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Homeowners Guide To Handyman Service

Owning your own home requires more than just a good eye for architecture and a green thumb for lawn maintenance, you've also got to think about all of the little things that keep your home in perfect working order. Similar to any other structure, your house becomes damaged over time, and even those small flaws that need fixing can turn into much larger jobs if overlooked for too long. This is when you might want to start considering a handyman to come in and assist you in getting your house back into the working order and shape that it should be in.

Handymen can perform a number of jobs in a variety of different rooms that the average homeowner might not even consider, and while your home might seem in tip top physical shape at the moment, a professional eye might be able to pick out a few things that could cause a problem in the future. Sometimes preventative measures are just as important as getting hands on and treating known issues with your home. Throughout this guide you'll learn a few things that you can do to improve your home and how to get started.

Finding Handyman Jobs Around The House

The average handyman faces a variety of tasks and odd jobs around the house, and can likely find something that they can improve or repair in just about any room that you can think of. If you're not sure what projects require a professional it's easy to find information online or through local repair services to see what could be attempted as a DIY project, and what should be left to the pros. Unless you have experience and training as a plumber, carpenter, or electrician, there are many things that you'll find yourself in need of an expert for, and while some things are easy to spot like mold on a carpet or a crack in the wall, there are also things you might have to look for such as leaky pipes in the basement or under your sinks, and weak roofing or foundational problems.

Interior Jobs For Your Handyman:

  • Vent system repair and cleaning
  • Plumbing
  • Door and window repair and maintenance
  • Garage and basement maintenance
  • Hardwood, ceramic, carpet, and tile installation
  • Grout and caulking
  • Electrical maintenance
  • Painting services

Exterior Jobs For Your Handyman:

  • House siding maintenance
  • Clean, repair, and extend gutters
  • Mail box repair
  • Installation of security locks
  • Fence and gate building
  • Deck installation and repair
  • Pressure washing

Handyman Cost Guide

Prices for any plumbing, electric, carpentry, and additional odd jobs can vary from project to project, but they can also vary from company to company, making it difficult to place an exact cost on any particular project. However, finding a cost for a project is a simple process and requires either a call to a local company or you can request a quote from a few of the top local handymen right here on ShoutWire.com. The business that you talk to will be able to gauge a rough estimate based on the size of the task at hand, how many tasks must be completed, materials that will be needed, and a few other things that will be determined by a team of professionals.

In most cases these estimates are pretty close to the actual cost of the project, but sometimes a quote can be vastly different from the actual cost, so it's important to check on company policy as far as overages paid on quote prices. The average rate of most handymen is between $65.00 and $85.00 per hour. Some businesses will only charge you a certain amount over the quoted cost, even if it's much different. Since it's impossible to give an exact cost of a project here, this guide will give estimates on a few specific tasks and their corresponding prices.

  • Refinishing Cabinets: $1,500 - $2,500
  • Tile and grout projects: $300 - $400
  • Repairing a clogged drain: $275 - $310
  • Installing a shower: $3,500 to $4,000
  • House siding repair: $300 - $600
  • Cost to install or repair carpet: $670 - $825

What Makes A Good Handyman

For many people a house is an extension of themselves and their family, and for this reason, you don't want just anybody working on it. A good handyman is defined by a number of different characteristics and qualities, but one of the most important things to consider before hiring a handyman is whether or not you can trust them to complete their jobs in a manner that you would approve of. You may not know what's going on every step of the way, but if you can trust your handyman then at least you know that things are being taken care of with the same quality and commitment that you would complete the tasks yourself.

To determine whether or not a handyman or company is trustworthy you can speak to a customer service agent or other representative for the business, and even ask to meet with the people who will be working on your home. You can get a good idea about how well somebody will handle things within your home based on how they interact with you during the meeting.

Other characteristics that make up a good handyman include skill level, education, and competency on all jobs. Not all handymen are suited for all types of projects, which means that plumbing projects will require somebody with plumbing certification, electrical projects will require electrician certification, and some wood working projects may require carpentry competency. All certification and education for the business you work through should be easily obtained, as well as information on additional credentials, licenses, and insurance.

