Tips to help you find the best man for the job
Routine and regular home repairs can be quite taxing for busy homeowners. This is where handyman services come in. A handyman is a person who can fill in for you to do some repair work or installation jobs around the house. It is important to understand that handyman services are minor services and nothing too major like renovating a house. If you are looking to get something renovated, you should be contacting the contractor and not a handyman.
To make a clear differentiation, mentioned below are some of the most common categories of services provided by these handymen:
- Drywall installation
Installation of drywall is one of the most common handyman services provided professionally. After having experienced water damage because of a remodeling or refurbishing job, handyman services, generally, are well equipped to provide drywall installations with precision. Holes, cracks, and tears in your wall don’t have to be there. A handyman can take over and fix your problem in a jiffy.
- Fixture replacement
Home fixtures are an easy DIY job; most of them can be and are done by homeowners on their own. However, at times, you might prefer getting something fixed professionally. This is when the handyman services come into the picture with their fixture replacement services. While most fixture jobs do not require professional licensing, there might be some electric equipment or plumbing job that would need looking into by a licensed professional. It is also advisable that people who are unfamiliar with electrical issues should not mess with any light fixture related problems.
- Smart home
There are varied types and qualities of smart home devices available in the market. It is essential to know that the handyman you pick understands these devices and can install them well. Since there are various brands available, equipment like sensors, thermostats, smart lights, etc., have their own installation process and might require a well-versed professional.
- Paint jobs
Another most common task done by various handyman services is to paint rooms. Painting your own house can be quite a hassle to start with, especially if you don’t know much about interior painting. Because of this, your room can appear patchy and shoddy. If you’re worried that your lack of skill might ruin the walls, don’t worry. Let a handyman help you out. Generally, most handyman services are well equipped with all the painting tools required to do the job.
- Power wash
Keeping the exterior of the house clean and pristine is as important as keeping your interiors clean. To get rid of the dirt on your sidewalk, parking space, walls, and roof, power washing services can be taken advantage of. However, since power washing requires some expensive equipment, you will find that not all handymen provide this service.
- Installation of tiles
The process of installing tiles is not as easy as people make it out to be and requires a proper professional. If the handyman cannot do the required job with precision, it will do more damage than good as the tiles require measuring and cutting according to the area. Essentially you should be looking for professional service providers with the right equipment for the job and experience.
- Door and window repair
Most service providers are well equipped to repair and replace broken doors and/or windows. This can include cleaning broken glass and repairing broken frames, windows, and doors.
- Repairing small appliances
A lot of people prefer repairing instead of replacing a piece of equipment. Apart from being cost-effective, it also saves them the hassle of finding a new replacement for the broken one. It is, however, advised to get an estimated pricing for the repair work as sometimes the cost of repair could fairly be close to that of buying a new one.
Some other handyman services or listing you may often come across are carpenter and furniture repair, garden work, or even basic bricklaying.
Now that we have been through the various services that handymen provide, we will move on to the process of selecting the right provider for you. The process of finding the right handyman for the job shouldn’t be tiresome. You can find one in your local directories, online, or even via your family and friends. The difficult part is choosing the one from the hundreds listed. As a lot of these services are listed as General Handyman Services, it becomes necessary to ensure that the job you require to be done is one the service provider of your picking specializes in. You should also make sure that the handyman comes equipped with the right tools.
Some other useful tips that can help you choose the right provider are listed below:
- Company license
This is one of the most important things to check if the company you are choosing is a legit one. A licensed provider is sure to have a certain level of professional touch and will give you the satisfaction of getting work done by the right person.
- Positive customer reviews
When you are narrowing in on a handyman service provider, take some time to check them out online. One of the easiest and reliable ways to check the quality of service is to look into the reviews. You can easily go through their Google reviews, blogs, or simply their own website to make an informed decision. The reviews are sure to help you figure out how good or bad the provider is at their job. Apart from that, you can also look for providers that come with a referral by their previous customers. If a customer is referring a service provider to others on their own free will, it is a positive sign and tells you that the provider won’t disappoint with the quality of work.
- Personal injury insurance
Ensure that the handyman you pick comes with their own personal injury insurance. You can even demand to have a look at the papers if you must. This safeguards you from being blamed for any possible injury without being at fault.
- Safety measures
Check with the handyman about the kind of safety measures they take for the job at hand. Do not forget that cleanliness measures also fall under this category. Cleanliness, after all, is as essential to safety as any other precaution.
- Ask for pictures
If the provider has photographs online of the job that they have done for customers, you should look at them carefully. These photographs will give you an idea of the quality of work they provide. Be mindful that the pictures aren’t something that has been picked off the Internet.