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 damage and wasting a lot of money. Most homeowners believe fixing minor plumbing issues or flickering light bulbs is easy. But these simple jobs require proper knowledge, experience, special tools, and spare parts.
You may be tempted to save money by doing these home repairs alone. Unfortunately, you can’t do everything; 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 to repair your deck, fix minor plumbing issues, paint and touch-ups around the home, or clean out the gutters, hiring a handyperson is the right choice to do the job quickly and efficiently. However, before hiring an individual, you must verify the reliability and experience of the professional. 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 find a reliable handyperson, use 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 city has licensing rules for handy work, ask the handyman to provide you with a copy of the request. 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 if 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 ticket 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 to avail yourself of any tempting offer. Always research and 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 satisfied with the handyman’s knowledge, reliability, and experience, it’s time to discuss the payment details. Ensure 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.
