You want to get things fixed around your home, but you want to save money doing it. That is completely understandable. However, when it comes to your home, you need things fixed right. Mistakes with the infrastructure of your home from electrical to plumbing and HVAC upgrades or repairs can cause devastating results. Here are four things you need to know before hiring any handyman to renovate or make repairs to your home.
Get a Full Contract in Writing
Without documentation, you have no leg to stand on. When you are getting an estimate or having work performed on your home, get it in writing. The difference in price between a professional service company and a handyman can be in the shortcuts the handyman is willing to take to get your business. There are code requirements for each type of structure and its location and type of use. Trained professionals keep your home renovations and repairs up to code to satisfy the latest safety, legal and insurance requirements. Getting a written contract of the work to be done and the materials to be used may reveal why there is a price disparity.
Ask to See Proof of Insurance, Bonding and Licensing
Anyone can put “fully insured” on a business card, without an explanation of what it means. You want to only do business with a company that really is fully insured. There are liability concerns for not only the work being done but for the workers doing the job and even customers if you are having repairs or renovation made to your business. Bonded workers have had background checks performed to secure a bond amount against theft claims. As for licensing, it varies in necessity from state to state. Licensing usually involves testing to make sure the company or person being licensed is competent to perform the work they are being licensed to do.
Keep the Scope of the Job in Mind
It may be okay to hire a handyman to make minor repairs to non-critical systems. Your neighbor may even have the DIY experience to fix the flush handle on your toilet that occasionally does not pop back up. However, when it comes to soldering pipes or snaking a clogged sewer line, you may prefer to have a professional plumbing company, such as Moon Valley Plumbing, do the work. You not only want the job done right, you want it done safely and without causing further damage. Training and experience are needed in renovation and repair jobs that exceed the general scope of a homeowner’s or handyman’s capability.
Check References Thoroughly
You can go online and find consumer comments for any type of service provider from doctors to electricians to plumbers. The Better Business Bureau is a great information resource to find out the reputation of a service company. There are even paid sites that help you select the right company to do the job you need done. Be savvy, and weed out the fake comments from the real. Yes, there are some out there that pay people to give a good or even poor report about companies providing service work. Be sure to ask your neighbors, friends and family too. Solid companies providing reputable service want you to check them out.
If you have had success with a handyman you have used in the past, your first instinct is going to call this person for subsequent jobs. However, keep in mind that handyman services have a limit of the type of work that the provider has experience and training to provide. Professional service providers have the tools, training and experience to get the work you need done right the first time.
