Hire a Hubby - Home Handymen Help Kiwis Keep Warm

A rush of homeowners taking advantage of government grants to keep warm and save on their power bills is driving demand for Hire A Hubby franchisees. With power prices likely to rise again next year and up to $1,300 on offer from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, there’s never been a better time to install underfloor and ceiling insulation.

The Energywise subsidy, available under the Warm Up NZ: Heat Smart Programme for houses built before 1 January 2000, means that it is now relatively inexpensive to insulate floors and ceilings. ‘The result is that there are new opportunities for Hire A Hubby franchisees from Auckland to Invercargill as homeowners look to take advantage of the grants,’ says Andrew Chisholm, the franchise’s chief executive.

‘As New Zealand’s first choice for professional home maintenance, building and renovation services, Hire A Hubby has been appointed as nationwide inspection and installation partner for the Get Warm Easy Insulation programme run by Autex. This is a major deal: Autex are manufacturers of the GreenStufÒ range of thermal insulation products which offer an easy, eco-friendly way to make homes warm, dry and healthy, and­ the programme is backed by New Zealand’s largest retailer. With The Warehouse using its massive retail clout to promote Get Warm in print and on TV, there’s more demand than ever for our Hubbies.

 ‘This campaign, in tandem with other relationships that Hire A Hubby has established over time, has left us with bulging order books,’ Andrew says. ‘And because the insulation business complements our existing work extremely well, we are able to offer a brilliant foundation package for people who want to own their own home handyman business. Based on our partnership with Autex and The Warehouse, along with other group initiatives, we are quite confident that anyone who takes up a Hire A Hubby franchise today will be able to recover their investment within the first twelve months.’

Broad skills required

Of course, there’s more to being a Hubby than inspecting and installing insulation. ‘While that has caused a surge in demand for services, you have to have a far broader set of skills to be a successful Hubby,’ says Andrew. ‘Our franchisees do building, renovating, painting, decorating and landscaping from the front gate to the back fence and everything in between. That’s why we are not looking for insulation specialists: we want all-round handymen capable of undertaking a wide variety of work.’

That variety is a big part of what makes Hire A Hubby so attractive to many people who want to go into business for themselves. In fact, Andrew believes the real value of the insulation installation business lies in the relationships it will assist Hubbies to develop with customers.

‘When you undertake insulation work on someone’s house, they’ll be able to take a good look at how well you perform and that will open the door to other repair and renovation projects,’ says Andrew. ‘Every homeowner, no matter how capable, needs help at some time, and everyone prefers to deal with someone they know they can trust to get the job done right. We see installing insulation as a great way of building up a long-term client base and a business that has real value.’

Attractive finance options

To join Hire A Hubby you need to have good general handyman skills or be trade-qualified. Of course, you also have to have good personal skills and a strong customer focus, and before you can put on the famous pink shirt you’ll go through training in the systems, management and marketing that have made Hire A Hubby such a trusted name.

Franchises start at $40,000 with very attractive financing options available. ‘Typically, a new franchisee will put up around half that amount, but with the insulation contract with Autex and The Warehouse underpinning the business we’re doing all we can in terms of flexible finance options to help good people join the group,’ says Andrew. ‘We desperately need more good, capable handymen to meet demand right now. The lifestyle’s great, the work is waiting to be done and the timing’s perfect. You can join Hire A Hubby now and be installing insulation while people are away over the summer.

‘These franchises are hot properties. If you apply yourself, you’ll earn a good living straight away and be growing your capital for the future. Good, hard-working Hubbies can really increase the value of their investment: one recently sold his franchise for $70,000 – that’s almost double the price he originally paid!

‘To find out if you have what it takes to be a Hubby, download the self-assessment form from www.hubbysearch.co.nz or give us a call. Warming up New Zealand could be a hot opportunity for you!’

This advertorial is taken from Franchise New Zealand magazine Volume 18 Issue 4 

Contact details for Hire a Hubby

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