Doing my job as a handyman, a number of things occur to me, so this post is a list of things I want you to know….
I love dogs, but…..
Can they be put out of the way just for the short while I am around? Please…..
I can’t do just any job..
When you contact someone to help with those jobs that just don’t seem to get done, beware of the person who claims that they can ‘do it all’. Some jobs require professional qualifications, electricians & gas engineers for example. Other jobs may well fall out of scope of public liability insurance (many plumbing jobs). I want you to know that I am well aware of my limitations and if I feel a job is beyond me, I will look to recommend someone else who does have the skills.
Are you sure you can’t fix this yourself?
Blocked drains can often be sorted out using over the counter products. Most are simple ‘pour and wait’ solutions that don’t require pulling anything apart. A badly closing door might have loose hinges, a few turns with a screwdriver will get it working again. Still can’t sort it out? – give me a call.
I confess, I don’t know everything…
OK, so I just want you to know that I don’t know everything, but sometimes a little research makes a big difference. Most things are within my capabilities and with a little research (and hopefully a new piece of equipment), I will be able to help you out.
Some common problems are avoidable.
‘A stitch in time’. So many problems can be prevented by taking timely action. Regular painting, oil changes, a drop of lubrication. It is so much cheaper to get me in for small preventative jobs rather than major repairs once matters have become terminal. Use my Contact Me page, I will be more than happy to help out.
A stitch in time…
Its on you to inspect yours at least once a year: do you need to caulk around your windows and doors? Do you have any rotted wood? Are any shingles loose? it’s a lot less expensive to hire me to address those things than to replace them after years of neglected maintenance.
Something else I want you to know.
I may give you a different price than the one i gave someone else for the same job. Why? Some of us charge more when we’re really busy. Or if i go into a house and it’s positively filthy, i’ll raise the price because i don’t want to work there.
If it is broken, let me fix it.
Lawnmowers that won’;t start often suffer from the same problems. Most are fairly simple to fix. Fuel? Spark? Compression? Oil? Before it goes to the recycling centre, let me take a look, I can probably get it running again. In my time I have repaired jewellery, toys, doors, fences – as I used to say, ‘I can fix anything’ (well almost!)
I will have to charge you for the ‘extras’
OK, I can re-hang the loose cabinet door and the lock will work again once I have lubricated and tightened the catch, but I will have to charge you for it. It makes good sense to get together a list of things to sort out, I can do then in one visit – saves you money in the long run.
Tell me I can use the loo!
OK, I’m not going to go into any major detail, but there is a good reason why I might turn down (another) drink! This simple act of kindness can cut down on the number of trips away from site to deal with urgent matters!…. (You know what I mean!)