If your kitchen sink is clogged or bathroom pipes are dripping, you may think of a DIY route to fix such small issues. However, sometimes DIY home repairs result in causing further damages and wasting a lot of money. Most homeowners believe that fixing minor plumbing issues or flickering light bulbs is an easy task. But in reality, these apparently simple jobs require proper knowledge, experience, and special tools and spare parts.
You may feel tempted to save some money by doing these home repairs on your own. But unfortunately, you can’t do everything, and sometimes seeking professional help is the only way. For minor but important home repair and maintenance tasks, hiring a handyperson is the best option. Handypersons perform a wide range of small home repair services and are well-versed in almost everything regarding home improvement or repair.
Whether you need repairing your deck, fixing minor plumbing issues, painting and touch-ups around the home, or cleaning out the gutters, hiring a handyperson is the right choice to get the job done quickly and efficiently. However, before hiring an individual, it’s necessary to verify the reliability and experience of the professional you’re hiring. Here are some tips to keep in mind before hiring a handyperson.
1. Seek out Reliable References
Always begin your search by asking friends and family for references. In addition to this, for finding a reliable handyperson, make use of review sites such as Angie’s List, HomeAdvisor, GuildQuality, and Yelp. Moreover, you may also ask independent local hardware stores to recommend a reliable professional for your job.
2. Verify License and Insurance
Find out whether the work requires licensing in your state or municipality. Most states require a license for plumbing or electrical work. If your municipality has licensing rules for handy work, ask the handyman to provide you with a copy of the license. Verify the document’s validity from the local or state agency that issues the licenses. Moreover, always hire an insured professional handyperson. Insurance will protect you in case the handyman gets injured while working on your property. In addition to this, get to know about the permit requirement. Some repair and remodeling jobs require a permit from the city or county. In such a case, it’s the responsibility of a handyman to pull a permit for you.
3. Be careful of door-to-door service providers
Some unethical door-to-door service providers may offer you great discounts to do home repair jobs. However, these individuals perform sub-standard work and are often fraudsters. Never decide in a hurry just to avail any tempting offer. Always do some research and make sure to check the location of the company that employs the handyperson.
4. Get estimates in writing
Before you sign a written contract, make sure to find out if you will be paying your handyman hourly or by the job. Get to know if any down payment is required. Once you’re satisfied with the handyman’s knowledge, reliability, and experience, it’s time to discuss the payment details. Make sure to get everything in writing, including the cost of supplies, fee schedule or hourly rate, and start and completion date. Also, ask about the warranty for work.
