Handy With Tools? Here’s 5 Smart Ways to Monetize Your Repair Skills – Right  From Home

The problem? You’re a handy person who wants to work from home. But you can’t see how your talent for repairs can be done from home, especially without a full workshop or garage. But believe it or not, there are ways to use your repair skills to earn money from home. In fact, you don’t even need a lot of space or to leave your home to help people with your DIY know-how. According to Ace Hardware, 87% of millennial homeowners have in-progress DIY projects. And 84% of them are putting off those projects. I’m a Gen-Xer, but I can feel this!

Yes, there are remote options that let you share what you know and get paid for it. As a bonus, they can fit well together, too, saving you time and energy as you build income. Even better, you can do it all while staying home to spend more time with your family, too.

So, whether you’re juggling parenting duties or just looking for flexible earning opportunities, we’ve got five ways to use your repair skills to earn money from home. Are you ready to turn your expertise into a profitable side gig? Read on!

1.  Starting a YouTube Channel

Video tutorials are incredibly popular, and people love learning how to fix things themselves. For example, if your talent is drywall repair, you could run viewers through common questions about repairing damage. You can give them the answers in a step-by-step format that lets them follow along.

Or, if you’re a whiz with electronics, you could show viewers how to troubleshoot common issues with a smart speaker or common tech issues.

In other words, you can tailor the advice to your particular interests or strengths. As a matter of fact, my family has used videos on car maintenance and repair, assessing heater failure, plumbing issues, and more.

Focusing on breaking down complex repairs into bite-sized videos that anyone can follow can make the work more manageable. You’ll also grow your audience as viewers follow the series.

Eventually, you may be able to make good money through ad revenue and sponsorships, or by expanding to one or more of the ideas below.

Dad, How do I? is a great example of DIY videos. A real-life handy dad shares his repair skills and beyond, including this short, basic video on using a pipe cutter.

2.  Launching a Repair Blog

You may not have thought about blogging as an option. But it gives you another platform where you can share your expertise. This article lists five top DIY/home repair blogs you can use for inspiration.

For example, The Ugly Duckling House blog is focused on what Sarah, a young homeowner, has learned while renovating her first home as a beginner.

Not sure what to write about? Here are a few ideas for articles:

• Troubleshooting tips
• Product recommendations
• DIY fixes
• FAQs
• Your personal projects (as a standalone post or a series of posts)
• Alternate uses for common tools or items

For this platform, you’ll need to be confident in expressing yourself in writing. But don’t worry; plain language is fine. You don’t have to be a professional writer! Even better, sites like Squarespace and Wix make it easy (and reasonably priced) to set up a great-looking, easy-to-navigate blog.

Once you hit your stride and start to attract an audience, you can:

• Monetize your blog through affiliate links, ads, or sponsored posts
• Mine it for content to repurpose in other ways listed in this article
• Use your blog to create credibility and show your expertise

3.  Offering Virtual DIY Consultations

Do you have a lot of experience with specific types of DIY? Are you the person friends and family call on for advice or help?

Then why not spread your expertise by providing one-on-one advice remotely? Online handyman consults are a great resource for those who want to take on electrical, plumbing, or appliance repairs themselves, but want expert guidance.

This allows you to help people who need help right now, right from your own home. Even better, you can use your advice to develop blog or video content, too, which makes the time you spend in the consult even more efficient (just remember to ask before recording or using a client’s call).

Here’s how it works:

• Set up video calls where clients show you their problem. You will need a way for clients to book you and a video conference platform like Zoom for chatting.
• Get the information you need. This might involve images, written details, measurements, etc. You can set up a form on your site or follow up with an email, for instance.
• You personally guide them through the solution. You can charge by the hour, per session, or by project.

4.  Creating an Online Repair Skills Course

Did you know that you can turn your DIY expertise into a structured course? In this business model, you upload your lessons, and students explore the topic or project at their own pace.

Here are three platforms you can use to create and market your course:

• Skillshare
• Udemy 
• Teachable

With online DIY courses, connecting with a global audience becomes simple. You can cover topics from beginner basics to advanced techniques – whatever you’re most skilled at. As students enroll in your course, you’ll earn passive income.

As a bonus, you can repurpose this content into blog posts, videos, social media posts – or even an ebook!

Want a better idea of what to put in a course? While the course isn’t being offered at the moment, this video description of a ten-week online home DIY course might spark some ideas.

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5.  Writing an eBook to Help Others Build Repair Skills

Got a lot to say on a DIY topic? You could write an eBook about your repair skills specialty. Believe it or not, this doesn’t have to be overwhelming or daunting. If you come to this idea after trying one or more of those above, you can mine that content for your book.

So, if you’ve created a video or blog series on repairing leather furniture, for instance, you can gather that material to form the base of your book.

Here are some ideas to lighten the workload:

• Grab transcripts for your videos. They can serve as a rough draft for your ebook, saving you a lot of work.
• Copy the text for blog posts on your topic. Again, this can get you started using what you’ve already created.
• Add material as needed. You might want to update the content, add images, and give your material a more personal touch.

If you’re not sure what to write, try these idea-starters:

• The Ultimate Guide to Home Appliance Repair
• DIY Electrical Fixes for Beginners
• The Complete Drywall Guide for Walls and Ceilings
• How to Use Power Tools in Your Home Repair DIY

It’s worth noting that formatting an ebook does require some time and effort. When I formatted my book (not DIY, but fiction and poetry), I devoted time over a period of weeks to move through the process. That said, many of the steps won’t take more than a few minutes at a time to accomplish, so they can fit into your schedule even with young kids at home.

When you’re ready, here are some options for publishing your repair skills or DIY book:

• Draft2Digital: Charges 10% of any sales. You can set any price you like, even free.
• Kindle Direct Publishing. Includes tools to walk you through the process. You can set your price and royalty level. A caveat: Many authors find Amazon, the parent company, difficult to work with.
• Lulu: Want to print your books? This is a print-on-demand service with many options. The site walks you through the steps to make your decisions. Prices vary depending on what you choose.

Conclusion: Which Of These Ways To Use Your Repair Skills To Earn Money From Home Works Best For You?

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to use your repair skills to earn money from home. Did you ever think of sharing what you know as a way to earn income from home, while still having time to be an involved parent?

So, how do you feel about these ways to make money from home with your repair skills? Is one of them speaking to you as an at-home job that fits well with your family life? Why not commit to giving one or more of these a try? Do what you love, and help your family budget, too!