Do you want to make money by fixing / repairing people’s houses? If YES, here are 50 best lucrative home improvement business ideas you can start. When you consider starting a home improvement business, the first step is to take stock of your skills and interests.
Do you like or have you ever been involved in building and construction? Do you prefer repairing or restoring? Do you possess skills in plumbing or electrical works? Do you want to work on long-term projects such as kitchen remodeling, or would you rather work as needed on appliance repairs?
Do you want to work on projects that require you to coordinate with your work with others? To finish a basement, for example, you would need plumbing, electrical and carpentry skills. If you don’t have one of those, you’d need to coordinate with someone who does in order to get the job done.
Depending on the scope of a job, your state may require you to have a contractor license. Whether or not this is required, consider getting bonded and insured to offer you and your clients more protection. Once you’ve figured out what you’d most enjoy doing, it’s time to find out what needs to be done.
What type of home improvement work is going to be most profitable? This could be considered either by the amount of work available or the costs you can charge for a single job.
Are new homes being built rapidly, or is there little growth? In other words, what area of home improvement will provide the most opportunity for your business?
Find these things out and match them with your interests and abilities, and you’ll be well on your way to knowing how to start a home improvement business successfully. You can consider any of these 50 business ideas that match any of your skills.
Best Home Improvement Business ideas
Lawn care services is a home improvement service based business that any entrepreneur who is interested in making money should consider starting. It is a business that is easy to start and manage; lawn mower, shovel, rake, wheelbarrow and shearer et al. are the basic equipment needed to start a lawn care venture
Another thriving, profitable and easy to start home improvement business that an entrepreneur who is serious about making money should consider starting is to offer landscaping services. Landscape architecture is all about the art, planning, designing, management, preservation and rehabilitation of the land and the design of a large man – made construct; it beautifies our environment.
An interior decoration business is a typical home improvement business that an entrepreneur who is thoughtful and serious about making money should consider starting.
Interior decoration entails giving homes, offices and buildings facelifts; interior decors are usually involved in activities ranging from color selections for apartments, lighting selections, blind selections amongst some many things that are needed to bring out the beauty in a house.
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Start a Plumbing Business
In recent time, it appears that plumbers are scarce to come by; the plumbers that are available in most communities are not enough to service the community. So if you are looking for a home improvement business to start, then one of your options is to start a plumbing business. It is important to state that you would need to acquire a plumbing skill is you intend starting a plumbing business.
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Become a Painter
One of the easiest ways of improving the appearance and aesthetic of your home is first to paint your house. This goes to show that there are indeed loads of business opportunities for professional painters.
So if you are looking towards starting a home improvement business, a business that requires very minimal start – up capital and a business that you can successfully operate alone or with one or more employees, and low level of training, then one of your options is to go into home painting business.
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Window Blind Sales and Repair
Selling, sewing and fixing of window blinds is another lucrative and profitable home improvement business that an entrepreneur can successfully state. As a matter of fact, blinds are part of what brings out the interior beauty in a home and there is hardly any apartment that you won’t find window blinds.
So if you are looking for a simple home improvement business to start, a business that you can successfully run alone or with the aid of one or two employees, then one of your options is to go into the sale, sewing and fixing of window blinds.
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Wallpaper Fixing
One of the easiest medium of making money from home improvement related business is to go into the fixing of wall papers. Wall papers are now produced in 3D format and they usually change the outlook of an apartment once they are used.
So, if you are looking for a profitable, thriving, simple and cost effective business to launch in the home improvement line of business, then one of your options is to start fixing wall papers. It is a business that college students can successful start and manage; it requires just few days of training.
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Furniture Polishing and Spraying
Furniture polishing services is yet another thriving and profitable home improvement business venture that an entrepreneur who is interested in making money should consider starting. There are loads of people who are willing to pay for these services.
Furniture such as cupboard, wardrobe, cabins, shelves, tables, and any wooden products can come alive and shinning if properly polished. So if you are looking for a simple but yet profitable home improvement services to start, then one of your options is to go into furniture polishing business.
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Cleaning and Stain Removal
Floor (tiles, marbles, terrazzo and wooden floors et al) cleaning and stain remover services is yet another thriving and profitable home improvement business that an entrepreneur who is interested in making money from the cleaning and home improvement industry should consider starting.
