Frank is a self-employed builder after working for a big property developer most of his life. He’d been selling his skills at tiling a bathroom, fitting a kitchen, like most tradesmen. But exploring the market he worked in turned this perception around: he wasn’t a builder, he was a professional adder of value.

His customers weren’t really looking for fresh tiles or a new cooker. In a rising housing market, they were looking to the future: how much their homes would be worth when the time came to sell. In his own voice, Frank wrote a letter to the most up-and-coming streets in his hometown, communicating his new value proposition:

Hi! Need a new kitchen or bathroom but worried about the cost? Try my approach instead…

…I’m Frank. I used to handle large projects for professional property developers in the City. Now I handle building projects in their homes—with the same approach my developer bosses used to use: how can I add the most value to your property?

I do everything from structural big builds to small-but-vital jobs like electrics and plumbing. But everything starts with the question: will this build pay for itself? With a critical eye and measured approach, I make sure your build adds more to your market value than it cost to complete. (I often work on a fixed fee for your peace of mind.) Meaning my work makes you a profit . . . every time.

Kitchen fads and bathroom fashions come and go,
but the value in your home is something to lock in.

I’ve done work in [building] already and am trusted on your estate. (Ask for references.) If you’re looking for a new floor, bathroom, kitchen, or just a fresher look for your walls and fittings, call me: [XXXXX XXXXXX]

IN THEIR OWN WORDS:

“Bathrooms rebuilt and floors replaced. Agents reported a 10% rise over market.”—Flat rebuild

“Agents revalued my small one-bed house at £38,000 over its valuation three months earlier.”—Garage conversion

“Frank made our house work again, with a new layout and rooms. Value rose £200,000 plus in less than a year.” Structural change

Today, Frank completes every job with a cherry on top: at the end he obtains a property valuation for the homeowner, demonstrating they’ve made a sound investment in him. While he does much the same work he’s done for decades, Frank understands his real value to his clients is about deeper human motivations like the desire for financial security and making the right decision. And he focusses his marketing efforts on buildings close to his own home, to minimise travelling time. (Six large apartment buildings may contain 1,000 dwellings, more than enough for a decades-long career.) This handyman is a six-figure freelancer.