The general repair services industry lacks the regulations and certification of the locksmith industry. Nevertheless, the service of a reliable, personable, reasonably priced and punctual handyman who has the appropriate level of skill can be incredibly hard to find. It seems sometimes that handymen are a dime a dozen but a good handyman is never “handy” when you need one!
Follow our guide for tips on how to try to get the best handyman for the job. Read about lock and key in Missouri City.
1. Ask about professional licenses: Just because the industry isn’t regulated, that isn’t to say your prospective handyman isn’t a trained and certified joiner, plumber, roofer or cabinet maker. You could be pleasantly surprised and find out that the handyman (or woman!) you wanted to hire for fixing your garbage disposal system is also perfect for your new kitchen renovation project! Some contractors undertake extra work to supplement their incomes and actually have a regular “day job.” Ask and you never know what you could discover within your contractor’s skillset.
2. Word of mouth: It’s one of the best bulletin boards out there. Personal recommendation from someone you know who has employed the contractor and been delighted with the results. It’s both the connection and the reference in one.
3. References: If you hear of the contractor via other means, ask them for two referees so you can verify the quality of the work done by them previously. This is useful as it gives you a chance to maybe even see the work yourself, if it was done for an acquaintance.
4. Get a timescale for the project: You want to have a clear idea of how long the project will take to complete and when it will be started. There is nothing worse than a “2 day job” being dragged out to 2 weeks.
5. Get a quote: It’s very important to also be clear from the outset the cost of the project to you. Be very clear about incidental costs if this is an issue so that there are no misunderstandings. A reputable and professional contractor will have no problem agreeing a price with you at the beginning for specific work and even providing this in writing if you request it.
