8 In-Demand Home Service Business Ideas To Try This Year

• Check out this list of in-demand home service business ideas you can try this year.
• If you're looking for a profitable business, check out asphalt driveway repair and maintenance.
• Explore other choices that suits your personality, experience, and interest.

The country's inflation rate rose to 9.1%, with prices of food and energy commodities and services surging like never before.

For many people, their financial situation has become so difficult that they have to have side hustles on top of their full-time jobs just to make ends meet. Others, meanwhile, chose to leave their low-paying jobs entirely and start their own business ventures.And why not? Starting your own business is a great way to be your own boss and use your creativity to the fullest.

It allows you to be in control of your own schedule, pursue your passion, and provide a solution to other people's problems. In many cases, having your own business allows you to earn more than a regular 9 to 5 job.

The good news is you're not alone.

According to a survey done by Digital.com, 43% of Americans are planning to start a business this year. If you're one of them, then chances are you're not yet sure about what venture you should try.

If that's the case, then check out our list of home service business ideas you can start this year.

Table of Contents

• What is a Home Service Business?
• In-Demand Small Business Ideas for 2022
• Crack filling and sealcoating asphalt driveways
• Carpet cleaning and restoration
• Pest Control Service
• Pressure washing
• Gutter cleaning
• Tree trimmer
• Christmas lights installation
• Crawlspace cleaning and encapsulation

What is a Home Service Business?

If you provide a service that requires you to enter a person's home to clean, fix, maintain, or improve a part of it, then you have a home service business.

But home service businesses are not just limited to the house's interior. You can also clean, fix, or improve areas outside the house, including the driveway, path, yard, roof, or crawlspace.

In-Demand Small Business Ideas for 2022

What are the most in-demand home business ideas for 2022? Check out our list below to get some ideas.

1. Crack filling and sealcoating asphalt driveways

If you like the outdoors and you're looking for a business opportunity with a short training period and low startup cost, then try crack filling and sealcoating asphalt driveways.

Sealcoating a driveway

Getting Started

You don't need to go back to school just to learn about sealcoating and crack filling.

Just enroll in the Driveway Sealcoating Kickstart Course to know everything about these services and get started right away.

If you want a more practical and hands-on approach, then work for a local asphalt maintenance contractor after taking the Driveway Sealcoating Kickstart Course.

There's no need to be certified to become an asphalt maintenance specialist. But make sure to obtain all the business permits and licenses before you start advertising your services.

Adam Chapman, the owner of the Canadian company Pad Pal, offers sealcoating and crack repair services, as well as specializes in permanent LED accents and holiday lighting (more on that profitable venture later).

Watch our interview with him here to get some pointers on running this type of business and more helpful small business tips.

Interview with Adam Chapman, CEO of Pad Pal on
How To Start Sealcoating & Crack Repair Services

What are the items needed for an asphalt sealcoating and crack filling business?

• A drum of asphalt emulsion sealer
• A drum mixer
• A sealcoat brush or squeegee
• A sealer sprayer for drums

• A melter kettle with a crack pour pot or an asphalt crack fill machine
• A box of hot pour rubberized crack filler
• Alligator patch
• Pothole patch

Surface preparation is a must in asphalt maintenance, so make sure to acquire cleaning supplies and equipment, too.

Transport your asphalt maintenance supplies and equipment in the back of your pickup truck or a trailer.

Related: 6 Reasons to Start a Driveway Sealing Business

2. Carpet cleaning and restoration

If you like working with your hands and love transforming carpets from dirty to pristine, then carpet cleaning and restoration may be the perfect home service business for you.

Man doing carpet cleaning service inside a home.

What makes it a good option for many people is it has a low barrier to entry, and you don't need tens of thousands in dollars in capital to start your own carpet cleaning company.

It's lucrative, too! This service has a high demand in the residential and commercial sectors, so you'll never run out of customers as long as you do a great job.

Getting Started

If you've worked as a hotel housekeeper or an office or house cleaner, then you probably know a lot about carpet cleaning and restoration already.

But if you're clueless about how to clean carpets according to industry standards, then it's time to get hands-on experience.

To do that, you have to apply as a hotel housekeeper or residential or commercial cleaner, and learn everything you can for 3 to 6 months before starting your own business.

If you want to fast track the process, we suggest that you complete a carpet cleaning technician training course and get certified.

Once certified (certification is not really necessary but good to have), you can register your business, get a license, and obtain all necessary permits.

Next, obtain your business bank accounts and insurance.

Once all your paperwork is in order, it's time to purchase your equipment.

What are the items needed for a carpet cleaning and restoration business?

• An industrial vacuum cleaner
• A carpet cleaner
• A defoamer
• An air scrubber
• A stain remover
• A carpet rake
• Carpet cleaning detergent
• A van or truck to transport your equipment and supplies

3. Pest Control Service

Another home service business you can consider is pest control. This is a good business option for individuals who already have experience in the pest control industry and are willing to strike out on their own.

Pest control specialist spraying chemicals inside cabinet.

Getting Started

Don't have any experience in pest control yet? Don't worry! You can still start a pest control business even if you don't have any experience in the sector. 

All you have to do is undergo professional pest control technician training and acquire certification upon completion.

What are the items needed for a pest control business?

Once all the paperwork is done, find a supplier for pest control chemicals. Here are some tools and equipment your startup pest control will need.

• Chemical sprayers
• Ladders
• Baits and cages
• Flashlights, headlamps, and more
• A van or truck

Don't forget to invest in good PPE and other miscellaneous tools to keep yourself safe while on the job.

4. Pressure washing

If you're looking for a venture that has a low barrier to entry, low startup cost, and you don't mind the hard work, then check out pressure washing.

