If you’re a homeowner, you will find yourself working with a handyman at some point for something as basic as hanging a door to something as complex as replacing a plumbing system. Your home is probably your biggest asset, and you can’t risk damaging it in any way – not especially at the hands of an ill-qualified handyman. Therefore, it’s crucial to look for a reliable and experienced handyman to ensure a job well done. Not sure how you can choose a trustworthy handyman near you? Follow these tips!
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1. Seek Out Referrals
The first step is to ask for suggestions from your family and friends. Ask your neighbors, too. Encourage them to give their honest recommendation. Discuss with them the kind of job you want to hire a contractor for. Is your heater not producing enough hot water? Is your faucet leaky? Is your air conditioner not turning on? You need to specify your concern so that your dear ones can suggest a handyman accordingly.
Seeking out referrals from people you trust has a lot of advantages. First of all, you know they won’t give you the wrong advice. Listening to their experience of working with a particular contractor will help you decide whether or not you should follow through with the idea. With the help of the provided recommendations, you can prepare a list of competent handymen and do further research on them.
In addition to your neighbors, friends, and family members, you can also ask your estate agent or a local home maintenance store for a qualified handyman. Stay away from companies with low ratings on their customer service. Just stick to contractors that are highly recommended by people you trust.
2. Online Research
Once you have shortlisted the contractors, begin your online research. Do a quick Google search of each contractor and see what the world of the internet has to say about them. Visit their website where you can find additional details number, address, services, and customer feedback.
Make sure you spend your considerable time on public reviews. Check what other people have to say about your chosen contractors. If possible, email them personally and ask for their overall experience with the said handyman. Always go for a worker that has earned excellent online rating and consistently positive feedback. Cross out contractors with a bad reputation. As a result, you will shorten your list and bring closer to finding the best handyman.
3. Certifications
Home repair and maintenance is not a simple DIY task. It requires a certain level of workmanship and it is important that the right contractors are hired for the job. So, when you are looking for an ideal handyman, make sure you ask them for their license and certification.
If you are hiring a company that deals with providing plumbing, electricity, or HVAC services, make sure you check their certification. All genuine companies and private handymen have a license that authorizes them to operate in a respective state. Check out the website to learn about the contractor’s certification. If you can’t find anything online, call the service provider and ask them about it. You can also collect the information on the company or the handyman from the local authority office. This is a great way to get their history checked as the office will be able to provide you with all the legal details about their services and certifications.
4. Cost Rates
Before you hire a handyman, it’s highly important to check their rates first. Either inquire about it over the phone or in person. If you successfully find their cost rates online, it’s only wise to tally it when speaking to them on call or interviewing them in person. Sometimes, the website is not updated and what you are getting is old information. If the charges of the given services are revised, you will find out by talking to the selected party directly.
Once you have found out the price of each contractor, examine them against one another to make sure that there is nothing fishy. If you see a handyman that is charging a too-good-to-be-true cost for their services, investigate why that is so. It’s best to beware of such shady workers because often they turn out to be a scam.
5. Insurance and Guarantee
Repair or maintenance work can be a bit expensive and risky. The more complex the job is, the more risks it involves. Therefore, the handyman you choose should be fully insured. This will give you a form of guarantee that in case things go wrong, the additional expenses will be well taken care of. All professional services are insured, which means that if a repair or maintenance job goes wrong, the damages will be covered by the insurance firms.
While you are looking at the insurance policies of a handyman, check whether or not they offer a money-back guarantee. Professional companies that have qualified workmen know that their repairs can never go wrong, so they are willing to offer guarantees to their customers. You should also check that the guarantee amount is quoted on the service contract before signing it.
Conclusion
Homeowners looking for a qualified handyman are advised never to rush the hiring process. Take your time and consult your partner or family before deciding on something. Do a thorough research and determine the type of handyman you need. Always hire a contractor who has integrity and accountability. Also, never pay your contractor in advance. Only pay a small deposit initially and read the contract carefully before agreeing to its terms and conditions. Acting wisely with patience and time will help you go a long way in finding a good handyman in no time.
