How to find consistent work when you're also offering free services?

One strong partnership can produce more consistent work when you don’t have money for ads.  Try building connections with:

1. Real estate agents → handyman repairs before listing a house.
2. Property managers → constant maintenance jobs.
3. Insurance agents → clients needing repairs after claims.
4. Local contractors → overflow work they don't have time for.
5. HOAs and apartment buildings → recurring maintenance work.
6. Nonprofits → home repairs for seniors and low-income residents.

The mission is good, but consistent work usually comes from paid jobs that fund the free jobs, not the other way around.For local service work, I think presentation matters a lot. A customer may not understand the technical side, but they can understand a clear photo of the problem, what caused it, what was fixed, and what the finished work looks like.

That helps justify the price without over-explaining. If I were doing this, I’d build a simple proof system around every job:

before photo, after photo, what the issue was, what happens if it gets ignored

short customer-friendly explanation

Then use those examples with churches, senior centers, local Facebook groups, property managers, and small businesses. The free work becomes proof and goodwill, but the paid work keeps the whole thing alive.

This is the kind of visual proof I mean. Even before someone understands plumbing, they can see why the work matters. 

You show that to a customer and I doubt you have much of a problem gaining custimors

There are many ways to advertise your service business. Google is one of the best, but platforms like Thumbtack and Angie can also help—though I’d avoid Yelp. Don’t underestimate physical methods either: door hangers, leaving cards at local spots, and simply connecting with the community can go a long way. Make sure your legal structure and business accounts are in place. Then, get out there—introduce yourselves and offer real value, even free labor (materials paid) if you need to build trust. Do a great job—especially for those in need—then use those photos for advertising on Google and Angie. Once you’re consistent, invest a bit more in those platforms—just a couple hundred a month, not thousands. Also, explore referral programs with local hardware stores. Once you figure out what works, double down on it

What are you doing to proceed leads or new job opportunities? What relationships are you building with companies or services that have high turn over?

That's a noble cause - finding jobs and having a marketing funnel is a very large part of the business. It sounds like you have a really grand vision, which is important, but you need to focus in on your own ship before trying to correct someone else's. It's amazing to want to give so much to others BUT I'd be careful giving away the house before the foundation is poured. Here's my two cents on where to find leads. 

• Referrals - network like crazy. These are the best kind of jobs. Warm leads. Anyone you are trying to teach to run a company is going to need to know how to do this well
• Pay for leads - I ONLY recommend thumbtack. Angi and angi leads are scams. Google LSA falls in this. You pay for the lead directly and it goes to a few other contractors. This is good initially because you can track your spend and really dial in what services
• Pay for click - I would only do this if you have money to burn and a really solid web presence
• Social Media - If you have a really visual trade like epoxy floors, this can be great. If you're something else, you gotta get comfortable being in front of the camera. This is a long play. It'll pay dividends in years, similar to referrals. Gotta be consistent.
• Next Door/ Facebook - you can browse posts or pay a service to automatically send you leads coming from posts. This can be low cost and effective.
• Door hangers - not sexy but it works

A couple other staples - Don't call your business "Marks Handyman" or something with your name. Have a memorable brand. And rock that brand ALL the time. Make hats that are cool and where them. Put a patch on a jacket. Make cool shirts. That is way more reasonable then you think and it does a lot for people knowing what you do in your circle. Don't hire an agency - put the time in learning yourself. 

Pay for leads was the most effective when I first started out. Just keep you price low and you'll get all the jobs.