The refrigerator door hasn’t closed tight in three months, the kitchen chairs all wobble, and your sliding glass doors are showing internal moisture buildup.  You’ve already thought about “calling someone” but after you found out the basement was flooding, you knew it is time to finally get a handyman.

If you have never actually thought to get a professional handyman, or even thought about using a handyman before, don’t worry.  It’s not all that tough.  There are many reputable, reliable and well priced options at your fingertips.

First, you need to find two or three who can come over and give you bids on the jobs you need done.  Where do you find them?  Actually, there are some easy, reliable and affordable options.  Although there are some large online companies who charge membership fees to join and then allow you to search for all types of workers and handymen who have been background checked and reference checked, most people don’t want to pay to find people they might not even want to hire.

There are other choices, and most are much easier – free for the most part.  Your best bet is to use online sites like www.Get-a-contractor-now.com.  Of course, there are others, too.

Ask friends and family –  there’s nothing like a good reference to get started.  Don’t be afraid to ask what projects were done and what was paid.  People are usually more than happy to brag about great deals they got, and if they find a reliable handyman (or anyone….) who did a good job for a fair price, they will be more than happy to pass on the information.

Just be sure to get more than one bid unless, of course, you’re having a real crisis and there is no time or opportunity to do any due diligence.  If your refrigerator door really isn’t closing properly and it’s about to rain, you probably don’t have much time to do much other than calling companies until you find one that can come over immediately.  At that point, price shouldn’t be your major problem.

Remember that not all handymen are the same.  Getting a handyman includes making certain you are talking to the ones who do the type of handyman work you want and need done.  Don’t waste your time getting bids from anyone who says, “Well, I don’t really like laying tile but I’ll come over to see what you need done because I need the work.”   He’s probably not going to be the one who does a perfect job.

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It seems that anyone who can handle a paint brush or a hammer has a business card that denotes himself as a professional handyman.   And, he might be right!  But, more often than not, he’s simply a man who can handle a paint brush and a hammer – not an extensive list of skills, and probably less than what you were hoping to find.

Someone who refers to himself as a professional handyman should certainly be able to deliver on his assertions.  He should have broad skill sets, perhaps even hold a license in a particular area (that he may or may not be using any longer), and have years of experience and references in the areas in which he is seeking jobs and offering to provide services.

The term “professional” of course has an entire host of implications and definitions, none of which implies that there is any type of license required in any state.  A professional handyman describes himself as a professional in the same way an office manager would describe himself as a professional.  No license – just a great work ethic.

However, someone who does add the word “professional” to his business card or advertising (postcards, job boards, even newspaper classified ads) should be assumed to be a cut above, although there is no guarantee since there are no rules or regulations by which a handyman work needs to be abide.  For instance, there is nothing stopping a teenager – whose sole claim to fame is mowing lawns during the summer – from having business cards proclaiming his expertise as a Professional Handyman.

More often than not, someone who describes himself as a professional handyman will more than likely have his skills and specialties listed at least on his business card, if not everywhere he advertises.  On top of have a concise list of what he can do, he also would more than likely have a web page (even a free page that his ISP sponsors; not necessarily an expensive professionally done site) that would act as his resume, and provide details on his experience.  He may also have photos of recent jobs he’s accomplished, quotes from happy customers, multiple contact methods, and perhaps even a professional email address (info@joethehandyman.com for instance).

It’s up to you, the buyer, to decide how professional someone really is.  Fancy business cards and websites and even good references won’t guarantee that the person you choose is going to turn out to be the perfect choice.

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One of the most important things to do after you hire a professional handyman is to put something in writing so everyone understands who is responsible for what:  who buys supplies, etc.  This can be something as simple as a handwritten list of bullet points that both parties sign and stick on the fridge.

Some handymen actually have their own pre-printed contracts and/or work agreements, and that’s fine.  These can be edited as necessary.  Usually it’s only the larger companies and service bureaus that have this kind of paperwork, and the freelancers are typically more than happy to sign whatever you make up yourself.

The type of job at hand should dictate the detail put into the work agreement.  If you expect someone to paint your living room, for instance, this may sound like a very simple job but in reality there are many things to be considered and agreed up before the painting begins:  who moves the furniture, who buys the paint, how many coats, is repair work to the walls included in the bid, what happens if there is any damage done (spilled paint on hardwood floors, etc.)…these are all concerns best not left till later.

As a matter of courtesy it’s always a good idea to figure out ahead of time what to do with any pets when the handyman comes to do the job.  Not everyone loves or even wants to deal with animals, so it’s a good idea to have a frank discussion with your handyman as to what his interest might be with having your cats supervise his every move, or Fido yapping away for hours at a time.  For someone who has no tolerance for pets or animals at all, you may want to find someone who understands the passions of pet lovers and won’t mind them around.

