Looks like you're collecting a fair number of Rude Comments! Those who commented that "handyman" covers a broad range of skill sets are correct. I always ask, "How many of those have you done over your career? Ever had a problem, and if so, what was it?"

The worst problems I've had with handymen were when I let two attempt to hang a door.

Are you a member of NextDoor.com? It's free. Just log on, select either just your neighborhood or up to six around you, and ask your neighbors for recommendations on handymen, stating what you're wanting done. Ask price range, too.

Good luck!

Susan

I have had good and bad jobs done by so called handymen. I think they should have to tell you when something you want done "is not one of my strengths" instead of hoping for the best and stumbling thru doing much the same job as you would have done yourself. My kitchen back splash is a great example and I use my coffee maker to cover up his worst work.

I have used various "handy men" over the years. Start with one small job that should not take more than a couple of hours. Evaluate his work and decide if you want to keep looking or arrange for more jobs.

I've never found one that did "finish work" like painting with anything approaching my standards. So I hire them for rough carpentry, general fix-it stuff and do the finish work myself. That keeps the paint drips off the windows and floor.

Oh a big second on a handyman hanging a door! Hanging a non-preframed door is difficult. The first handyman hung our solid wood exterior front door BACKWARDS. Who knew that exterior doors have a slight bevel on the edge and it matters which side faces forward. (Not him.) It makes a huge difference. It took several subsequent handymen to finally get it right, and it is still a little iffy, but adequate. We will never make that mistake again.

Handyman is a fine term and is not in the least bit sexist. The word "man" is understood to be generic and to include men and women, all people. Merriam.com: "a human being of either sex; a person." It flows "more trippingly on the tongue" (Shakespeare) to use man than person after any given profession -- handyman, policeman, chairman, etc.

# Kelley Dockery: Actually looks like the handyman is waiting for paint to dry before attaching hardware, closing the door or removing the tape on the window. Can't do much until then...

We have hired a fantastic 'handyman' for quite a few projects at home. He is a gifted carpenter, and is most capable in other skills; a bathroom remodel from the demolition of the old to the beautiful transformation, fireplace surround, stairway handrail remodel, breakfast room seats and storage, painting a new front door (different color, but the identical door as in the photo) ... And more.

He is honest, trustworthy and attentive to detail, very willing to take direction on exactly what we need and want, and ready with suggestions from his wealth of experience. He does solid, well-constructed and beautiful work.

Some of the above comments have been rather dismissive of 'handymen' (and there are handywomen, now, as well), and while I understand that there are those who are not reliable or honest or who are lacking in tactical judgement, those who do possess all those things are earning good livings doing work they love, which generally indicates care and pride in their handiwork, and in our case, we are very happy to employ him.

I should have added; we do bring in the 'Pros from Dover' for electrical, plumbing or other specialty jobs that require a professional in the field...

Wish you had provided a definition. I checked out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handyman. My handyperson is multi talented and a perfectionist. He replaced all my windows, installed hardwood floors all over, changed out doors, installed new kitchen cabinets and counter tops, as well as many other smaller jobs over the years. I keep a running list of things for him to do, and give him a call when it gets long enough.

I just wish I could find one. We're always adding to a list of small jobs that we either can't or won't ever do, but they're never quite enough to interest a contractor, and I have yet to find somebody to have on call for that stuff. I think every homeowner's insurance policy should include one half-day of a handyman's time per year -- imagine all the disasters that wouldn't build up, and all the regular upkeep that would finally get done!

I'd like to have someone I could count on for the repair/maintenance/small upgrades work that needs to be done around the house - adding a couple of hardwired fixtures, or letting me avoid the icky task of clearing the hairballs at the p-trap under the sink by doing it for me...I already get the hairballs out of the tub/shower drain trap, usually when they've gotten so large I could knit a dog sweater from them. ;) My hair is long and sheds like crazy.

I mean, I can clear out the p-trap under the sink, but I'd rather have someone else do it if I can - without having to call my plumber. I wouldn't dream of trying to do electrical work like adding new hardwired fixtures - it was hard enough swapping out the old downstairs ceiling fan with the new one and that was color coded (connect yellow to yellow, red to red, green to green and for goodness sake don't do anything that might damage the blue wire - did you remember to shut the power off??)

I just don't seem to have much luck finding a handy-person that ticks off all the required boxes (good skills in the basic categories, trustworthy, attention to detail, licensed/registered with the applicable state oversight body, reasonable rates - not looking for rock bottom prices, I'm willing to pay more for quality work even if there's a scheduling delay, provided that they communicate with me without it being like pulling teeth and I'm not stuck making most of the effort.)

