We live in a world where we have access to endless DIY videos on the internet. You can learn everything from how to measure for tile to the proper way to plunge a blocked toilet from an expert on many different sites.
While that kind of information is great in theory, in practice, it could become a problem. We’ve all seen the TV shows where someone thought they could do one or more renovation projects, only to discover after it was too late that they actually couldn’t. In fact, studies show that a third of people who attempt DIY around the house end up calling a professional in the end anyway (and that’s not counting those who should!) We’re not all meant to be great at DIY – and that’s exactly why handyman services exist. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is a Home Handyman Repair Service?
A home handyman service is a professional service that is staffed by a variety of professionals, who offer handyman services to homeowners, landlords and property management companies.
Instead of having to call different companies every time you need plumbing or electrical repairs done, or appliance repair or painting, a home handyman repair service is a single point of contact for everything.
Home handyman repair services also work on a subscription basis. Kind of like having a lawyer on retainer. Which means when you need a service, the cost to get that service and to get the job done will be lower. So, you don’t have to deal with big, nasty home repair bills when you can least afford them.
Why a Handyman Home Repair Service Is Better
There are some people who are great with their hands. They have been fixing all kinds of things around their homes for years, and they’re completely comfortable with every kind of tool you can imagine.
Most of us are not that kind of person. These days, it’s unlikely most people grew up fixing stuff around the house with their dad. In fact, unless you took shop class, there’s a good chance you didn’t touch a tool until you were out of school. In fact, Maxim reports that millennials “have terrible DIY skills.” Their words, not ours.
However, there are more reasons than just not knowing enough that you might want to use a handyman home service instead of trying the DIY route. Here are a few of the best.
They Have the Skills and Knowledge
There’s a reason plumbers, electricians and painters earn good salaries. They’ve worked hard for many years to learn the tips, tricks and codes required to do their job correctly. It’s why they call these kinds of jobs “skilled labor.”
You probably wouldn’t try to repair your phone or do your own financial reports if those aren’t things you are trained to do. So why would you think you can wing it with your biggest investment: your home!
They Have All the Tools
When you work with a handyman home repair service, you’re dealing with a company that has all the tools and equipment necessary. They don’t have to run out and buy or rent something because they’ve already got it. In fact, if you add up the cost to buy or rent all the tools, equipment, and consumables you might need to buy or rent for many home repair jobs, it will probably cost more than hiring a pro!
They Have Insurance
Construction and trade professionals – including the ones who work for a handyman home repair service – have to have all the necessary insurance to protect you, themselves and the public. Which means, if something goes wrong (and sometimes, it does), you won’t be left on the hook with a big repair or worse, a medical bill.
They Get Things Done Fast
Remember those DIY disaster shows we mentioned earlier on? Most of the people are still living with a ripped apart bathroom or kitchen months or even years after they started a “simple” project. The biggest culprit is that they massively underestimated the time and complexity of repairs and renovation projects around their homes.
They usually discover that they are in over their head sometime after they have removed everything, and it’s too late to put it all back. Eventually, they probably have to hire a professional to fix what they messed up and perform the original work.
Home repair professionals and handymen won’t make you wait months or years for a functioning bathroom. They’ll get the job done fast, so you can go back to living your life.
Related: Water heaters: tank or tankless?
They Won’t Create Bigger Problems
You probably know someone who has done something in their own home, thinking they could save time and money, only to find that they created a bigger problem. Maybe you thought you could connect your fridge to the plumbing, only to flood the house. Or maybe you were sure you knew how to clean your gutters, but the water overflowing outside tells a different story.
The truth is, many times, we overestimate our abilities and underestimate the problem. A handyman home repair service won’t make those mistakes, so you have peace of mind the job will be done correctly the first time.
You Don’t Have to Make a Million Calls
Usually if you want a plumber, you have to call five or six companies – that’s after you’ve asked a dozen friends and neighbors who they’ve used. You may get quotes from three companies. One will probably be way too expensive, so you’re left to choose between two – if you are lucky. Sometimes, when you try to reach tradespeople, they’re so busy (because they’re good at what they do) that you don’t hear back quickly – if at all.
Which is not ideal when you have a pressing problem that needs to be fixed.