Another thing to check on – even before you commit to the project – is whether you need a building permit to do the job.  Many homeowners try to use hire a good handyman knowing it will cost less than a fully licensed contractor in many cases, but when a job requires a building permit, the job needs to be completed by a licensed contractor or your job won’t be approved.  This is not an area where you can try to cut corners.  If you need repair work to your roof, even though a handyman might be able to do an excellent job, you really need to hire a licensed roofing contractor, not a handyman.

It will behoove you to find out what your local ordinances dictate before making a commitment to anyone for any major work.

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Unlike licensed contractors who are always being accused of inflating bids and overcharging (usually by homeowners who have no idea what this type of expertise is really worth), a good handyman will usually charge lower fees and, for many homeowners, this is not only a viable option but in many instances, the preferred one.

The project at hand will of course determine the exact type of pricing structure you will be looking at.  Most Master handymen will usually be called in for multiple projects because it’s human nature to wait for “little things” to add up until it’s almost an emergency to get things done.

A typical work agreement might be similar to this:  fix a screen door, paint the half bath off the kitchen, hang new doors for a closet.  Nothing that needs a license or a building permit – just enough experience to not cause further problems.

When jobs / tasks are similar in nature, he may give you a quote by the hour.  In the situation described above, these tasks would be considered similar and usually could be handled quite well by a master handyman who, of course, likes to paint (not all handymen do!).   In a situation like this he may be able to quote you by the hour or by the entire job.

For homeowners, paying by the hour is usually not their first choice.  Anyone who has ever employed any sort of hourly domestic help such as a housekeeper will usually lament that the tasks at hand were stretched out beyond belief in order to be able to charge more, even though the job wasn’t performed any better.

It could be the same with any worker you have around the house:  hourly payments are looked at as an open ATM machine.  There is really no need to pay by the hour – ask for a per job estimate.  How much to paint the bathroom?  How much to hang the new door?  This way assures you that no time will be wasted just to increase the bill.

Occasionally you may be asked for a deposit.  Unless you expect the person to buy supplies out of his own pocket, there’s no reason to provide a down payment or deposit, certainly not in cash.  No matter how great someone’s references, there is always the possibility of having him not show up, at least when promised, if he already has some cash.

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Finding a good handyman might not be the toughest part of the job.  Figuring out if he’s as good as you hope is usually the most difficult part!  One common problem is that even with good references, no one is going to keep everyone else happy.  A handyman might do a great job for one family, but fail miserably at someone else’s home.

Here are some simple guidelines to keep in mind when you interview and hire what you hope to be a good handyman:

• Do you like how he communicates with you?  Or does he talk to you in a very condescending manner?
• Did he keep his appointment?  If not, this could become a major problem if he is expected to be there on multiple days.
• When you asked for references, did you check with families where he did similar work to what you need done?  It’s nice to know that the fence he put up for the Richardsons down the street came out better than expected, but that doesn’t mean he can replace your garage door.
• Does he focus on the tasks at hand, or is he on his cell phone iPod all the time?
• Does he bring his own food and thermos with him, or does he just assume you’ll be feeding him?  (This is perfectly OK – many families are more than happy to do this but it needs to be discussed up front.  You don’t want to come home to find out he ate the lasagna you were saving for dinner.)
• Does he seem to be running into problems that he shouldn’t be?  If he is hanging draperies and realizes he forgot his electric drill, that’s just plain inexcusable.
• If he is doing work outside, does he clean his feet before coming inside?  Or does he get mud all over your floors?
• When he showed up to start work, did he take precautions to prevent making any more of a mess than necessary?  Did he put down drop cloths?  Did he wipe up spills and vacuum if needed?

Of course, above all else, did he do what you hired him to, and did you like what he did?  Did the job come out the way you envisioned, for the price he estimated (unless of course there were problems that he told you about as things progressed and they weren’t his fault)?

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All too often when it comes time to try to hire a local handyman, we are in a rush.  Things have been let go and now suddenly there is no more time – projects needs to be done soon before the house just about falls in around you.

When it gets to the “mission critical” point, we tend to act out of desperation rather than logic.  What happens?  We make assumptions that lead to bad judgments, and these bad decision usually result in inaccurate bids, miscommunication, poor planning, no written work agreement, and plenty of unforeseen problems all around.

To avoid problems and confusion – no matter what kind of emergency you are having – you need to not only put something in writing, but there are key elements that should be addressed no matter how simple you think the project will be.