I'd love to have a reliable all around person. My housemate and I are handy but we have various health issues in the family and often there just isn't enough time or ability to do the little jobs so they pile up.

Likewise, we need someone to mow the grass and do basic gardening (like pull obvious weeds) right now and we can't find anyone reliable to do it at all. People turn up once and do a crappy job, or say they will turn up and then don't for ages... It's crazy making.

Hiring a handyman usually results in a temporary solution to your problem. They can "fix or repair" most issues to a certain point. IMO

I don't need a full contractor or decorator to install some wall shelving for me or change awkward to get to light bulbs, though. This is stuff I would feel perfectly competent doing if I didn't have arthritis in my wrists and hands that makes using a drill unpleasant.

For replacing ceiling fans or redoing a kitchen or bathroom, then I would go to a proper professional in the appropriate field.

Laragazza it's police officer, chair, firefighter, flight attendant, mail carrier, etc. We addressed "men" terms years ago in order to make them generic. Not sure what handyman was replaced with, but in my area, we use contractor or simply home repairer.

I'm our handyman and I'll tackle anything and everything! Good thing about having a in-house handyman is that you always know when they're going to show up!

Handymen are different. Some do basic jobs because that is their skill level. Others have excellent skills in a variety of disciplines and could build a house.

We have an excellent handyman that does practically everything inside and outside the house except HVAC.

A relative of ours was using him, which is how we found him.

You should certainly check references for anyone that you use.

Prior to finding this handyman, we had one who wouldn't touch anything outside the house and only wanted big projects. We no longer use him.

I do most of the handy work, simple repairs.
When it comes to plumbing I will switch out taps, replace a toilet and fix small clogs, when it comes to replacing hot water tanks moving pipes etc.. I call in a licensed plumber.
Electrical is the same way, I can replace a basic light fixture but moving location of outlets, running new light fixtures, changing bathroom fans, baseboard heaters. I call in a licensed electrician.

My handyman is the greatest. I practically have him on speed dial. He has added a porch on the back of my house and just recently finished with a cover over my front door. He has also painted inside and out, repaired a leak in my ceiling, installed ceiling fans and crown molding, installed water heaters and new toilets. He can do plumbing too. I don't know what I would do without him. He has the security code to my house and usually has a key of mine. I have just started on my next list for him to do. If he ever retires I will probably have to move into an apartment!!

I would recommend calling a specialized contractor for the problem. They will have a better chance of fixing it the first time.

My handyman can do (and does do) anything!!!

I like what AFR Construction said. I live in Toronto and have contacted the "Pros" to do small jobs and guess what? They didn't return my call. This has happened to a number of my friends and neighbours. They aren't interested in doing anything small, especially when you live in a big city where tearing down is the way to go.

My husband is a Handyman and he can fix just about anything!! Before we retired and moved he had a nice business which kept him busy every day. Now that we're retired and moved to another state he still helps people out with small jobs, but only does what he wants too. Of course he's very handy around our house too!

I have a very good looking handyman who can do all kinds of work, cabinet installation, plumbing, painting, window installation and more. I have also referred him to a lot of wealthy women who laugh and say they know him to. No names will be given, but he does a great job and charges a high price.

Not everyone who dubs himself a "handyman" is really skilled at fixing things. It would be great to find someone who can do carpentry, plumbing and do electrical repairs. But, having had a few bad experiences with people I hired for repairs, who seemed to know what they were doing...but didn't...I don't trust people.

If you've had a bad experience with a handyman in the past, then it might be beneficial to find a General Contractor that you're comfortable with. You could research through your state's contractors board, check out their reviews online, etc. We have a large number of clients that call us for everything, large and small. Sometimes it's about the relationship first; You just have to find the right fit.

If you're looking for a handyman, our home maintenance program may be of interest to you. We are a General Contractor, (originally specializing as custom home builders), and have expanded to include a home maintenance program that you may find useful. Since we're experts in building homes, we know the best ways to maintain them.

Our maintenance program is designed so that you only need one point of contact to cover any and all home maintenance needs. Whether you need weekly, monthly, seasonal or yearly maintenance, we customize a schedule with you to suit your needs.

With our own custom millwork shop, as well as masons, electricians, and long-standing relationships with subcontractors in every field, we are able to offer services in virtually every area of home maintenance. From changing light bulbs & cleaning gutters to plumbing, painting, roofing, masonry, custom millwork, major renovations, and more - call us and we'll handle it. Feel free to check out our home maintenance website: www.dibicohm.com.

