Choosing the right vehicle for a handyman business depends on what you need the car for. When selecting the best vehicle for your handyman business, there are many things to consider. Still, more importantly, you must evaluate the amount of time you will be spending driving it and the type of work you will be doing. This post will cover some things you should look for in a business vehicle, along with some examples for inspiration.
What To Look For When Choosing A New Car For Your Handyman Business?
It is worth discussing a few key factors to look for before going into specifics about what type of car is ideal for this profession.
Fuel Economy
As a sole trader, you will be traveling a lot. This ultimately means that a large chunk of your expenditure will be going on fuel, and with the prices at the pump steadily rising every month, it makes sense to look for something with a decent fuel economy. However, you will have to balance this with the power that you will need to transport your equipment. For example, if you know that you will regularly use a trailer or carry large equipment like generators, you will need a more powerful vehicle. Nonetheless, a more powerful engine tends to mean a higher fuel consumption rate. Therefore, you should research where the balance lies and your specific sweet spot regarding the type of work you do.
Space
A handyman isn't particularly handy without tools, so any vehicle you opt for should have plenty of space to store things. However, the space must be usable and allow you to organize your tools and equipment so that everything is easy to get to. Moreover, if you have staff or apprentices, you will need plenty of space inside the cabin to accommodate several fully-grown adults and their equipment.
Your Budget And How You Will Finance It
While being your own boss has numerous advantages over working for someone else, it does mean that you have to pay for everything. Therefore, you must carefully consider what budget you have to put towards your new car. You can choose between finance or lease. For most businesses, leasing a vehicle is preferable to buying it outright. The main disadvantage is that leasing tends to limit your mileage. This might not be an issue if you are a local handyman, but you might find this too restrictive if you take jobs further afield.
Will You Need A Trailer?
If you plan to transport large machinery on a trailer, you will need a vehicle with a lot of torque and easy connectivity options. Not all cars are suitable for carrying trailers, so if you think you will need one now or in the future, you should contact your dealership and see what they have in stock for this purpose.
What Vehicle Should You Buy As A Handyman?
Now that you understand the general things to look for, it is time to move on to a selection of vehicles that could be suitable for your requirements. All options listed below might not meet every point listed above, but they are all versatile and a great mixture of power and usability.
Ford Transit Cargo Van
A Ford Transit van is an excellent vehicle for contractors for several reasons. It is well-built, has lots of cargo room, and is spacious enough to fit in all of your tools. In fact, you could say that this is one of the best vehicles for this purpose as it is fuel-efficient, spacious, and highly durable. Moreover, Ford Transit vans are popular because they offer a high level of customization, so you can find one that suits your needs perfectly. Many different engine options are available to suit your needs and budget. You can get a diesel engine for fuel efficiency or a gas engine for power and performance.
Chevy Colorado
The Chevy Colorado is an excellent truck for contractors because, like the others mentioned here, it has a lot of room, so they can fit all the tools and materials they need to get the job done. Furthermore, it has a towing capacity of almost 8000 pounds.
Ford F-150
As the best-selling vehicle of all time, it is no surprise that the F-150 makes it onto this list! Not only is it an excellent vehicle for contractors, but it's also a great vehicle for those who work on their own projects or need to haul their equipment. Moreover, you can usually find these secondhand at great prices to save a lot of money.
As a handyman, you're going to need a vehicle to carry tools and materials around. If you are still deciding what car you should use for your handyman company, you should consider using all of these options.