Would you like to earn money in your free time or on the weekend? Or even work entirely for yourself? One option is to start your own sprinkler repair business. People can mow their own lawns in a recession, but they will rarely do their own sprinkler system repairs. Armed with these 5 insider secrets to starting your own sprinkler business, you can be off to a good start.

Inside secret #1: price per type of repair. When you buy a shovel at the hardware store, the price doesn’t divide parts and labor. So why charge your customers this way, itemizing both parts and labor? It’s no one’s business but yours how much you’re making in labor. For each repair you make, have fixed prices that include parts and labor. For fee, charge $45 for the replacement of a rotor sprinkler. The $45 covers the $12 parts price and your labor charge. Pricing by repair type allows you to quickly quote repairs to potential customers.

Inside Secret #2: Gathering clients is more important than your repair skills. Actually, this is quite logical: without customers calling you to repair their system, you won’t have a chance to show off your repair skills. Therefore, you should focus your limited time on attracting clients to you, telling everyone you know that you are in the sprinkler repair business; taking the time to write Google and Yahoo business posts to show up when people search for “sprinkler repair” in your geographic area. The quality of your work it is important, but don’t delay starting a business to learn more about repairs. You will learn by doing in this business!

Inside Secret #3: Call customers right back. This secret may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many of your competitors, many of them focused on their high-profit installation jobs, won’t even call customers who desperately need sprinkler repairs. It’s your job to take advantage of these quick fix jobs and make a profit!

Inside Secret #4: Get to know a plumbing or irrigation supply wholesaler. Do a Google search to find plumbing or irrigation supply wholesalers in your area, and then visit them. Get to know 1 or 2 of the salespeople personally and tell them you are interested in starting a sprinkler repair business. They’ll tell you about commonly used sprinkler equipment in the area, probably extend you a line of credit, and even provide training on their products. They will be indispensable for your business.

Inside Secret #5: Organize and Protect Your Business. Your repair business must be started on solid ground. That means protecting your business and yourself personally by using an appropriate business organization structure, such as a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) for your protection. Form your business organization, then establish a bank account for your business; never mix personal funds with your business’s cash flow. Set up an accounting system to track your expenses and bill your clients professionally. Always seek the professional assistance of an accountant or attorney if you need it.

Most people won’t fix their own sprinkler system, even in a recession! Start-up costs are low and profit potential is high. This makes a sprinkler repair business worth considering.