This type of business is a niche in the cleaning industry and it is a business that requires professionalism on like general cleaning services.
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Bathtub Reglazing
Because a bathtub reglazing and refinishing costs between $250 and $600 as opposed to more than $1,000 for a new tub, refurbishing remains high on the to-do list of domestic beautification, especially in tough times when money is tight.
A bathtub reglazing work from home business can catch the home-improvement wave, allowing you to earn between $30 and $100 an hour. Why not join the business and earn a good income as not so many individuals are in this line of home improvement services.
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Electrical Services and Fittings Sales
Another thriving and profitable home improvement business that any person who is interested in making money should consider starting is to go into the sale and fixing of electrical lights and fittings. As a matter of fact, with the correct lightings the outlook of a house can dramatically change.
So if you are looking towards starting a home improvement business, then one of your options is to go into the sale and fixing of electrical lights and fittings. You might need to acquire electrical trainings for you to be able to successfully launch this type of business.
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Home Remodeling and Restoration Services
If you love carpentry, why not consider starting a home remodeling and restoration home based business? You can either offer to make improvements yourself, or if you’re not the handy type, offer your services as a remodeling and restoration consultant instead. The hourly rate for home remodeling services can be as high as into the triple figures in states such as California.
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Stained Glass Business
Starting a stained glass home based business is one of those home improvement specialty opportunities that require good hands, an eye for color and the patience to endure the vagaries of an enterprise with more practitioners than demand.
Checking out your competition’s inventory and pricing is critical to gaining a business foothold. And deciding whether to focus on stained glass for windows or handicrafts to sell in galleries or custom installations, will also influence income flow.
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Appliance Repair Service
Appliance repair is a great money making opportunity for mechanically oriented business people. Stoves, fridges, dishwashers, washers, dryers, central vacuum systems and freezers are just a few of the home appliances that needs constant repair and you will be able to repair at rates as high as $75 per hour.
You will need home-appliance repair training, but certification courses can be completed in less than a year, and you can contact the associations listed below to find classes available in your area.
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Air Conditioning Service
Calling all air conditioning service and repair trades people; it’s time to stop making money for the boss and starting putting your talents to work for you with your own air conditioning service and repair business. And for those of you who are worried about job security and income: don’t. Simply premarket your service and build a customer base prior to leaving your job.
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Apartment Prep Service
When tenants vacate apartments, they usually fail to clean up after themselves. Even the tidiest tenant can leave a trail of normal wear and tear–carpets that need cleaning, nail holes to be filled and walls to be painted. And apartment managers and other assorted landlords rarely have the time or the inclination to handle the tasks.
But if you like transforming shabby to shiny and you’re not afraid of a little elbow grease, then you can answer an apartment manager’s prayers with an apartment prep service. You’ll scrub bathrooms, kitchens and baseboards, wax floors and shampoo carpets. You’ll toss out junk, patch holes, paint, and replace cracked windows, broken towel bars and off-track closet doors.
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Gardening Services
A look around you will reveal that nearly every house has flowers or flower vases in its frontage. This is because of the ambience and beauty that green leaves give. It is for this reason that some people would leave no stone unturned when it comes to running gardens for profit. This is indeed a profitable business, if you know how to tweak things so that you can build a successful business.
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Christmas Tree and Christmas Lights Installation
During Christmas season it is the norm for people to decorate their houses and offices with Christmas trees and Christmas lights. So if you are looking towards starting a home improvement business, then one of your options is to go into the sale and installation of Christmas trees and Christmas lights in homes and offices.
Although this type of business is seasonal, but that does not mean that it is not a profitable business venture to engage in. As a matter of fact, you can start this type of business with little or no startup capital. Just ensure that you make use of word of mouth and the internet to market your services.
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Attic Room Service
With millions of homes in North America that have some usable attic space that could easily be turned into a home office, children’s play room, organized storage room, or just a small reading corner. Starting a business that specializes in the installation of small and basic attic rooms may be the business opportunity that you have been searching for.
Providing that you have a good working knowledge of construction practices, as well as knowledge of the most common type of home construction in your community, there is a good chance that you will be able to predesign and construct one or two models of the basic attic rooms.
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Basement Remodeling
The easiest and least expensive method of adding livable square footage to a house is to remodel the basement into usable living space. Launching a new business that specializes in basement remodeling is the focus of this business enterprise.
