Small Home Repairs: Who Should You Call?

For a long time, a good handyman was hard to find. During the real estate boom of the eighties, homeowners were able to use their new home equity to finance major renovations. Many home improvement contractors wouldn't take on a project worth less than $25,000. Handymen started to work for these contractors stretching the available supply of quality handymen. Even today, traditional handymen are in short supply as they move into new professions more and more. On the other hand, as the real estate market stabilizes, the old home improvement contracting companies have taken up the slack. The new motto for many is: No job is too small.

The Cost of Small Repairs
It's easy to think that hiring a handyman will be cheaper than hiring a home improvement contractor, but this assumption often turns out to be wrong. While a traditional handyman may have to run back and forth to the hardware store testing several possibilities that may identify and fix your problem, the home improvement contractor will often have specialized equipment and expertise that will allow him or her to more efficiently make the repair. A handyman also typically has to charge a minimum of $25-$50 an hour to make a living and is likely to charge a higher ?show up? cost than a contractor. Also, keep in mind that if your home improvement project is valued at over $500, your state may require that you hire a properly licensed contractor.

Be Organized and Combine Tasks
One of the things you can do that will save you money and hassle is to make a list. Before your handyman comes to your home walk around both the interior and exterior of your home and look for things you want fixed or changed. First, if you get your handyman to complete all these tasks at once, you only have to pay the ?show up? cost once. Second, many home repairs require a considerable amount of setup. Drywall, for example, must be prepared, but once it is can be used wherever you need it. If you have a large hole in your wall, make sure there aren't smaller holes around your home that can be fixed essentially for free. Ask a friend of neighbor to walk around with you. An outside perspective can see things you might not otherwise have considered. Write down everything you want fixed and give it to the handyman when he arrives. You'll probably have to go over the list together, but having the list will still cut down on the time it takes for the handyman to get started, saving you labor costs. Remember nothing is too small to ask about.

Handyman or Home Improvement Contractor?
The distinction between the two is becoming more and more blurry but, in general, it's still a decision many homeowners have to make. Take the time to get estimates for each type of service professional. This may very well take nothing more than a short phone call. If your job is small, a handyman may turn out to be the way to go. A good rule of thumb is if your job requires any kind of precision work (laying carpet or tile, carpentry work) a contractor is probably best even if you find a handyman who has these skills. Also, remember that if you hire a contractor for such a job to check the list you've made with the contractor to see what all they can fix. You'll likely be surprised by just how much they'll do and how cheap they'll do it.