If that happens to you, you’ll be stuck starting the process all over again, or maybe you’ll just accept the first quote you get, regardless of how much it is. Desperation can be a powerful motivator.
There’s No Long Wait for Service
If you do manage to reach a tradesperson, and they do give you a quote, you’ll probably still get put into a queue, and it’ll probably be a long one.
Good tradespeople and construction professionals are in huge demand, which means they can’t drop everything to get to your home when you need them.
Home handyman repair services, on the other hand, usually have a lot of different professionals on their team, so they can get someone to your home as quickly as possible. Which means there’s no long wait for the repair and maintenance services you need.
Many trades and repair and maintenance businesses are also smaller, sometimes one man operations. Which means even if you have a great company that you love to work with, there’s a chance when you need them, they will be on vacation, at the dentist or otherwise indisposed. Even the best in the business needs down time sometimes!
You’ll never have that problem when you use a handyman home repair service. There’s always someone with the right skills, ready to respond to your call.
You Can Take Care of Preventative Maintenance
One of the biggest problems with most homes is that we don’t practice preventative maintenance. We all tend to live by the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” However, that’s not true for homes and buildings.
In fact, regularly inspecting your home for problems and fixing them before they become a crisis is the best way to take care of your home. A home handyman repair service can do that for you too. Whether it’s inspecting your furnace or water heater, checking your gutters, or cleaning your chimney flue, there are lots of things that you should be doing at least twice a year. If you don’t even know what they are, then it’s definitely time to bring in the pros!
Related: An ounce of prevention, a pound of cure
Your Time Is Valuable
The truth is, there are probably some things we can all do around the house.
We could probably all repaint the fence or recaulk the tub. It is within the realm of possibility that we could repaint our siding and trim or trim the shrubs and hedges around our lot.
But when you really get right down to it, your time is probably worth more than that.
It’s probably more important to make time for your kid’s big game. Or to take your spouse out for a lunch date. Or just to do nothing after a sixty hour work week. You work hard to afford your life, and you deserve to live it.
There’s nothing more precious than time, and perhaps that’s the most important reason to use a home handyman repair service – because you deserve not to spend your time fixing stuff around your house.
Who Should Use Home Handyman Repair Services?
There are many people who could use a home handyman repair service.
Homeowners, of course, can benefit enormously from using a worry-free, membership-based service like this. Having exactly the right people on call when you need them is a huge weight of your shoulders! That’s particularly true for seniors or people who live alone and don’t have DIY skills – especially if you don’t want to risk injury from tools or falling off a ladder.
Landlords of single family residences can also benefit a lot from a home handyman repair service – especially if they own more than one property. You probably have a full time job too, not to mention a life of your own. So, the last thing you want is to be chasing contractors and repair people, trying to get work done.
Property managers and rental agents are another type of people who might benefit from a home handyman repair service subscription. Having professionals on call when you need them is one less ball you need to keep in the air. Which is great when you’re already trying to juggle way more than you should.
How Does It Work?
Subscription based home handyman repair services are quite simple. There is a low monthly fee that covers most basic repairs, as well as semi-annual preventative maintenance service visits.
Any repairs and maintenance that are not covered by the basic repair and maintenance portion of your subscription is carried out at the lowest possible price, using quality parts, and always by people who are qualified for the job.
Home handyman repair service subscribers have a designated building manager, so your repairs are always just a text or a phone call away. So, you’ll never have to call a dozen people and email ten more just to get a price from someone.
Time for a Change?
If you’ve been reading this and nodding in some places, cringing in others, and generally having flashbacks of past disasters, it’s probably time for a change.
Switching to a home handyman repair service and trusting all your routine and preventative maintenance is easy. PreFix offers a full handyman subscription service to homeowners, landlords and property managers. There are easy to understand, clear and affordable plans available, and there are no contracts. So, you can use the service as long as you choose to with no long cancellation clauses or expensive opt out fees.
Our sales team is friendly and ready to walk you through the process from start to finish, and our crews really know their stuff. So, you never have to lose sleep about how to get that broken window unstuck, where to find an appliance repair man or when you will have time to fix your screen door. You can simply call or text to get fast, friendly professional help when you need it.
Life’s too short to struggle with DIY projects, and your property is too valuable to neglect. Make the change, and see the PreFix difference for yourself.