Having a spouse who is also handy is a wonderful thing. Every homeowner is aware of the fact that there is always something that requires mending or updating. It is much simpler and less expensive for the family as a whole to get things done if one of the partners in the relationship is skilled in a number of different areas.
Laura Young has taken the situation a step further and is employing her skilled husband, James, in an effort to bring in additional income for the family.
According to South West News Service, she had a wonderful idea after listening to a podcast about a man who earns his living assembling ready-to-assemble furniture. The podcast was about how he got started in the business. Why doesn’t she hire other people, like her spouse, to do the odd duties around the house?
Laura shared: “He’s good at everything around the house and garden, so I thought why not put those skills to use and hire him out?”
After Laura published a facetious post on Facebook touting her husband’s outstanding abilities as a handyman, people began to hire him for jobs. This came as a complete surprise to Laura. James was able to quit his job as a warehouse worker because he had booked so many gigs. This gave him additional freedom to assist Laura in raising their three children, two of whom have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
This marked the birth of a brand-new company that would later be known as Rent My Handy Husband.
Woman who ‘rents husband to other women for £40’ says ‘business is booming’
— WestAfriTv💎 (@Westafritv) November 2, 2022
A mum-of-three who rents out her husband to other women for odd jobs is seeing her £40-a-time business boom, with the makeshift handyman working up to six days a week. pic.twitter.com/WjckCPy5Gg
Additionally, James has been given a diagnosis of autism as well. Laura shared: “James doesn’t come from a trade background but his grandad was a nuclear engineer, and they think he was also on the spectrum. He’s got a very methodical mind and can think outside the box. He sees things differently.”
James has an hourly rate of £40 ($45), and he is available for employment in the locations northwest of London, England, including Milton Keynes, Leighton Buzzard, and the adjacent areas. The pair offers discounts on their services to anyone who are either employed by the National Health Service or are over the age of 65.
When James was just beginning his career, he was in such high demand that he was required to work six days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Since then, however, the pair has made his schedule more reasonable by reducing it to the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The couple puts in a full day’s work together as a unit: Laura is in charge of booking and social media, while James is in charge of the physical labor. According to the information provided on the Rent My Handy Husband website, James is quoted as telling her, “You create, and I’ll build.”
James offers his services to anyone who is in need of assistance, whether it be with the assembly of a trampoline, the construction of a wall, or the mounting of a television. During the next holiday season, the pair has expanded his repertoire of services to include the installation of Christmas lights.
The account of how the pair came to the decision to market James’ substantial do-it-yourself skills is a beautiful example of a resourceful family. This highlights the fact that families with children who have special needs require more wiggle room in their schedules in order to fulfill the additional responsibilities. Children with special needs typically have a greater number of doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions than children without special needs, and they may also be required to spend more time away from school. The challenge for parents is to find a balance between all of their responsibilities.
It is excellent that the couple was able to find a solution that would work for their lives and that the people in their town are supportive of them.