The main requirement for successfully operating this sort of business is to have considerable construction knowledge and practical experience.
The business can specialize in one particular type of basement remodeling, such as recreation rooms, or the business can deal in basement remodeling in general. The profit potential for a basement remodeling business can be excellent once the business is established and has a good client referral base.
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Window Blind Cleaning Services
More and more residential and commercial property owners are now using window blinds as opposed to window curtains, and this fact creates a fantastic opportunity for the enterprising entrepreneur to capitalize on by starting a blind cleaning service. There are a couple of different approaches that can be taken for starting a blind cleaning business.
The first is to remove and label customers’ blinds and take them to a central cleaning location. The second option is to clean the blinds on site using cleaning tanks that can be mounted in a truck or trailer, or cleaning the blinds on site by hand using dusters and cleaning agents.
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Bug Screening Repairing
Starting a screen repair and replacement business could put you on the road to riches, especially in light of the recent mosquito-borne West Nile virus and ever-present threat of killer bees. You will need basic tools and materials to get started’-a miter saw, screen rollers, various screen replacement parts, and a selection of fiberglass and aluminum screen rolls in various widths.
The business can be operated from an enclosed trailer or van to provide protection from inclement weather for onsite screen repairs and installations.
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Cabinet Door Replacements
The average new kitchen costs in the range of $20,000 to install, not including appliances. Not everyone can afford this expensive home improvement; however, it only costs a few thousand dollars to update a kitchen’s look with new cabinet doors and hardware.
Starting this business does not require a great deal of expertise or capital, and you can generally be completely ready to roll for under a $5,000 investment. There are many house wives with ugly looking kitchen who needs you to ask if they want to remodel their ugly kitchen. Tap into this venture and earn a good living.
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Tree Trimming and Removal Service
If you are located in a fast developing area where there is constant need to get rid of or trim down trees to hasten up development, you can make money from offering a tree trimming and tree removal services. The job of a tree trimming company is to prune big trees to avoid them causing nuisance to other people.
And tree removal is done where a building or a construction project is about to commence. With a good knowledge of how the business works, getting the required licenses and capital, you can be on your way to starting a successful tree trimming and removal business.
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Home Remodeling
Home remodeling is all about giving an existing home a facelift or making an adjustment in the original design of a building to make it look better and if possible to create more space et al.
Home remodeling business is a very lucrative business especially in communities where houses were built over a long time ago; some people that owns such houses would love to change the design from the ancient structure it used to be to a model structure.
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Carport Conversion
Did you know that most carports share the same footprint size and dimensions? While this may not seem important to most people, it is very useful information if you plan to start a business that specializes in converting carports into garages.
Due to the fact that so many carports share the same dimensions, it creates a terrific opportunity for the innovative entrepreneur to predesign and build standard carport conversion kits that can be sold on you-install or we-install basis. This type of business is an ideal candidate for starting from home on a part-time basis until the business is established and profitable.
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Carpet Installations
Not unlike siding sales and installations, carpet sales and installations have been going strong for more than 50 years. The main requirement for this type of home improvement business startup is to have the ability to properly install carpeting or have access to qualified installers.
To be competitive in this industry and keep your overheads low, your best bet may be to stay away from a traditional carpet and flooring showroom and stick to a mobile showroom via your installation van.
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Caulking and Flashing Services
What makes a caulking and flashing service such a fantastic and attractive business startup is the fact that this business venture can be launched for as little as $500 of investment capital, requires little experience, is a unique service and has a minimal amount of competition.
Caulking and flashings have a definite life span and have to be replaced in order for their intended purposes to be effective. Furthermore, the uses for caulking and flashings are varied and required on just about every standing structure.
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Cedar Restoration Service
The average-sized cedar roof costs $10,000 to replace; however, the same cedar roof can be restored to give the roof an additional life of five or more years for approximately $1,500. This fact is what makes this such a good business to start. Not only can you save homeowners a considerable amount of money, you can also use this cost savings analysis as your main marketing tool.
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Ceramic Tiles Sales and Installation
Ceramic tile flooring is also very attractive and adds value to any home. To be successful in this venture you’ll need experience and knowledge in the installation of ceramic tile flooring, or have access to qualified tradesmen to do the actual flooring installations.
Operating as a subcontractor service for construction and renovation companies is the logical starting point for this business and as a method of keeping the initial business startup costs to a minimum. Your customers will be homeowners looking to update or install new flooring.
