What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
My pricing is based on the size of the project. For small, quick turn around type work I offer my skilled handyman services at $65 per hour with a $35 trip fee per project. Typically, I will follow this criteria for a project under $1,000 unless my client would prefer a total sales price for the project. At an estimated cost of greater than $1,000 I will automatically provide a written total sales price and associated scope of work to be agreed upon prior to work beginning.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
My typical process would be to begin with any fact finding that may be necessary. On any larger scale project I prefer to define as many design elements as possible. After we have ascertained the aesthetic we are reaching for I provide a defined scope of work and an associated total sales price. After we have agreed on the scope and cost of the project, my process is to provide a contract for anything over $3,000 in cost that clearly defines everything we have already covered.
At this point the real work begins. I am painstakingly careful to maintain as much order and cleanliness as possible during the building process, no matter the scale of the project.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I began my construction experience working in concrete flat work with my dad in his business. After a couple of years I took an apprenticeship with a New England timber framer and learned to build and repair timber framed barns and homes in the traditional New England style of joinery, along with more modern stick framing techniques. After 6 years I started a partnership with a mason, teaching him framing as he taught me masonry. After 2 years, I started focusing more on residential remodeling, and have been operating as a residential remodeling general contractor. For the last 10 years, I have pointedly focused my attention on refining my knowledge of building science, my skills, my tool base, and my customer care technique.
