Home Watch Business Launch Checklist

Use this checklist before accepting your first paid recurring Home Watch client.

It is intentionally stricter than “I registered an LLC and made a website.” A Home Watch operator receives access to unoccupied homes. Your launch standard should reflect that trust.

Business identity

• Business name selected and searched
• Legal structure chosen
• Entity/DBA registered where required
• Formation/registration documents saved
• State follow-up filings identified
• Annual/recurring filing dates calendared

Federal/tax setup

• EIN obtained if applicable
• EIN confirmation saved securely
• State tax registrations checked
• Bookkeeping system created
• Estimated-tax question reviewed with tax professional or IRS guidance

Banking

• Dedicated business checking account open
• Business payments routed to business account
• Business expense process established
• Monthly reconciliation routine scheduled

Licenses and permits

• State business/professional requirements checked
• County requirements checked
• City business license/tax certificate checked
• Home-occupation/zoning rule checked if operating from home
• Each add-on service reviewed for separate licensing requirements
• Renewal dates calendared

Insurance and bonding

• Commercial agent was told the actual Home Watch activities
• General liability reviewed
• Professional liability/E&O reviewed
• Key-loss/rekeying exposure discussed
• Auto/business-driving exposure discussed
• Employee/worker coverage plan understood before hiring
• Crime/employee dishonesty exposure discussed
• Bonding requirement/decision documented
• Policy and COI stored securely
• Renewal dates calendared

Service design

• Core Home Watch visit defined
• Service frequency options defined
• Service area defined
• Add-on services limited to what you can legally/operationally support
• Exclusions written down

Pricing

• Total time per visit estimated
• Drive time included
• Vehicle cost included
• Fixed overhead allocated
• Profit/risk margin included
• Setup/onboarding fee decision made
• Add-on pricing defined
• Emergency/after-hours pricing defined if offered

Checklist and reporting

• Master checklist created
• PASS/ISSUE/N/A convention defined
• Departure checklist created
• Property-customization process created
• Photo rules defined
• Sample client report created
• Urgent issue communication process defined

Contract and emergency authority

• Service agreement drafted
• Attorney review obtained as appropriate
• Scope/exclusions clear
• Visit frequency clear
• Payment terms clear
• Access rules clear
• Emergency contacts required
• Emergency-spending/mitigation authority defined
• Vendor-coordination role defined
• Cancellation/key-return process defined

Client onboarding

• Discovery questionnaire ready
• Property walkthrough checklist ready
• Main water shutoff documented
• HVAC systems/settings documented
• Alarm/access procedure documented securely
• Preferred vendors collected
• Baseline-photo process created
• Keys/fobs/codes tested before owner departure
• First visit confirmation process ready

Access security

• Keys use anonymous internal IDs
• No full addresses attached to keys
• Secure key storage ready
• Access-to-property mapping secured separately
• Employee checkout process planned before hiring
• Lost-key procedure documented
• End-of-service key-return/revocation process documented

Marketing and discovery

• Business website/landing page live
• Service area obvious
• Phone/voicemail tested
• Inquiry form tested
• Google Business Profile created/configured if eligible
• Home address hidden if Google service-area rules require it
• Free HomeWatcherList profile created
• Realtor referral list started
• Local vendor/referral list started
• Lead-source tracking field created

Field readiness

• Phone and charger/battery bank ready
• Flashlight ready
• Measurement tools used by your service tested
• Appropriate PPE/supplies ready
• Vehicle reliable
• Offline/backup method established if mobile data fails
• Emergency numbers/procedure accessible

Test visit

Before charging a client, run one complete practice visit.

• Check in
• Exterior route
• Entry/alarm procedure
• Full checklist
• Simulated issue/photo/note
• Departure checklist
• Client report
• Time entire workflow
• Calculate actual drive + visit + report time
• Adjust checklist/pricing based on the test

Ready-to-launch standard

You are ready for the first paid client when you can answer these questions confidently:

1. What exactly am I contracted to do?
2. What happens if I find a serious problem?
3. How do I enter and secure the property?
4. What insurance protects the operation, and what does it not cover?
5. How do I document every visit?
6. How do I keep client access information secure?
7. Is the price profitable after drive time and overhead?
8. Can the homeowner understand the report without calling me for basic clarification?

If any answer is “I haven't really decided,” fix that item before scaling.

Optional operating software

You can run the early workflow manually if it is organized. If you want a dedicated system, HomeWatchTools provides client/property management, checklists, contracts, scheduling, GPS-assisted check-in, reports, invoicing, concierge records, and team features.

For free public visibility, create and maintain a HomeWatcherList business profile.