Handyman – Steps to Making Sure You Hire a Good One

Often times people are hesitant to hire a handyman. Let’s face it, they do not always have the best reputation. I am sure that you have heard of the horror stories. For example, he did not show up, he showed up two hours late or he did not know what he was doing. It is not hard to see why you would be reluctant. However, if you know what you are doing, ask the right questions, and do all of the necessary research, hiring a home improvement professional can both save you time and ensure that the job gets done correctly and safely. Follow these five simple steps and you and your hired help will both be happy.

Do your research – Use the internet, talk to friends and coworkers and get some names of professionals they have used. Compiling a list of potential handymen is the first step in the hiring process. It is important to keep this list accessible and organized for when you start making the initial phone calls.

Make a list of the tasks that you need completed - Handymen are skilled and available to do a wide variety of tasks from cleaning the gutters to baby proofing the house, and everywhere in between. If you have a lot of odds and ends that need to be completed, make sure to write them on the list. This list will be important to have when you start making calls to potential workers. You cannot hire the right person if you cannot give him a good idea of the tasks you need completed and whether or not he can even do it.

Start making phone calls - Remember that list of potential handymen you made in step one? Time to bring it back out. Call each candidate and discuss with him the types of tasks you need completed, your timeline for having these tasks finished, and his quoted prices, and also try to get a general feel for his overall attitude. Ask yourself these questions: Was he courteous? Did he act like he was doing you a favor by talking to you? If he was rude or discourteous on the phone, that usually raises a red flag and he you might want to remove him from your list. If he is unsure about completing some of your tasks in your timeframe, move on to the next name on the list.

Check his references – If you liked what you heard on the phone, make sure to ask him to give you a list of two or three references of people he has worked for in the past. Nothing will give you a better idea of the quality of his work than talking to his previous clients. If he is hesitant to give you references, this should raise a red flag. It is probably someone who is not worth working with.

Hire him - After checking his references, set an appointment for the handyman to come and take care of your projects. You can be sure that he will get them done in a timely and professional manner because you followed the steps, did your research and you can now feel confident that you hired the best man for the job!