How To Find A Handyman

Finding a handyman is relatively easy in today's modern world of company websites and online registries. A simple keyword in a search engine can bring up a variety of options in your area, and while not every choice that becomes available will be to your taste, it can be nice to have more than one company to choose from in case they don't cover the same projects. Once you've brought up a particular company's website you can check out what kind of projects they complete through their "services offered" page, or you can call and speak to a representative to discuss your particular task and get a quote on how much you'll pay for services rendered.

Although an online search can gain you access to hundreds of results local and statewide, if you want someone with exemplary services you should choose a company that's known for providing high quality services, like the companies listed on ShoutWire. It might seem simple, but sometimes the easiest solutions are also the best, and choosing a company that has been screened for quality assurance is the best and easiest way to know that you'll be working with a top rated handyman.

If your friends and family have few choices for you when it comes to recommending a handyman, you can opt for the recommendations of others by seeking out reviews in your local newspaper, or online. A customer review is a wonderful thing, because most will include a standardized rating of one to five for a job poorly or well done, as well as an explanation of what went wrong and right during the process. This can give you a better idea of what you'll be expecting while having work done by a particular company, and some reviewers allow for personal contact so that you can gain a better perspective on their experiences.

How To Work With Your Handyman

Whether you have skills in a trade, or you just generally like to help with household maintenance, if you hire a professional to do a job then it's best to let them work and complete the task they've been hired to do without interference. You can offer your assistance if you're certified or competent in a particular area and if your worker approves of your offer then be sure to listen to direction and heed any warnings that they give you during the process. Remember that it isn't only your health and safety being put at risk when you work with somebody else, but theirs as well, and your handyman might not necessarily want your assistance, as it could hinder the process.

Another way that you can work with your handyman to complete a job more quickly is by making sure that the area they are working on is clear and easy to access. Basements, garages, and other areas of your home can become cluttered easily, especially if they're being used for storage, and while you don't necessarily need to empty out the room that a professional will be working in, it helps if they can gain access to the area easily, and without needing to shift things or squeeze behind furniture or storage items. You can ask ahead of time if there is any other area they might need to access in order to complete a job; some workers might need to gain access to a fuse box if electrical projects are being completed.

Being Open To Suggestion During A Project

Sometimes a handyman won't be able to complete a task exactly the way that you have planned, not because they don't want to, but because it could be damaging to the integrity of the home, or because it could cost you much more money to do something a certain way. When this happens, it's important to take a step back, look at the whole situation and then decide whether you'd like to continue the project with new suggestions for completion, or to try to stick to the original plan as best as can be done.

If you've chosen a skilled professional from a trusted company, there will rarely be a time when you'll need to think about replacing them with somebody who is willing to do a project the way that you want it, rather than the way that your handyman is suggesting. If you do decide that you might like to go in a different direction, however, then you should contact a second company for an opinion when your current service person isn't around and see what the secondary company or professional has to say on the matter. Most workers in this industry are trained in similar ways through similar institutions, and it's likely that some opinions will be the same across the board.

Final Thoughts on Hiring a Handyman

As you can see, there's no reason to feel worried about hiring a handyman; the process is quite easy and straightforward, and while you may have doubts or reservations about certain aspects of having a stranger working in your home, there are ways to ensure quality service. The most important thing to do when seeking out professional help of this kind is to do your research before settling on a particular company. Not every company has the same standards or confidence in certain procedures, and if you want to see a job well done on the first try, it's a good idea to look into previous customer comments as well as certification for individual projects.

Feel free to reach out to different companies until you get a feel for one that fits your lifestyle, home, and personality. Ask about discounts, deals, and special offers, and don't forget to include a query for the length of time that a project will take to be completed along with your quote for cost. You can also inquire about materials being used and additional costs that might be related to those materials. Some companies will allow you to use your own materials to cut costs, while others prefer to work with certain brands and styles of materials to guarantee a certain finish and quality of work.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask questions each day when your handyman has finished working, to see how far along they are in a project and whether or not everything is going smoothly. You can always take a look at the work, but don't ever try to finish a project on your own unsupervised as you could wind up making more work for yourself in the end.