Business plan
Sample plan · fictional businessA complete property maintenance business plan: Keystone Property Care
Phoenix, AZ · Startup plan · a fictional property maintenance company, written by the free generator from five answers
Executive summary
Keystone Property Care is a new property maintenance company in Phoenix, AZ offering rental unit turnovers and make-readies; repairs and work orders for landlords; monthly maintenance contracts for HOAs; grounds, gutters and seasonal upkeep; and drywall, paint, doors and fixture repairs. The model is monthly contracts with property managers, landlords and HOAs as the base, work orders and turnovers on top, and a clear line between the work it does and the licensed trades it calls in.
Startup budget: $23,415 across 10 items, funded from savings. Target: $22,000 in monthly sales.
Twelve months from now, success looks like this: Three property managers and two HOAs on monthly contracts, turnovers done in five days, and a second tech by month nine
Products and services
Keystone Property Care's core service is rental unit turnovers and make-readies. Turnovers are scoped from a walkthrough, quoted at a fixed price and finished to an agreed number of days; work orders are billed by the hour plus materials; and every job is photographed before and after, with the invoice sent the same day.
- Rental unit turnovers and make-readies
- Repairs and work orders for landlords
- Monthly maintenance contracts for HOAs
- Grounds, gutters and seasonal upkeep
- Drywall, paint, doors and fixture repairs
Market analysis
The customers are property managers with a steady flow of work orders and move-outs, landlords with a handful of rentals and no one to call, and the HOAs and small commercial buildings that need common areas and grounds kept up.
- Property managers with a steady flow of work orders and move-outs
- Landlords with a handful of rentals and no one to call
- HOAs and condo associations with common areas to keep up
- Small commercial buildings, offices and churches without an in-house maintenance person
Marketing strategy
The first accounts will come from property managers visited in person, and from Google and word of mouth — landlords search “property maintenance near me” and ask other landlords who they use, so the Google Business Profile, the reviews and a website with services, proof of insurance and a work-order form decide who gets the call.
- Property managers, visited in person with a rate sheet, proof of insurance and a turnaround time
- Google Business Profile and Google — “property maintenance near me” is searched by landlords and managers
- Word of mouth among landlords, real-estate investors and HOA boards
- Local landlord associations and real-estate investor meetups
- A website with your services, service area, proof of insurance and a work-order request form
Operations plan
The owner does the work with a helper in year one, answers work orders the same day, tracks hours and materials per property, keeps keys and access logged, and adds a second tech when the contracted units justify one.
- Monthly contracts priced per property or per unit, with work orders billed at an hourly rate plus materials
- Turnovers scoped from photos and a walkthrough, quoted as a fixed price and finished to a set number of days
- Every work order photographed before and after, with the invoice sent the same day
- A clear line on licensed work — electrical, plumbing and HVAC go to a licensed trade unless you hold the license
- Keys, lockbox codes and tenant access logged and kept secure
- Lead-safe work practices in rentals built before 1978
Startup costs
What it will take to open the doors, funded from savings.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Truck or van (used) with racks, down payment or cash | $9,000 |
| Power tools, ladders and hand tools | $3,000 |
| Mower, trimmer, blower and pressure washer | $1,775 |
| General liability insurance (first year) | $1,250 |
| Vehicle lettering, uniforms and business cards | $900 |
| Website and Google Business Profile | $0 |
| Work orders, invoicing and customer records (first year) | $0 |
| Business registration, LLC, contractor license and EIN | $450 |
| EPA lead-safe (RRP) firm certification and renovator course | $540 |
| Working capital: materials, fuel and living costs for two months | $6,500 |
| Total | $23,415 |
Typical range to start a property maintenance company in the US: $9,530–$39,900. Your list is what you decided to spend — replace estimates with real quotes as you get them. Website and Google Business Profile: Your Zarla plan includes the website — your services, service area, proof of insurance and a work-order request form — and walks you through your Google Business Profile; a designer typically charges $2,000 or more to build one. Work orders, invoicing and customer records (first year): Online booking, invoicing and customer management come with your Zarla plan; accounting software is separate.
