When you have hit the limit of your home improvement capabilities and need some smaller projects handled, every homeowner turns to find a good handyman. In previous generations, most homeowners could handle many projects around the house like painting, fixing a toilet, installing new lights, cleaning gutters, staining a deck or even remodeling your basement. Now, who has the time, talents or tools to little more than change a simple light bulb?
When do you call a handyman versus when do you call a plumber or an electrician or a painter? If the project needs to have a permit pulled, you should probably call a specialist. If you’re not sure if a permit is required, call a handyman or a specialist and see what they say when you describe your project. Once you decide to hire a handyman, make sure to ask how they bill: by the hour or by the project and are materials included. Find out if there is a minimum charge just to show up and if you will be paying for their travel time. If you don’t get a good answer, you might want to consider another option.
Common handyman projects include drywall repair, small painting jobs, tile repair, siding repair, changing toilets or plumbing fixtures, repairing a fence or installing a new handrail for your porch. A good handyman is hard to find and they will generally be in high demand. Don’t be surprised if they aren’t able to show up right away. But once you find a good one, you probably will want to keep their number on speed dial.