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Chimney Services
Providing you have basic masonry skills and experience, starting a chimney repair service can be a very profitable business to own and operate. Brick and stone chimneys all require maintenance in order to stay structurally sound and perform to their design specifications.
The best types of chimney repairs to focus on are repairing or replacing damaged rain pots, rebuilding crowns, installing new base and counter flashing, repainting and sealing brick and stone chimneys. The tools and equipment necessary for repairing chimneys are also very basic and include ladders, roof jacks, stone chisels, and a few hand tools.
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Closet Organizers
Selling and installing closet organizers is a very inexpensive business you can start and make a pretty darn good living at. Closet organizers are very popular and relatively easy to install. All that is required are a few basic hand tools and reliable transportation.
You can market your service to homebuilders and home renovators, as well as directly to the end consumer via trade shows and weekend mall kiosk displays. There is competition in this industry, so you may want to specialize in one particular brand of closet organizer or become a manufacturer’s exclusive sales and installation representative.
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Concrete Stamping
Concrete stamping and coating are one of the hottest home improvements being carries out by homeowners and contractors alike. This just may be the right new business for you to start and succeed with. Generally concrete stamping is done with installations of new concrete driveways, walkways, and patios.
Once the forms are in place, dyes have been added, and the concrete is poured using various tools to create the desired pattern and appearance on the surface as it cures.
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Custom Fireplace Mantel
One of the hottest home improvements right now is upgrading or installing new gas fireplaces. Most newly installed fireplaces have one thing in common: they require a mantel to suit the fireplace. Building and installing custom fireplace mantels is a great business to start for a person who has expertise in construction, or more specifically, cabinetmaking.
This sort of business can easily be started for less than $1,000 and be operated right from a truck or van. In terms of marketing the mantels, there is an endless supply of potential customers who can provide you with work, including homebuilders, interior designers, renovation companies, gas fireplace retailers, architects, and utility companies.
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Deck Building
One of the fastest growing segments of the home improvement industry is designing, building, and installing custom sundecks.
Many of the sundecks that are now being installed retail for as much as $15,000 and include features such as built-in planters, areas for sunk-in hot tubs, glass or cast iron handrails, and custom manufactured wood furniture to match the sundeck’s design.
The most profitable way to operate the business is to sell the sundecks directly to the end consumers. However, this method of operating is also the most expensive to launch and establish.
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Door Installations
Doors installation and replacement ranks number six as the most frequently completed home improvement renovation. Once again, modern manufacturing methods and materials have helped to fuel the desire for this type of home improvement.
Newly installed doors not only have better safety and insulation features, these doors are also highly attractive and can improve the appearance of the home for a relatively small investment. Due to the fact that this is a competitive industry, you may want to consider specializing in one particular type of door or become an exclusive agent or representative for one door manufacturer.
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Drainage Repairs
Before the 1970s, many ground drainage systems were primarily constructed from clay tiles. Over time, these clay tiles have been damaged by tree roots, or collapse under compacted weight or corrosion.
These facts have created a terrific opportunity to start a new business that specializes in repairing and replacing ground drainage systems for residential houses. The business can be initiated on a small capital investment. Most of the equipment that is required for this home repair service can be rented on an as-needed basis.
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Drywall Installations
Drywall installation and finishing is a messy work that installers avoid doing; which is great for you, if this is the type of new business you wish to start.
The drywall trade does require some practice and time to master. But with a patient spirit, you can master the drywall trade quickly. The fastest way to establish and expand a drywall business is to market the service directly to homebuilders and renovators.
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Glass Block Installations
Starting your own glass block installation service does not require a lot in terms of investment or expertise. Almost all home improvement centers will now make up glass block on a custom order basis to fit any size opening.
However, the installation techniques still do require some experience, but this can be self-taught starting with your home, or a friend or relative’s home. One thing is for sure; it does not appear as though glass block windows will be falling from popularity any time soon.
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Gutter Protection Business
Do you want to make $50,000 or more per year, and be independent within a week from now? If so, then starting a gutter protection business may be exactly the type of new business enterprise that you have been searching for. What is a gutter protection business?
Gutter protection is a product that quickly snaps into place over the top of four- and five-inch gutters. Once installed, gutter protection allows water to pass into the gutter, but not debris, such as leaves and small branches.
