The Handyman Business

-The most import thing to remember when asking someone to look at or work on your home is GET MULTIPLE QUOTES. You cannot rely on one person to tell you what the scope of the work will be. If you only call one person about a job, they probably know much more than you about that particular piece of work. Thus you are at their mercy. If you call multiple people and have many conversations about that piece of work, you now know more than the pros. So again, GET MULTIPLE QUOTES.

-It must be noted that a Handyman differs from a full service Construction company/contractor in a number of ways. A construction company generally works hard to sell. I work hard to advertise but I would not try to coax anyone into buying anything. I do not try to initiate work that the customer is not confident in. I want from the very beginning for us to have a rapport so the job goes smoothly. I work by myself so I am not going to commit myself to something the customer had not really wanted. It makes for a work environment I do not want. The customer should make use of all construction companies’ FREE ESTIMATES. A construction company will give you a price as well as additional information. They might be a little annoying with their sales pitch but “Just say no” and you can make up your mind another day. There are advantages to going to a bigger construction company. 1) They have a large staff and can answer phones calls more readily. I work by my self so might be on a job. Of course I always get back to you but a company with an office staff can communicate with you a little better. 2) While the salesperson at a construction company obviously wants to sell, they can spend more time with you going over the work. If you have questions, they can answer. I of course will always answer any question you may have but if you feel you need a dedicated product specialist, a larger company can give you that. 3) Construction companies have multiple crews and might be able to get to your job quicker. You of course are paying handsomely for this but for some it might be worth it.

-While I do advertise it often happens that my schedule quickly fills up and thus have to turn down work; even if I have just recently put a door hanger on your door. To which again I ask, please GET MULTIPLE QUOTES.

-Products I will need to be high quality are paint, wood and various hardware. I cannot use paint from box stores. I use Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore and paint from dedicated paints stores. The reason is box store paint is runny and leaves a bad finish. The cheap stuff ends up costing more when the it needs to be repainted in a short time. I buy wood from both box stores and lumber yards but sometimes the lumber yard is a must. Cheap wood warps and degrades rapidly. If I need a part, such as a light for an outdoor security box, I will go to a specialized store. (In this case an electrical supply store.) The same goes for plumbing, roofing and whatnot. I know that I will be able to get something high quality and deal with a staff that knows what they are doing.

-Working solo, cancelled jobs and estimates can sometimes be hard to reschedule.

-When doing the work, its best if someone is there at the house and also that one specific person is able to communicate with me.

-For DIYers I recommend still getting someone to work on your house occasionally so that you are in the habit of the procedure.

-And … please GET MULTIPLE QUOTES.