Any fixes or small jobs. Although I had one do a pretty big job on my stairs because of cost restraints. Not huge, but I'd say it straddled the line of needing to call a specialist.

Think of a handyman like a general practitioner.

Now, let's talk about that door - what color did you use??

I'm a handyman myself, I've done lots of things around my home:

Tile throughout, bathroom remodel, paint inside and outside, re-screening the lanai, installed light fixtures, faux painting, kitchen remodel, installed shelving, frogs and water lilies pond, installed lock sets, and so on...In few words, I do almost everything around my home, except a big risk job ie; re-piping or installing a new AC unit...

Kelley, very well put in your post. Like she said, some handyman don't have a clue about anything and some do better work in comparison to a trade contractor's work in a certain field, i.e. painting, carpentry, etc.

I also know a few Handyman who use to be good Builders and now they try to take it easy but on occasion and for certain customers they will do bathroom or kitchen remodeling, some still renovate homes and they do a very good job... and in between they do various Handyman job for customers.

I work with a handyman I have been with for 8 years, & he is excellent. He does minor plumbing, and also full restorations. I have had licensed contractors do lousy jobs, so it's really up to you to investigate their skills. I own & manage several properties, so hiring a licensed contractor to change a faucet or other small job is obviously cost prohibitive if I want to stay in business.

Agree that some are clueless and others very clever, still I find them indispensable. Although I wouldn't ask them to do major rewiring or plumbing, I have them change light/plumbing fixtures, add/move outlets, fix roof/gutter leaks, replace doors, fence posts, do minor/medium-sized carpentry to make conveniences I dreamed up.

Like others above, I keep a running list, and when it gets big enough, I call. Usually we then review the list together and whatever materials/supplies I already have and figure out what else is needed, then I go to Lowes or wherever either with or without handyman (depending on how complicated the list is and whether the stuff will fit in my car), then we sort of do the list together, and if needed, I act as "assistant" (don'tcha just love those guys who insist upon bringing their own perfectly useless assistants "for safety," who just stand there and hold stuff, at your expense -- I can do that, fergodsake!). I can also do the unexpected run to the hardware store when we find we forgot something, call around to see who sells the oddball item, etc.

As a single woman with an old house, who knows little more than how to paint and think up projects, this service has been great for me and over the years quite a lot has gotten accomplished. The down side has been the turnover: the older guys doing it in their retirement eventually retire altogether, while the younger guys doing it while they build up their business eventually succeed and go on to bigger/better things, and also, the ones who do the best job for the best price have so much work to do that scheduling gets really hairy. Will check suggestions above for finding extra reinforcements, and thanks for the ideas!

I was so happy with my handyman that I married him! :D Seriously though, we rarely hire out & when we do it's more about tool expense, time constraints, or personal interest than ability. He's looking into contracting as a second career, and wants to focus on smaller jobs, assisting the elderly, safety upgrades, etc. Impossible around here to find someone skilled and reliable - all the good ones keep busy working on realtors' jobs.

I'd really like to MARRY a handyman!

Omg! KIM! I just read your comment!
LUCKY GIRL!

Lisa if you marry a handyman, nothing in your house will get fixed LOL.

As a Texas home inspector (hopefully, inspectors in any other state as well), I always recommend licensed experts in the fields that make a difference in the health and safety of the buyers or the sellers. Only licensed electricians should be called on to repair wiring and electrical devices. The same thing goes for heating and air conditioning equipment, plumbing supply and drain systems, water heaters, etc. In Texas, even the lawn sprinkler repairs are supposed to be done by a licensed irrigation contractor. I have seen the result of work done by people claiming to have "handy" skills (that's a live wire in the photo),

from roofing to electrical repairs, and a large percentage were sub-standard, or dangerous.

So, is there a place for a "handy (wo)man" service. In these days of social media research, read the reviews of anyone you are considering hiring, and pay attention to both negative and positive reviews. If the contractor doesn't answer negative reviews, there might be a clue there. If they do answer a negative review, you might get a clue about their ethics and customer relations.

My short answer is: "If the repair is important enough to consider your family's safety, hire a licensed expert." You may spend more, but you'll probably sleep better.

Our handyman runs a landscape business in summer, plows snow in winter, and takes painting and handyman jobs to fill in. He's meticulous about everything he does. He's landscaped our yard, painted, done general cleanup during a remodel, worked on the pool, installed windows, helped our son's family move, is currently putting up a greenhouse for us, and has babysat for our dogs. I texted him during the tornado that hit us 3 years ago and we could hear his chainsaw in the driveway when we woke up the next morning. He absolutely never shows up on time, but always shows up sooner or later. Especially as we age, we appreciate him more and more.

