractors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Selling focuses on converting leads and pricing your services effectively. Owning is about building a team and systems so your business can generate income without your constant involvement.
Start by hiring help and documenting your processes. Delegate simple tasks first and build systems that allow others to perform without you being present at every step.
Use estimate builders, before-and-after photos, and automated chat tools like contractor lead chat systems to help close deals faster and more effectively.
"Contractor Marketing Tips And Tricks" - The Footbridge Media Podcast
About Chris Lonergan
Chris Lonergan has over 12 years of contractor marketing experience with Footbridge Media. With a background in web design, print design, content creation, and online marketing, Chris is focused on providing quality marketing and business solutions in the construction and service industries - helping small business owners to more efficiently manage their companies and grow their operations.
Chris Lonergan has previously contributed to and/or been featured in PM Magazine (Plumbing & Mechanical | Contractors x Engineers), theNEWS (ACHR - Air Conditioning | Heating | Refrigeration), Turf Magazine (For Landscaping and Green Industry Professionals) Service Roundtable's blog, inPAINT Magazine, the SMB Marketing Agency Show, and the Green Industry Podcast. Chris is also a past SGI/CertainPath breakout session presenter.
