Tools for hiring a handyman
If Mae West were around today and in need of some help at her home, it's entirely likely the legendary quotation attributed to her would now read, "A good handyman is hard to find" And she'd be right.
Consumers have never had more or easier ways to find a handyman for projects small and big. Sites like Craig's List offer a digital-age version of the classified ads for metropolitan
areas coast to coast, while online sources like Insider Pages, Judy's Book, and Angie's List allow you to read comments and user
ratings about handymen and ask questions about someone you're
considering hiring. And then there are the big-money franchise
operations and handyman-referral companies that promise a roster of
prescreened, qualified professionals who would put the "This Old House"
gang to shame.
But even with this proliferation of Web resources, hiring the right professional isn't a snap. "Handymen are advertising all over the place," says Sheila Adkins, director of public affairs for the Council of Better Business Bureaus. "They're on the Internet, in the yellow pages. You don't know who's reliable. The best thing to do is use caution."
Even when people hire someone in whom they have faith, the results often belie their expectations. Stories abound of shoddy or incomplete work, pay disputes, messy workers, and more. Home improvement topped the list of most reported consumer complaints in a 2005 report by the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators and the Consumer Federation of America, and it has consistently ranked among the top three complaints found by the survey in recent years.
We're not sure whether Mae West ever found the man she was looking for, but there are several steps you can take to ensure that you find and hire a handyman who'll do right by you.
Click on each step below to find the keys to successful hiring—and high-quality work. If you've ever experienced any nightmarish projects with handymen, tell us about them.
Step 1: Create a project list.
Step 2: Start your search.
Step 3: Dig deep.
Step 4: Sign off.
But even with this proliferation of Web resources, hiring the right professional isn't a snap. "Handymen are advertising all over the place," says Sheila Adkins, director of public affairs for the Council of Better Business Bureaus. "They're on the Internet, in the yellow pages. You don't know who's reliable. The best thing to do is use caution."
Even when people hire someone in whom they have faith, the results often belie their expectations. Stories abound of shoddy or incomplete work, pay disputes, messy workers, and more. Home improvement topped the list of most reported consumer complaints in a 2005 report by the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators and the Consumer Federation of America, and it has consistently ranked among the top three complaints found by the survey in recent years.
We're not sure whether Mae West ever found the man she was looking for, but there are several steps you can take to ensure that you find and hire a handyman who'll do right by you.
Click on each step below to find the keys to successful hiring—and high-quality work. If you've ever experienced any nightmarish projects with handymen, tell us about them.
Step 1: Create a project list.
Step 2: Start your search.
Step 3: Dig deep.
Step 4: Sign off.
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Posted by: Atlanta Handyman | Jun 10, 2009 9:16:36 AM
The Better Business Bureau and Angies list are great sources, however, nothing replaces checking up on multiple references. Also, never pay for the job until it has been completed and always do a final inspection before paying to make certain you are fully satisfied with the job!
Posted by: Atlanta Handyman | Jun 16, 2009 5:05:22 PM
When I'm about to undertake a new project, I always go with a company that is rated high on Kudzu and Yelp, and have a great reputation. Atlanta Handyman is a copmany that I would highly recommend to anyone for projects small and large!