Handyman

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. I've done similar jobs several times; tiling, faucets, painting, water heater installations, but no one thing stands out as ... commonly requested.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. I would recommend clients get an idea of what the process is to complete the project(s). Often, projects that seem like they should be simple, and take a short time to complete, take much longer. By asking about the process and how long it expected to take, your not surprised when it takes longer than you initially thought, and you understand why. Also, at that point you can opt not to do it all together.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Fortunately or Unfortunately, there's no silver bullet here. Either you know how to fix something or you don't. When you don't, you call me. It's all pretty front and center.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Every job is different in it's own way, and I wouldn't expect a client to have to know too much before I get there other than what specifically they want done. I only trust my own measurements anyway, so once I get there I'll know what questions to ask, and / or what measurements to take to complete the job properly.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. My work stands out because I pay attention to the details. Many Handymen can install a faucet, but will they make sure it's perfectly centered, and test it's operation thoroughly? Many Handymen can do tile, but will they stay focused enough to ensure every tile is as in line with the one before, above and below it as it can be, and that the grout is perfect between every tile. Details are the key in being a pro. I am a pro.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I can fix just about anything, the most fun thing about that is the troubleshooting. I love figuring things out, fixing them, and having a satisfied client.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. I think I am often asked, "How did you learn how to do all this stuff?" Strangely enough, my answer is ... I don't really know. My Father was a construction guy and Handyman, but he never said, this is how you do this or that, yet somehow I know. Of course experience has a lot to do with it, but I'm convinced I am the definition of just having something in your blood.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. One of my favorite stories is one where a woman called me to install a water filter under her kitchen sink. When I got there to put in the system, she handed me a filter and said, "Can you put this in?" Literally, all that needed to be done was unscrew the old filter and screw in the new one. One and a half turns. Done. I couldn't do anything but smile.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. I wish people understood that hiring the right Handyman should be about more that just the money. That's important for sure, but it's also important to have someone that you can talk to, and explain your needs to, that you can trust. Someone that will be on time, or call you before they're late, to tell you they're going to be. Someone that cleans up after the job and is respectful of your space during the job by putting down dropcloths and watching their step. These are the things I think are more important than just the money.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I didn't choose this line of work, it chose me. I was always the kid that wanted to know how something worked, or trying to fix my mother's broken toaster. I got in trouble more than once for taking something apart just to see what was going on in there. It's just what I've always done, and since I can't stand being in an office, making handywork my profession just made sense.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. A tiling project in a kitchen in W. Hollywood. This woman wanted to tile the backsplash in her kitchen. Her mom had picked out some really cheap tiles from the hardware store, when I saw them I recommended she upgrade as this condo was upwards of $800k. And you can't put cheap tile in a beautiful kitchen like this one, it would jeopardize the property value. She agreed and let me pick some tile for her to choose from. I picked these beautiful 1/2inch thick glass tiles set in a subway pattern. The tiles were soft greens and blues, frosted white and clear, they looked like shimmering water water. She was blown away in the end, and sent me a really lovely note to say so. I was really proud of that job.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Absolutely, one can never assume there's nothing more to learn, there are new products and techniques coming out every day. Right now I'm taking a class on cabinet making, and class on residential wiring. Much of it I already know, but I have learned a lot as well.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. The most exciting thing I've use recently is Cross Linked Polyethelene tubing, (PEX) for short. It's used for residential and commercial plumbing of potable water. It's been around for years in Europe and the southern states to a small degree, but is now making it's way all over the country. It's great because it can be buried, encased in concrete, run through your walls, and the best part is because it's a flexible tube you can run it around corners, over beams, anywhere with no need for a couplings. And the fittings you do use are super easy to work with. I plumbed a bathroom in a few hours, and nothing leaked, the first time! It's amazing stuff, PEX.

Q. Describe your most recent project, what it involved, how much it cost, and how long it took.

A. I just did a job for a guy who lived in a 70 year old building. The pipes under the kitchen sink had been modified so many times over the years that he ended up with no shut off valves for the faucet and the back wall of the cabinet had been moved forward by 8 inches to accommodate all the monkey business plumbing. To fix that, I had to remove the cabinet doors, disconnect the garbage disposal, remove all the drain pipes, remove the sink, cut out all the old pipes and install new shut off valves, and angle stop valves. I then had to fashion a panel for the back of the cabinet, but before I could do that I had to build supports to accept the panel, which meant removing the dishwasher in the adjacent cabinet and rerouting the supply and drain lines and then reconnecting everything. Much bigger job than it looked like it would be. In the end it took about 2 and a half days, and cost $587.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. Not complicated, my rate, times the amount of time it takes to do the job.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Have plenty of tools, don't apologize for what you're charging, but be flexible, and keep an open line of communication with your client.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. What is the most important thing to you about what you do?

Honesty and Integrity