Maintaining a home can be quite the undertaking and can result in a never-ending to-do list. Some tasks may be small, such as touching up the paint in the bedrooms, or can be quite large, like installing crown molding. Regardless of the size of the task at hand, hiring a handyman can help you save time and money when completing these tasks. Whether you don’t know how to complete a project or simply don’t want to, a handyman can keep your house in tip top shape and leave you with more time on your hands to spend on things you enjoy.
If you are thinking of hiring a handyman, you may want to ask the following:
- How long have you been in this business?
- Are you licensed in my state to complete this kind of work?
- Do you have any experience with the specific tasks I need completed?
- Do you have any references I can contact?
- Are you insured?
- Can I see proof of insurance?
- Can you give me an estimate before the work begins?
- Can you give me a breakdown of how you came to that estimate?
- How do you deal with additional charges that exceed your estimate?
- Is your work guaranteed?
- What steps will you take to ensure my property is protected?
- Will you secure permits, or is that the responsibility of the homeowner?
- What does a typical work day look like? (Hours, breaks, etc)
- Is this an individual or team job?
- How do you expect compensation?
- Is it possible to set up a payment plan to ensure work is completed?
- How will we resolve any disagreements?
- How do you deal with clean up at the end of the day?
You’ve done your research and asked your questions, and now you have a handyman. You’re almost at the home stretch, but there are still a couple of things you must complete post-hire. Depending on the handyman chosen and the projects that must be completed, you may be required to acquire permits to get certain work completed. Go to www.tlcpermits.org for more information about which projects will require a permit and how you can go about acquiring one. Furthermore, it is important to set up a payment plan that both you and your handyman can agree to. This not only protects the handyman by neatly outlining compensation, but it is also in your best interest so that you can ensure progress coincides with payment and you are not left with a hole in your wallet and a deserted project. Consequently, this coincides with your next task: creating a schedule. Based on your handyman’s availability and your own personal timeline, create a schedule of which projects you would like completed first and indicate the level of priority in finishing them in a timely manner. Unforeseen circumstances can cause projects to be delayed, but if your handyman has a prioritized schedule, it is easier for him to determine where to put the majority of time and effort to make the homeowner happy. It is important to have all these aspects written down in a contract and have your handyman review it and sign. Discuss whether this contract is only for the projects you have explicitly stated or if it can be opened for continued contracting if future needs arise.
Hiring a handyman can reduce a lot of house-related stress but only if you choose the right one. Be sure to do your part before interviewing, and take this checklist with you while you conduct interviews so that you remember what you are looking for in your potential hire. After the interviews are completed and you have a candidate you are happy with, be sure to follow through with the post-hire work. These tips will help ensure that any and all work done in your home will be completed according to the standards you have set. 
Katerin Rodriguez
Home & Yard Magazine
