According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 1.4 million professional repair workers operating in the U.S. in 2016. If you’re a homeowner, you’ve probably had to rely on those services.
Even the most confident homeowners who like to do things themselves need to turn to handyman services sometimes. The problem might be beyond your expertise, or it could be more financially practical to outsource the job.
When you do need to turn to a handyman, you want to make sure that you’re getting the best one for the job. This person will be working in your home, so it’s important that you find someone that you trust.
Below, we’re providing you with a comprehensive guide so that you can find the best handyman services. They should be reliable and professional from start to finish and should fix the problem on-time and within budget.
Read on to learn more!
1. Look for a Specialist
When you’re shopping around for handyman services, you might be tempted by someone who says he can “do it all.” Believe it or not, that’s actually a red flag.
Just like you go to different doctors for different health issues, you want to go to different handymen for different home issues. A one-stop shop will never have the same level of expertise and knowledge a specialist will.
Certain companies that employ multiple repair workers may be able to help you with multiple jobs. Still, you want to make sure each individual has a mastery of the problem they are helping you to fix.
For example, you wouldn’t necessarily want a plumbing expert to be the same person that cleans your gutters.
If you’re ever considering a handyman for a project and they tell you they aren’t the best person for the job, that’s actually a good thing. It means they care about the quality of the work you get, not just about their own interest.
When you do have a project that falls under their expertise, you know you can trust them to do the work they’re best at.
2. Be Realistic About the Timeline
Having something break or go wrong in your home is frustrating, and it’s natural to want it fixed as quickly as possible.
That being said, it’s important to realize that not all jobs are meant to be done quickly. Some take a long time to get right, but the investment in the time up front can be well worth it in the long run.
You want to work with a handyman who will quote you a realistic timeline, based on the complexity of the work you need done. He might not tell you exactly what you want to hear, but honesty in those situations is more important.
It’s better to have a realistic sense of the timeline from the beginning of the project than to be disappointed down the road when the project takes longer than you had anticipated.
3. Don’t Trust Everything You Read
The Internet is a useful resource and has made it easier than ever for people to find handyman services in their area. That being said, don’t trust everything you read online.
Review sites should be one of several factors that you consider when hiring a handyman, but they shouldn’t be the only factor. Bad reviews may have more to do with the customer than with the handyman, and good reviews could be unreliable as well.
Word of mouth from trusted friends and neighbors is a much better indicator of whether a specific handyman or company will work for you.
Gather as much information as you can that way, and then go directly to the company’s website to learn more.
Ultimately, you have to trust your instinct when it comes to choosing who to hire, and shouldn’t rely on internet reviews as an accurate form judgment.
4. Prioritize Good Customer Service
One thing to think about when hiring a handyman is how much interaction you or members of your family will have with them while they are completing work in your home.
You want to hire someone who will be professional in how they conduct themselves while working, but also some whose presence in your home does not make you and your family uncomfortable.
A professional handyman should always be willing to respect any boundaries that you put on your home, so long as it does not impact their ability to do their job.
They should also be willing to answer any questions that you and your family have about the work being done and the progress of the repair.
Remember that it’s a two-way street though: just as your handyman should respect your home, you should respect their work environment.
5. Be Upfront About your Budget
Just as you expect a potential handyman to be honest about the costs of the work, you should be honest about your budget for the project.
To begin with, you should shop around and compare services so you get a realistic sense of what your repair should cost you. Once you’ve set a reasonable budget, don’t blow it by hiring someone you can’t afford.
When you’re upfront about your budget, you are giving the handyman the option to evaluate if they can satisfactorily complete the work for that amount of money. If they can’t, they’ll pass on the job and you can continue your search.
You also want to avoid getting into arguments with your handyman down the road, because they had one expectation of budget and you had another.
As long as you’re realistic when setting the max amount you are able to spend, you should be able to find a handyman to do the work you need.
Ready to Explore Local Handyman Services?
Needing repairs to your home can be a stressful situation, but you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed when searching for a handyman. By following these tips, you can easily find a handyman who will complete the work on-time and on-budget.
For more information on hiring a professional handyman, please contact us at any time.