When kitchen sinks clog, water pipes drip or light bulbs flicker, you need the services of a handyman. You could take on these repair and maintenance tasks on your own, but if you don’t have any experience or knowledge, you could end up making things worse. Rather than learning how to do these tasks on your own and wasting money on tools, it is best to hire a handyman. But, how do you pick one? Here are some easy tips that help:
- Don’t be intimidated. Be confident when you are speaking to a potential candidate and ask any questions you want.
- Check their insurance and license papers before taking on a handyman. This can be helpful in case the handyman is injured while working for you.
- Don’t forget about references. A handyman with experience will have several past clients who wouldn’t mind vouching for him.
- Discuss the payment terms in detail. Ask them for an estimate before they start the project or you can also pay them on an hourly basis.
- Get it down in writing. Everything needs to be written down before the handy-man begins their work. This includes the contract, cost of supplies and the total estimate.
- Don’t always look for the lowest price. Bear in mind that the lowest quotes are not the best because the handyman will either use poor quality supplies or there might be something fishy about them.
- Never pay in advance. There are some who ask you to pay the full cost upfront, but these people should be avoided. Paying a small percentage at the beginning to help them in getting supplies is reasonable.
- Ask about warranty. A lot of handymen do not provide a guarantee of their work, but you should ask about it anyway. Professional ones will be willing to fix things in case there is a problem.