Tips on Hiring a Handyman

From time to time, most of us will need a little help with home repairs and maintenance issues. Plumbing work, home exterior repairs, painting, gutter cleaning, and the list can go on and on. What do we do if we’re not the DIY type? Call the professionals of course! However, there is actually no need to seek help from a specialty contractor for some simple home repairs, don’t you think? A handyman can finish the job then! Here are tips on hiring a handyman.

Handymen do a variety of small home improvement projects that save time and money. These people are considered by many as skilled “jack of all trades” who can complete a wide range of repairs or home improvement tasks. However, not all handymen are carpenters, electricians, or plumbers. Some confine their efforts to yard work, clearing brush, mowing grass, and general outdoor maintenance instead of indoor home repairs.  So, for you to be able get the repairs that you want done, you should hire the right people.  How do we know then who to hire best?

The first step is to define the project and this involves listing down the home repair projects you want completed. After you’ve identified the tasks, you can proceed to searching in the right places. Yelp and Angie’s List are good resources but don’t forget to check your community bulletin boards and ask around at a local hardware store too. The next step is to interview them before agreeing to let them do any work. Call them up and ask them about the kinds of work they’ve done in their years of experience and also ask what they specialize in (if they do specialize).  It will also not hurt to ask for their license number so that you can verify it if needed.

Once you’ve chosen the right handyman to complete your projects, obtain a written agreement from him laying out the job details, estimate, and even the payment schedule. Be clear about the times you expect the work to be started and completed. This will be something like your house rules. It will be best if both parties are clear on the expectations from each other.

Finally, at the completion of all agreed upon expectations and projects, thoroughly inspect the completed work. Make sure that everything has been done at the agreed upon price before paying him. Do not be  afraid to point out areas that need improvement or areas that need total replacement. Whether the tasks are large or small, with some research and the right questions, you can be sure to find the good guys.