I was put in contact with a handyman who does all sorts of things from inside to outside, he's knowledgeable about plants/flowers and helps me with landscaping and yard maintenance. It's probably best to inquire with the handyman what services he/she can provide and it never helps to ask if a new project comes up.

As a professional home repairman I resent the term "handyman" because I see a lot of shoddy repairs done by guys with a pickup truck and a few tools who use the word handyman. Most of them work for cash only, they are not insured or are even a legitimate business. They will cost you more in the end than if you had hired a professional to start with. Before having anything done ask for a copy their liability insurance and references. If they do not have liability insurance, then chances are they are not a legitimate business and you are in danger of getting ripped off.

Basically a handyman is your next door neighbor, a friend, a relative or a retired person who can clean out your gutters, change your light bulbs, etc......

I agree with House Exam Inspection and Consulting about all things electrical/heating and air/plumbing. I've had a handyman botch a simple plumbing job. However, I do use a handyman for things I don't want to do myself.

For my most recent job I used www.thumbtack.com to find several handymen to bid on my tasks. I had just had a new stack washer and ventless dryer installed in the laundry room, and I partially painted the laundry room myself, but not the ceiling. The old dryer vent hose had to come out, there were 5 holes in the drywall that needed to be patched and painted over, and the ceiling needed painting. I tried to do one drywall patch and realized I had zero patience for getting it right, and had no desire to paint the ceiling, so I decided to hire it out.

Three handymen replied to my request on thumbtack; one seemed too far away and it was winter time (didn't want him driving down the mountain in possible snow - or NOT driving down the mountain for a week to finish). He also gave me a labor cost "plus materials" for a job that could have been priced out with the photos and descriptions I had given. One seemed unprofessional because he referenced what he was currently working on and said nothing about what I asked him to do in his pitch, plus his company name had something to do with Karaoke.

Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the 3rd handyman was Just Right. The estimate was more expensive than the others but he was extremely professional, asked good questions and was super-prompt with follow-up. My instincts proved to be right about him. He did the job exactly as asked, on time, no overages, cleaned up and was really nice. I had no qualms leaving him in the house alone. I now recommend him when I hear people say they need a handyman. I am really glad I chose him and the laundry room looks great. If it would just stop raining, I have other things I'd like him to do.

+Renew-It Home Repair LLC Maryland doesn't tolerate that (neither does Northern Virginia) - handyman licenses are required (bonded & insured) and must be displayed on work vehicles. Big hefty fines involved if they catch you... and since everything from repairing/replacing/adding stairs, decks, fences, changing walls (etc) requires county and local permits - it doesn't take long to figure out if you have a properly licensed handyman. Our DC guy is also a union master carpenter. Handyman is not shorthand for "some dude with a hammer and a pickup" in this area.

The one we just hired in WA state is also licensed and insured :-) I don't have shade-tree mechanics do maintenance on my car and the roof overhead is WAY more important than wheels!! I can't imagine why anyone else wouldn't feel the same way.

North Carolina requires a general contractor’s license for jobs costing $30,000.00 or more. All electricians, plumbers, HVAC, and fire sprinkler contractors must be licensed. For every 10 handymen around my area, only about 4 actually do excellent work and treat people fairly. The others do shoddy work, rip people off and basically give the industry a bad name. Most of my business is word of mouth and I also do work for property management companies. I wish there was some kind of regulation on this type of business in NC.

The best regulation is word of mouth combined with a free market.

The handyman is just like any other profession out there, some are great,others are good and others are just downright bad.
You have to get to know them, mostly by word of mouth is usually best. The best thing is when you get a good one is the price. If a tradesman comes out for a leaky faucet then there's a call out charge of $75 to do a 5-10 minute job and another big charge for the job. I have done just about everything and have helped many others, mostly women to their complete satisfaction. I hate incompetent trades people and the way they do things to get the job done as fast as possible.
You can learn to do small jobs by yourself through Home Depot or You Tube! and save yourself a lot of time and money!

The door is a perfect example for this great conversation starter:) Please observe the door handle was removed to facilitate painting (paint can in lower left corner). Painting is a job some people are good at but doesn't require a licensed contractor. I'm a new home owner and trying to figure out what needs a license or a permit etcetera can be confusing, especially since it is locally governed.

btw, I like to watch you-tube videos for jobs I hire out so I know what they are talking about and what to expect from them.

Whenever I have a job that needs help in either construction or computer repair near me I go to The King Repairs. They have the best professionals networked together.

We also do oklahoma web design for contractors and independent workers in Oklahoma.