Tips On Hiring A Handyman – When you purchase a home that has been previously owned, you never know every single thing that is wrong with it until you’ve lived in it for a little while. You will probably find at least a few things that need to be repaired or replaced.
Most people will even want to change things to their own personal taste. To do all of these things you will either have to do the work yourself or hire a handyman or contractor to do it.
When moving to a new area, you aren’t usually familiar with the people around you or the companies, so how do you find a reliable handyman?
There are a few things that most people look for in a handyman. First, you want someone who is professionally skilled. Second, you want someone who will actually show up when they say they will. Third, you need to find someone who you can afford.
Now decide which two of those qualities are most important to you because the chance of finding someone with all these qualities is slim but it CAN be done. There are good people out there.
The first thing you want to do is go out and meet your neighbors! Talk to them about the types of contractors you are needing. If they can’t give you references, I promise you they can tell you who NOT to use. I’m sure you will hear about handymen who have not finished the job, took the money and ran, or just plainly did a horrible job. These are a definite “do not hire”.
DECIDE WHAT KIND OF HANDYMAN YOU’RE NEEDING
If you have a roof problem that is just a small leak, a reliable handyman is perfect for the job. But if your roof is so bad that you need the entire thing replaced, it would be best for you to hire a qualified roofing contractor.
Go through your home and make a list of everything that needs to be repaired or replaced. Roof leaks? You’ll need a roofer. Installing ceiling fans or lighting? You’ll need an electrician. Leaky water pipes or maybe you have busted pipes? Call a plumber.
Hiring a professional to do the job may cost more, but with a professional you have a warranty on the work done and pros usually specialize in that one job and they do it daily, so they know exactly what to do and exactly how to get it done.
DO IT YOURSELF OR HIRE SOMEONE?
You can always choose to do the work yourself but before you do, there’s something you should think about. If you have a small leak in your roof and you tear off the few shingles you need to get to the leak and repair it. Once the shingles are torn off you find out the wood underneath is rotten. You keep tearing off shingles until you find a place where the wood is still good. Now you have half your roof tore off and a lot of wood that will need replacing. That small little repair has turned into a major problem. Now you need to hire a professional. Save yourself the headache and hire a pro from the start.
HIRE A RELIABLE PERSON/COMPANY
Playing “Duck, Duck, Goose” with the names in the yellow pages is never a good idea but when you hunt through those yellow pages trying to pick a contractor, it’s pretty much the same thing.
With almost everything being online these days, it’s typically easy to find out someone’s work reputation. Don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly fine to give the “little guy” just starting out a chance. If he is reliable, he will have excellent references for you to check. I’d save the minor jobs for him though.
The best suggestion for finding a professional is to find a non – profit website that gives you customer reviews on each company or person listed. Make sure it’s not one of those websites that companies are able to pay to be listed on it. Most of the time the referrals are not even checked out.
Here are a few of our suggestions on how to find a quality contractor or handyman.
_ANGIE’S LIST_
Do not look for coupons or promotions here. These are usually companies that have paid to be advertised. The best way to search is by the miles from yo0ur home. Continue to widen your search until you have found what you think are three good contractors. Make sure they have many reviews for you to check. Start with reviews that are rated an A+.
_TALK TO YOUR REALTOR_
Your realtor will usually be from the same area where you bought your home. Ask her (or him) who they use. Find out who they recommend and who they advise you not to hire. You can pretty much always count on their advice.
_FIND SOMEONE ON GOOGLE_
If you search on Google, it will automatically bring up contractors in your area if you are signed in to your Google account or if you let it access your location. Just search for the kind of contractor you’re needing. In the LOCAL section, it will show you all of the local vendors that have websites and how many reviews they have.
_CHECK HOME ADVISOR_
The home advisor is a reliable source for projects or repairs around your home. Companies are reviewed and rated by customers that they have actually done work for. You can specifically search your area for contractors or a handyman.
_SEARCH ON YELP_
With Yelp you can read customer reviews. Just remember that all reviews are not necessarily accurate. You will need to decide for yourself if the review is legitimate. Since anyone can post a review on this site, it can be a friend trying to give their friend a good review. But it can also be an ex-employee who is mad and just trying to get revenge by giving a bad review. You’ll need to take all of this into consideration before making your choice.
_BBB_
The Better Business Bureau is an excellent source for checking on a company. You will find the company’s rating and other information about that contractor.
TIPS:
Never, ever pay a contractor before the job is done. It is normal to pay a small deposit fee to aid in the cost of materials needed. Do not pay large fees upfront. Pay the small deposit if one is requested then pay the rest only when the job is completely finished to your satisfaction.
Make sure that it is written down on paper, everything that needs to be done, and that you are not being charged for anything you did not authorize.
Before any work begins, make sure to ask to see the contractor’s insurance and license. Also, find out if a building permit is needed.
These are just a few ideas on how to go about finding the help you need for any repairs around the house.