Financial plan
The numbers below come from your own startup list and typical monthly costs for a property maintenance company in the US. Startup is the vehicle, the tools and the insurance; the numbers that decide the year are the monthly contract revenue, the hourly rate on work orders, and how many turnovers a month the crew finishes on time.
Typical monthly operating costs for a property maintenance company: $950–$3,550 a month, before the owner's own pay.
At $22,000 in monthly sales, Keystone Property Care would clear $18,450–$21,050 a month before owner pay and tax, and recover the $23,415 startup budget in roughly 2 months.
| Cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Vehicle payment, fuel and maintenance | $400–$1,200 |
| Insurance: general liability, commercial auto and workers' comp | $200–$800 |
| Shop supplies and small materials not billed to a job | $150–$500 |
| Dump fees for turnover debris | $50–$400 |
| Work orders, invoicing and customer records (included with Zarla) | $0–$50 |
| Phone, bookkeeping and marketing | $150–$600 |
US ranges for a small operation; replace with your own figures as you learn them. Lines marked (included with Zarla) are what those tools cost separately — with Zarla they are part of one monthly plan.
Risks and honest downsides
Every property maintenance company plan should say out loud what can go wrong. For Keystone Property Care, the real risks are:
- Work above your state's job-value limit without a contractor license is the fastest way to a fine and a lost client
- One property manager as most of the revenue means one phone call can empty the calendar
- Clients who pay in 30 days or more while materials, fuel and payroll are paid today
- A turnover quoted before the walkthrough turns into free work
- Tenant keys and access are a trust business — one complaint can cost an account
- Licensed work done without the license risks the property, the tenant and your insurance
Licenses, permits and insurance
What Keystone Property Care needs before it can legally trade in the US. Rules vary by state and city — confirm each item with your local licensing office and an accountant.
- Business registration and EIN — Most property maintenance companies form an LLC; state filing fees run about $35 to $500. The EIN from the IRS is free, and property managers will ask for it on a W-9 before they pay you. Many US cities also require a general business license.
- Contractor license above your state's job-value limit — Many US states let maintenance and handyman work go unlicensed below a dollar limit per job; larger jobs need a contractor license. California, Arizona and Virginia set the limit at $1,000 and Florida at $2,500, while Texas has no general contractor license; California's exemption also ends the moment a job needs a permit or you hire a helper. Check your state before you quote bigger jobs.
- Licensed trades for electrical, plumbing and HVAC — Every US state licenses this work; refer it to a licensed trade unless you hold the license.
- EPA lead-safe (RRP) certification for pre-1978 rentals — In the US, a firm paid to disturb painted surfaces in homes or child-occupied buildings built before 1978 must be EPA lead-safe certified, with a certified renovator on the job — most turnovers in older rentals qualify. Some states run the program themselves.
- Pesticide applicator license to spray weeds or pests for hire — Applying weed killer or pesticide on a client's property for pay requires a commercial applicator license in most US states — Texas, for example, charges $200 a year.
- General liability, commercial auto and workers' comp — Property managers and HOAs require general liability with them named on the certificate; workers' comp is required in most states once you hire.
Milestones: the next 30 days
The first month's to-do list for Keystone Property Care, in order:
- Decide your scope — what your state lets you do without a contractor license, and what goes to a licensed trade
- Register the business, take the free EIN and open a business bank account
- Get general liability quotes, and take the EPA lead-safe course if you'll work in pre-1978 rentals
- Set an hourly rate, a turnover price sheet and a monthly contract price per property
- Set up the truck with tools, ladders and a stock of the common repair parts
- Set up a free Google Business Profile and put your website live with a work-order request form
- Visit every property manager and HOA management company in your area with a rate sheet and your certificate of insurance
- Join the local landlord association and ask every client for a review and a referral
Appendix: what a lender will ask for
This plan tells the story and shows the numbers. If you take it to a bank, expect to be asked for these documents as well:
- Two years of personal tax returns and a personal financial statement
- A month-by-month 12-month cash-flow projection built from contract revenue plus work orders
- Signed contracts or letters of intent from property managers, landlords or HOAs
- Proof of insurance, business registration, any license and lead-safe certification
- Quotes for the vehicle or equipment you're financing
- Your credit report