Floor tiles are getting cleaned using a pressure washer.

What's great about pressure washing is that it doesn't have to be a standalone business. You can integrate it into an existing home cleaning business so you can earn more.

Getting Started

Surprisingly, there are pressure cleaning schools that offer training to employees and would-be business owners alike.

Their programs are short yet packed with so much information, including the proper usage of a cold water pressure washer and how to ensure workplace safety.

You'll also learn about which surface cleaners are safe to use on concrete walls and driveways, as well as how to use a hot water power washer.

Don't have time to complete the coursework? Then work as a pressure washer operator for someone else for a few months. The great thing about receiving training as an employee is that you don't just learn on the job, you also earn while you're at it.

How do you start a pressure washing business?

The process of starting your own pressure washing business is quite simple.

Obtain your business permits and licenses, insurance, and your business bank account and you're ready to start.

What are the items needed for a pressure washing business?

To start, here are the pressure washing equipment you're going to need.

• A gas blower
• A reliable high-pressure power washer
• Long water hoses
• Some sprayer guns and nozzles
• A surface cleaner
• Good pair of rubber boots and gloves
• Rain pants
• Respirator
• Bleach
• A van or truck

Related: How to Start a Driveway Sealcoating Business

5. Gutter cleaning

If you're not afraid of heights and you don't mind handling wet and dry debris, then start a gutter cleaning business.

Man in a ladder cleaning a gutter of a house.

This is one of the easiest businesses you can get into, but of course, there's a risk that comes with it. You'll be climbing ladders, walking on roofs, and watching out for power lines all day, after all.

Getting Started

Unlike other types of home service business, there is no formal training for gutter cleaners.

The best way to learn how to clean gutters is to seek employment with a credible gutter cleaning company and learn everything you can there. You can strike out your own once you have enough experience.

What are the items needed for a gutter cleaning business?

Here are the equipment and supplies you need to clean gutters.

• Ladders
• Durable work gloves (you'll be handling twigs, leaves, and wet debris), work boots, and other PPE
• A gas-powered blower
• A gutter cleaner brush
• A pressure washer
• A van or a truck
• Trash bags, tarps, and buckets to haul the debris away

6. Tree trimmer

We've mentioned some home service businesses that have low barriers to entry and you can start almost right away.

Contractor with full gear doing tree trimming services.

Tree trimming, however, is different from other home service business ideas we have listed here.

Getting Started

You need to have experience as an apprentice tree trimmer first or have formal training as one before you can set up your own tree trimming and removal business.

We recommend that you obtain training from tree care organizations to learn everything about this service.

But tree trimming is not the only thing you're going to learn in the coursework.

You'll also learn about proper tree identification and biology, as well as how to identify tree diseases.

You'll also learn the right way to prune trees, correct equipment handling, and safe cabling and bracing techniques.

Tree trimming is one of the hazardous occupations out there. That's why workplace safety is also included in the coursework.

But here's an important question:

Do you need to be certified as a tree trimmer before you can set up your own business?

The short answer is no, you don't have to. But we still recommend that you get certified as it is a good thing to have just in case a prospective customer asks to see it.

What are the items needed for a tree trimming business?

• Hand saws (telescoping pole saw, pruning saw)
• Power saws (electric pole saw, chain saw, reciprocating saw)
• Different kinds of ladders (climbing ladder, stepladder, tripod ladders)
• PPE (eye and ear protectors, helmets, gloves, work boots)
• Ropes
• A van or truck
• A stump grinder

Related: Asphalt Maintenance vs Lawn Maintenance: The Best Business for 2023

7. Christmas lights installation

Another lucrative home service business you can get into is Christmas lights installation.

House that has Christmas lights installed.

You can offer this service to residential and commercial property owners as this has a high demand from both sectors.

Getting Started

The barrier to entry is so low you don't need a high school diploma or training to become a Christmas lights installer.

All you need is a good eye for light design and installation, and you're ready to start your own holiday lights installation business.

It's a seasonal service (obviously), so make sure that you have another gig lined up once Christmas ends. 

It's also a good idea to incorporate this into your existing handyman or lawn service business.

What are the items needed for a Christmas lights installation business?

• Professional-grade Christmas lights (of course! You can either sell or lease these lights to your customers)
• Stepladders
• All-purpose light holders
• A truck or van

Related: Four Winter Money-Making Ideas for Asphalt Contractors

8. Crawlspace cleaning and encapsulation

If you don't mind getting dirty and you're not claustrophobic, then this is going to be a profitable home service business for you.

This is another small business idea that has a low barrier to entry.

But that doesn't mean you can just go ahead, set up a crawl space business, and start winging it.

Getting Started

Previous training is a requirement in this business and you can obtain this by working as a crawlspace business employee.

You can also pay to undergo a short training program for crawlspace technicians to learn everything about crawlspace evaluation, cleaning, mold removal, encapsulation, and more.

You will also need to learn how to conduct structural repairs and reinforcements, as well as how to level the crawl space floor.

What are the items needed for a crawlspace cleaning and encapsulation business?

• Moisture reader
• Some cleaning supplies (bleach, borax, etc.)
• PPE (respirator, gloves, coveralls, eye protection)
• Polyethylene plastic sheeting
• Dehumidifier

Conclusion:

Still can't decide which home service business to start? Then check out this article and follow the steps to choose the right business idea for you.

On the other hand, if you have decided that you want to start an asphalt sealing and crack repair business, then take a look at our asphalt business resources page for more helpful blogs, articles, videos, and more.

You can also reach out to our asphalt experts at 1-866-399-5562 to help you get started and choose the right sealcoat supplies and asphalt equipment for your company.