Handyman services have been around for hundreds of years, and will continue to be around for hundreds more, simply because there is a demand for the service and this type of business venture can make money. The business requires very little in terms of explanation.
The main requirement for starting a handyman service is, of course, the fact that you have to be handy and a jack-of-all-trades. Currently, handyman billing rates are in the range of $20 to $35 per hour, plus materials and a markup on materials cost.
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Furniture Repairs and Finishing Business
Reasonable income can be earned repairing office and residential furniture, as well as refinishing antique furniture. The furniture-repair side of the business can be operated on a mobile basis at your customer’s location, using a fully equipped van.
Potential customers that commonly require furniture repair services include home and office movers, business owners, property managers, restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, institutions, government offices and retailers of new and used furniture.
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Fence Repairing
Fences get damaged quickly but they are very easy to repair, and securing work for a fence repair service is even easier. By starting fence repairing business, I can guarantee that you can make more than $25,000 per year repairing fences, which is not bad for a business that can be started for less than $1,000.
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Home Maintenance and Repair Services
If you’re the type who can (and likes to) do just about anything around the house–mend a leaky faucet, nail down those sagging shingles, paint a wall, unstick a sticking door, repair a broken cabinet or build a garbage can enclosure, then this might be just the business for you.
You’ll be on-call in your neighborhood for all those jobs that aren’t quite big enough to hire an expensive contractor but are beyond the homeowner’s expertise or time constraints. This is a business with room for growth: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans spent close to $43 million on home maintenance and repairs in a single recent year.
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Hot Tubs Installations
Hot tubs make a great addition to any home. However, the focus of this new business opportunity is not aimed at hot tub sales, but at the installation of hot tubs.
In order for a hot tub to properly work and be safe for the occupants, it must be installed correctly, including the electrical hook-up and a solid foundation base. Starting your own business that specializes in the delivery and installation of hot tubs is a great little business venture to launch.
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Home Renovation Classes
There are various approaches that can be taken when considering starting a business that teaches homeowners home renovation skills and techniques. The first is to establish an independent school and charge students a fee to learn a specific home renovation trade such as ‘how to paint.’
The second approach is to build an alliance or joint venture with a local building or home improvement center and hold the classes at the building center. The classes can be free, which are then supported by the retailer, or there can be a fee charged to the students for the class.
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Kitchen Facelift Service
The average cost of a complete kitchen replacement now tops $20,000; this is out of the reach of many homeowners. Yet many of these same homeowners have the financial resources to part with a few thousand dollars to get the next best thing which is a professional kitchen facelift.
Leaving the wall and floor cabinets in place, install new doors, countertops, hardware, tile backsplash, accent lighting and trim to make even the dullest kitchen look new and exciting for a fraction of the cost of a total kitchen replacement.
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Mirror Installations
Mirrors are required for just about every residential and commercial washroom application, and a mirror sales and installation business can easily be operated from a home garage. All that is required is a truck with a basic glass rack, a few tools and the ability to cut glass (or hire an assistant who can cut the glass).
The current rate to install bathroom mirrors is in the range of $5 to $7 per square foot, while the wholesale cost of the mirror is only $2 per square foot. Your math skills do not have to be good to know that leaves around $4 per square foot just for installing the mirror.
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Odor Control Services
Believe it or not, odor control and elimination is big business. Insurance companies and homeowners spend millions of dollars annually in North America to rid their homes and buildings of less-than-favorable odors. Fires, floods, leaky roofs and pets are a few of the culprits in terms of the origins of these bothersome odors, and eliminating these odors can earn you big profits.
The best method for marketing an odor control and elimination service is to establish working relationships with insurance companies and fire and flood restoration companies, as these sources can potentially supply you with more work than you can handle.
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Molding Installations
The fastest and least inexpensive way to improve a home’s interior appearance is to install decorative baseboard, crown, and door moldings. The market for interior moldings and installation services is absolutely huge, both for home renovations and new construction.
You can market your products and services to homebuilders, interior decorators, or directly to consumers seeking to upgrade their homes.
Starting a home improvement business might not be a new idea but it is an idea with a lasting effect as you can start any of the above businesses with as low as $500, and earn at least $10,000 annually. The beauty of the business is that most of it requires little or no skill set to start but a determined spirit to make money.