When I started Bowles Handyman Services, my tool collection was about as basic as it gets: a drill and an impact driver. Both DeWalt. That was it.
It didn’t take long to realize that was never going to be enough — but it also didn’t take long to realize I didn’t need to buy everything at once. Once I had that drill and driver, sticking with DeWalt just made sense. Same batteries, same chargers, same system. So I made a simple rule for myself: every time a job called for a tool I didn’t have, I bought it.
An oscillating tool came first. Then a reciprocating saw. Then a jig saw. Each one showed up because a real job needed it, not because it looked good on a shelf.
By the end of my first year, I honestly thought I was done. I figured I had every tool a handyman business would need. I was wrong — I’d already sunk a serious amount of money into DeWalt gear, and I was nowhere near finished.
The Deal That Started My Miter Saw Obsession
My favorite addition, hands down, has been my battery-powered sliding miter saw. And the way I got it still makes me smile.
I found it at North 40, running a promotion: buy a regular-priced DeWalt tool over $150 and get a free 5Ah battery. On top of that, they had 9Ah FlexVolt batteries on sale — buy two for $200, which worked out to about 50% off. While I was loading up my cart, one of the guys working the floor handed me $80 in DeWalt coupons, just like that.
By the time I checked out, I’d walked away with close to $1,000 worth of tools and batteries for about $500. That’s the kind of deal you don’t forget.
On top of the tools themselves, I’ve become a big fan of DeWalt’s ToughSystem boxes for keeping everything organized and job-site ready.
Watching the Empire Grow
Looking back, it’s been satisfying to watch this collection build itself out, one job at a time. Every new tool doesn’t just sit in the truck — it opens the door to more work I can take on. And once I own it, it’s not a one-time purchase. It’s there for every customer after that, too.
That’s shown up in ways I didn’t expect. One of my customers lives off-grid, and having a full set of battery-powered tools means I can get her jobs done without pulling down her battery bank or firing up her generator. She gets the work done, and her power setup doesn’t take the hit. That’s a win I wouldn’t have been able to offer if I’d stuck with corded tools or a mismatched mix of brands.
Starting small and buying with purpose — one tool per job — turned out to be the right way to build this out. No wasted money on gear I didn’t need yet, and a battery system that now works for every customer I serve.