A handyman, a handyperson, or a handyworker is a person with a wide range of home repair skills. These tasks basically include trade tasks, repair or maintenance work, either interior or exterior. Some people may refer to these tasks as ‘odd jobs.’
No one should consider a handyman’s task as an ‘’odd job,” however, because a handyman can actually prevent small problems around your home or office from turning into more massive problems. While handymen may be traced down through fliers or word of mouth, several companies offer quite useful handyman services.
Some of the repairs tackled by handymen include:
- Plumbing installation and repairs
- Electrical work, i.e., hanging ceiling fans, installing new outlets, light fixtures, etc.
- Roof repair
- Drywall patching
- Painting
- Home maintenance tasks, i.e. power washing, chimney sweeping, gutter cleaning, hanging a wall picture, and mounting a TV
- Basic carpentry
- Small-scale installations, i.e. shelves, sinks, window replacements, cabinetry, etc.
- Flooring installations, i.e. tiles, hardwood, etc.
A handyman can actually come in quite ‘handy’ sometimes, especially for new homeowners. When should you hire a handyman?
Every once in a while, you might need a little help with some home maintenance or repair issues. In such cases, you might need a person to help fix things around your home, that you may not have the knowledge or ability to fix by yourself.
Below are some of the critical times you might want to hire a handyman:
When You Want to Save Cash
As mentioned earlier, a handyman can help prevent small maintenance or repair issues around your home from turning into major problems. Avoiding bigger repairs means spending less money. Handymen only focus on smaller jobs around your home. Therefore, they usually charge less.
They easily handle tasks such as weather-stripping, caulking and sealing doors and windows, maintaining your heating system and upgrading insulation. All these lower your utility bills during cold winters and tough times.
When You Need a Quick Service
Appointments with contractors may take weeks or even months before they get through. Most handymen will fit you in as soon as possible especially if you have urgent needs such as plumbing leaks, failed heating system, or a frozen pipe.
If you need quick services, you should have a competent handyman’s number on your speed dial.
When You Have a Huge List of Repairs
You can save yourself from the frustration of having to make specific calls, and to make separate payments to specialized contractors like plumbers, painter, or carpenters, to have different repairs fixed around your home.
A handyman is a jack-of-all-trades. Just one person can tackle all your household needs in only one visit.
Before hiring a handyman, it’s essential to:
- Jot down all the work you need to be done and be upfront with all the things you want to be done.
- Make sure you have a reliable, licensed, bonded and insured handyman.
- Request for cost estimates for both labor and materials ahead of time to avoid misunderstandings later.
- Make sure you’re comfortable with the prices offered by the handyman.
- Set a date for the work to be done.
- Get the contract in writing to avoid any confusion, misunderstandings, or forgotten details.
- Know what guarantees or warranties are provided, depending on the type of work that is to be done.
Several platforms offer guidelines to homeowners on how they can handle various tasks around their homes, we love the HomeFixWorld website for finding the best information!
