M.Y. Building and Repair
Year 1 (2025-26)
by Gavin Maurer
M.Y. Building and Repair is a student-ran home service company that connects reliable WMU student crews with local homeowners and landlords for affordable, high-quality repair and maintenance work
About This Idea
We are building M.Y. Building and Repair, a student-powered home service company that connects trained WMU student crews with homeowners and landlords who need reliable, affordable repair and maintenance work.
The problem we’re solving is that many property owners struggle to find trustworthy, reasonably priced contractors for small to mid-sized jobs, while students are looking for flexible, well-paid work that fits their schedules.
Where Did This Idea Spark at WMU?
I have worked in the general contracting space for about 4 years and have recognized a need in the Kalamazoo area for quality, and affordable work. Through different jobs I have been able to contract different friends and classmates, and many of them expressed interest in doing this work part time or on a contract basis. This is what led to the idea of M.Y. Building & Repair, a general contracting company that contracts WMU students for their jobs.
Impact in Kalamazoo
This directly benefits both WMU student population and the Kalamazoo community. WMU students get to learn and use valuable skills, while getting paid for their work. Kalamazoo home owners and landlords get quality work at an affordable cost.
How Investment Helps
We will work to build a website that allows us to directly recruit WMU students for different projects. We will also use start up funds to purchase necessary equipment, Insurance, and run advertising. With these ads we hope to gain a steady and scalable client base, to be able to contract out 10 students for the forseeable future.
What I'll Do With the Money
Tools & Equipment - $30,000 (30%) Professional-grade tools, ladders, and jobsite equipment to support multiple student crews and handle a wide range of repair and carpentry jobs.
Vehicle & Trailer – $30,000 (30%)
Purchase a reliable work truck and enclosed trailer to transport crews, tools, and materials efficiently between job sites.
Payroll & Operating Cash – $25,000 (25%)
Working capital to pay student workers, cover materials, and handle operating expenses during the first few months of growth.
Insurance, Legal, & Marketing – $15,000 (15%)
General liability insurance, business registration, accounting setup, website, branding, and local advertising to generate early clients.
About the Founder
We are WMU students with hands-on home repair experience and strong campus networks to recruit reliable student crews. We’ve seen homeowners and landlords struggle to find affordable help for small jobs, while students need flexible, well-paid work. Now is the right time because Kalamazoo’s large rental market and growing student population create strong, consistent demand.