They say only two things are sure in this life: death and taxes.
But anyone who owns a home knows that another sure thing is that houses constantly need little repairs and projects done. There just never seems to be a point when everything is completely 100% in order for years at a time—especially if you have to depend on doing everything yourself.
But why deal with the hassle of doing all the work yourself when you can hire a handyman?
When you need small jobs done around the house, you know you need someone you can trust. No one wants to be taken advantage of. And you sure want to find someone who you can feel safe with being in your home.
After all, you are calling a handyman to make your life easier, less frustrating, and less difficult. You don’t want to end up bringing someone who will do a bad job or who will not treat you with respect and the highest degree of professionalism.
So how can you know for sure that you are making a wise choice when it comes to hiring the best handyman to help with your honey-do list?
Checklist to avoid hiring a bad handyman
You want someone who:
- Is insured.
- Passes a background check.
- Is reliable.
- Has good reviews online.
- Responds professionally and respectfully to negative reviews online.
- Has significant experience.
- Is willing to provide referrals.
- Can show quality before and after pictures of previous work done.
- Is responsive when you call.
20 Questions to ask when hiring a handyman
- Do you have insurance? What does it cover?
- Can you show me your background check paperwork?
- What is your policy concerning timeliness?
- What can you tell me about how reliable you are?
- I saw a negative review online, would you please explain your side of the story?
- How much experience does your company have?
- How much experience does the man coming to my house have?
- Do you have any customers I could call for references for your home repairs?
- May I see some before and after pictures of your work?
- May I have a list of the services you provide and the types of jobs you handle?
- If something is too specialized for you to do it, will you refer me to a licensed professional who can handle the job? How does that process work?
- May I have an estimate before you start on the job?
- Will you let me know ahead of time if you find that there are more expenses than you expected?
- How many hours do you expect this job to take?
- How do you handle scheduling jobs?
- What other home services do you partner with?
- Are you a handyman near me or do you charge a service charge to travel to my location?
- Are you a handyman or contractor?
- Do you have a written scope for your list of services?
- Do you have all of the tools and equipment you will need for the project? If not, what will you need to get or rent and how will that affect the timeline?
When you keep up with home improvements, it saves you money. It’s a lot easier to repair a small problem right away than to let it fester and go without repair for months or years until it becomes a major expense.
Your time and peace of mind are priceless.
With a handyman service, you can avoid the frustration of trying to do things yourself that you aren’t comfortable doing and save a whole lot of free time.
Have a quick question for a handyman?
Some things do not need a visit — they need an answer. Here are three we get asked constantly, with the short version.
My faucet drips no matter how hard I turn it off
A drip that continues after the handle is fully closed is almost always a worn washer or cartridge inside the faucet, not the handle itself. Tightening harder will not fix it and usually damages the seat. It is a short job — but the water has to be shut off at the supply valve under the sink first.
A door in my house sticks or will not latch
Nine times out of ten this is either loose hinge screws letting the door sag, or seasonal humidity swelling the door slab. Start by tightening the top hinge screws — if they spin without biting, they need longer screws into the framing. If the door has dropped, the latch will no longer line up with the strike plate, and the plate is what needs moving, not the door.
My toilet keeps running
A toilet that runs on is nearly always the flapper at the bottom of the tank failing to seal, or a fill valve set too high so water spills into the overflow tube. Both are common wear parts. It is worth fixing quickly — a running toilet quietly wastes a great deal of water.
Anything beyond a quick tip, we would rather just come and fix it. We bundle small jobs into one visit, so if you have three or four of these saved up, they can all be done at once. Get a free estimate.
Common questions about hiring a handyman
What should I ask a handyman before hiring them?
Ask whether they are licensed and insured, whether the person doing the work is the person who came out to look at it, and how they handle materials. The fuller list of questions is above — the goal of all of them is the same: no surprises once the work starts.
Can I just ask a handyman a quick question without hiring them?
Yes. Plenty of small problems have a one-line answer, and we would rather tell you than have you book a visit you did not need. A few of the ones we are asked most often are answered above; if yours is not there, call and ask.
How fast can Punch List Pros get to a small repair?
For most small jobs in the Columbia area we can usually be out within a couple of business days, depending on the week and what the job needs. Contact us and we will tell you honestly where we are.
If you are still working out whether a handyman is the right call at all, start with what a handyman does and does not do. If you already know what you need, see handyman services in Columbia, SC.
