Home maintenance prevention concept

[CharlieB]

Hi

For my business course I have to design a business plan for a current business or a business idea that you would like to start. I was put in touch with someone who wants to start a home maintenance prevention service. As far as my research has shown, there is not a service in the UK for the domestic market. However there is one in America. The idea is to have a weekly/monthly/yearly check on your house to maintain it, so replacing any electrics that could be faulty, checking shower heads for legionaries disease, removing leaves from the guttering etc. Basically preventing problems before they happen, rather than wait for the emergency and have to call someone out last minute. This should make life easier for the owner and less stressful. It could also boost the property value.

However my problem is, i'm not sure the best way the idea should run. Wether it should be contracting out domestic cleaners, plumbers, window cleaners etc as was discussed in a recent meeting (which i don't really understand the concept of, can someone explain please?) and taking a cut from them or having a workforce specifically for the company and having a few people trained to do everything around the house rather than have lots of different services arriving at someones door.

The whole idea entails packaging lots of services into one and charing the customer a monthly fee depending on how much of their house they want covered. Where i'm falling down is the possible licensing concept and what the advantage of this concept over a handyman visiting your house weekly.

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of idea and can anyone advise me on the most logical concept?

Many thanks

Charlie

[GotLiveChat]

What do you mean by the "licensing concept"? Do you mean using 3rd parties to do the actual work (where you pay them) and the customer pays your business?