1. Make sure a written estimate details the exact work you want done.  Don’t make any assumptions like, “Well, I know he means…”.   He doesn’t.  Clarify!
2. Have a definite start and finish date.
3. If the project isn’t going to finish on time, then what?  Don’t put yourself in a position where the kitchen still needs one wall painted and it’s a week overdue.  Decide how YOU want to handle a situation like this.  It usually entails a reduction in the overall price for the job.
4. Know ahead of time who is providing all supplies.  If the estimate says “paint bathroom white” you don’t want to assume the handyman is showing up with his own white paint.
5. What about any damage he might cause?  No matter how small a job is, all sorts of problems can occur.  His truck tires can rip up your front lawn, or he tracks the white paint all over your marble floors and leaves it there.  If he has no insurance (most freelancers don’t!), you need to figure out how damage will be repaired.
6. How will unforeseen problems be handled?  For instance, if he is patching some dry wall and he discovers mold – what then?
7. If he injures himself on your property – which is not out of the question! – this could be a major problem.   Have him sign a waiver so that he can’t sue you for accidents incurred on the job.  (Of course, if your dog bites him, that’s a different story!)
8. How will you handle additional expenses?  If he runs out of paint can he go buy more or does he wait for you to do it?
9. Who supplies all the tools?  Not all handymen have a complete tool set.
10. Payment! He wants to know when you plan on paying him, and that’s only fair.  Will he be paid no matter what, when the job is done?  What if he does a lousy job and you need to have it redone?  Outline all this!

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For relatively simple or routine jobs around the house, a good handyman service should do the trick.  A few guys usually band together and informally start a little company or even a referral service, and end up being able to provide just about any type of handyman jobs that need to be done.

A local handyman is of course a very general term that applies to what is considered to be “unskilled” labor, a misnomer if there ever was one.  Since handymen are usually called upon to fix things that the usual person can’t, he is certainly skilled, and definitely more skilled than the person making the call needing help.

However, he doesn’t need a license and therefore can be very general in the handyman services he provides.  These services can range from fixing a leaky faucet (now, there’s a skill!) to repaving a driveway.  If you happen to find a good handyman service that provides a full range of these types of jobs, just make certain you are explicit when requesting someone to come out to bid.

In situations where one or two handymen have a company, they usually know many people in the business who can help with some of the jobs they are being asked to do.  For instance, you may call John’s Handyman Service and find out that John and his son specialize in outdoor projects ranging from simple gardening and landscaping to designing and building decks.

You just happen to be in the market for these services, and you ask John to come out to give you an estimate.  When John shows you some sketches of a deck that you fall in love with, you realize it has some lights around the border and you ask John if he can do these.  At this point John will probably say no since most general handyman services don’t include this level of electrical expertise, however, John happens to know four super electricians with whom he has worked in the past, and he offers to call one immediately.

This type of service is what you should expect from a licensed handyman service – not just the service, but the experience, the knowledge, and the referral system that is inherently built in.

When you get your estimate, make sure you understand what you are paying for, and whose services you are paying for.  If the electrician shows up to put in your lighting, you don’t want to find out that John’s bid didn’t include the electrician’s fee too.

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Handyman work can be as simple as replacing a bulb to the most complex of wiring jobs. A handyman has become indispensable in our society and this work is something that needs to be done on time and efficiently. The handyman is literally a jack of many trades and has varied skill sets which makes him do so many different kinds of work in a house with ease. Handyman work consists of repairing, maintaining, re-doing, renovating, and building.

Handyman work in the repairing area consists of fixing various fixtures and appliances, like faucets, pipes, garbage disposal units, electrical switches, ovens, smoke detectors, ceiling fan, refrigerator, range hood, fences, jammed doors and drawers, garage door opening unit, window shutters, sliding windows, thermostat, heater, air-conditioner and many more. It is rare for a single handyman to be able to repair all these different things and most handyman work is specialised. There are certified handymen who specialise in repairing heaters, refrigerators and air-conditioning units, and they might not be able to fix a plumbing problem. There are other repairs which do not require much of specialisation and these odd jobs can be done by most handyman. Repairing walls and broken tiles will require masonry skills and such handyman work can be done by a person having such skills.

There are also a number of maintenance jobs included in handyman work. This work consists of cleaning of gutters, maintaining swimming pools, maintaining showers and cleaning tubs of any deposits, daily checking of thermostats and heaters in commercial establishment, cleaning carpets of any stains and so on. This handyman work has a repetitive nature and the handyman can be hired on a contract to do this work at regular intervals.

Handyman work also involves a fair amount of odd jobs which come up as and when the need arises. Few of the odd jobs can be tile work, pressure washing, weatherproofing, small carpentry jobs and so on.

The handyman work can also extend to building an entire new structure and fitting it with the different fixtures. Such works will usually require a license, and the handyman should be  professionally qualified for the job. This type of handyman work will involve carpentry, plumbing, electrical wiring and masonry. This type of handyman work is paid for the whole project and will depend upon the work involved and whether the materials are supplied by the handyman service or by the owner of the property.

We can now see that handyman work can comprise of many different jobs requiring varied skill sets. Before hiring a handyman you need to assess your requirements and the type of handyman work you are expecting to get done. This will help you to choose the right handyman as each handyman may specialize in a particular skill. Posting your project online on a website can get you quotations from the different handymen in your area and make the task of choosing the right person much more easier.

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