Who it's for

As a renovator, you can invoice for your work as a light entrepreneur without setting up your own company. Agree on the job and price with your customer, do the renovation, and send the invoice through the Truster app. Truster takes care of withholding tax according to your tax card and handles the required reporting to the authorities, and you get paid straight to your account. The account is free and you only pay when you invoice, so you can start taking on gigs right away.

#What kind of renovation jobs does a light entrepreneur do?

The most in-demand jobs include painting and wallpapering, tiling, laminate and parquet flooring installation, kitchen and cabinetry installations, bathroom surface renovations, and various repair and maintenance tasks. Building terraces and garden sheds, as well as small renovation jobs for housing companies, also keep skilled workers busy year-round.

Note that some construction work, such as electrical and plumbing work, requires specific qualifications. Check the permits and qualification requirements for your field before taking on a job. Typical surface renovations and installation work can be invoiced as a light entrepreneur without any special arrangements.

#Pricing, supplies and the household tax credit

Renovation work is priced either by the hour or as a fixed job price. An hourly rate works well for jobs whose scope only becomes clear as the work progresses, while a fixed price suits well-defined jobs, such as painting a room. Customers often buy the supplies themselves, or they're invoiced separately based on receipts. Always agree on the invoicing terms in writing before starting the work.

Typical expenses include tools and their maintenance, fasteners and small supplies, protective gear, and travel to job sites. You record expenses and mileage in the Truster app, and they're automatically factored into your pay.

Renovation work done in a home qualifies for the household tax credit, so your customer may be able to get a tax credit for the labor portion of the job. This is a strong selling point when making an offer, and a good reason for the customer to buy the work through an invoice. Your customer can check the current terms at vero.fi (the Finnish Tax Administration's website).

Renovation gigs can be found through many channels: local Facebook groups, gig-work platforms, hardware store bulletin boards, and above all, referrals. A well-done kitchen installation or bathroom surface renovation brings in the next job from the neighborhood. Photos of finished work and a clear way of giving quotes set you apart from competitors, as does the fact that the customer always gets an official invoice for the household tax credit.

#Invoicing and pay with Truster

Short gigs are invoiced as soon as the job is finished, while for longer jobs it's common to invoice in installments as the work progresses — for example at the start, at a midpoint, and upon completion. Maksuvahti tracks your receivables and sends payment reminders to the customer on your behalf for 1.99 € per invoice.

Renovation work ties up money in supplies and tools, so cash flow matters. HetiPalkka pays out your wages before the invoice due date for a fee of 5% of the invoice amount. For monthly plan users, Truster Turva is included in the price, so you're covered while working in customers' homes and job sites.

Light entrepreneurship suits renovators who want to work gigs on their own terms: you choose the jobs, set your own prices, and invoice without the bureaucracy of running a company. Many start out with evenings and weekends and move to full-time work as their order book fills up.

Compared to a sole proprietorship, light entrepreneurship frees you from bookkeeping and VAT reporting, and compared to being an employee, you choose your own job sites and prices. Many construction professionals work gigs as light entrepreneurs in the evenings and on weekends alongside their main job. Once your order book is full for months ahead, you can switch to doing it full-time without having to change how you invoice.

#How much do you take home?

Truster's service fee is 3.99% of your invoicing or a flat 55 €/month, which is worth choosing when you invoice a lot. The service fee and statutory payments are deducted from the invoice amount, and withholding tax is applied to your pay according to your own tax card. VAT is generally added to renovation service invoices at the standard rate of 25.5%.

Of the service fee options, the percentage-based 3.99% suits occasional gigs, while the flat 55 €/month suits ongoing contracting work. Price your work so it covers tools, travel and quieter weeks, and always calculate a job quote carefully before submitting it.

The amount you take home depends on how much you invoice, your expenses, and your tax rate. On our Calculators page, you can try different hourly and job rates and see instantly how much lands in your account.