FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
For general handyman work, I have a $125 minimum service charge, which includes up to two hours of labor. Additional time is $75/hour, billed in 30-minute increments. Have a list of small jobs? Even better — the minimum covers my time, not the number of tasks, so I’m happy to tackle as many items on your list as reasonably fit within that time. For larger projects, assembly work, installations, and other jobs where hourly pricing may not make the most sense, I can provide a project-based quote instead. Materials and any unusual project-specific expenses are additional, and I’ll discuss those with you before incurring them. There is no separate travel charge for jobs within my normal service area. *** DISCOUNT *** New-customer special: Get 20% off your first service, up to $50 off. That brings my regular $125 minimum service charge down to $100 for your first visit, followed by $60/hour for any additional time.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I like to start by getting a clear picture of what you need done. Tell me about the project — or send me your whole to-do list — and photos are always helpful when appropriate. I’ll ask any questions needed to understand the work, discuss options with you, and make sure we’re on the same page about the scope and expected cost before I get started. For straightforward projects, I can often provide an estimate or quote based on the information and photos you provide. Once we schedule the work, I’ll arrive prepared and ready to get things done. If I discover something unexpected or the scope changes, I’ll discuss it with you before doing additional work or incurring additional costs. When the work is finished, I’ll make sure everything is cleaned up and go over the completed work with you. And if there’s anything else on your list while I’m there, I’m always happy to take a look.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Much of my practical training started with my dad, a farmer's boy who became an MIT-trained mechanical and electrical engineer and one of those rare people who seemed to know how to build, repair, or figure out almost anything. Growing up, I learned by working alongside him and being taught not just how to do things, but how things work and how to solve problems when the answer isn't obvious. That hands-on education covered a remarkably broad range of skills, including carpentry, electrical and plumbing systems, concrete work, flooring, finish carpentry, doors, appliances and mechanical systems, light roofing and HVAC, and general home repair and maintenance. I've continued building on that foundation through years of maintaining, repairing, building, troubleshooting, and learning on my own. Perhaps the most valuable thing he taught me was an approach to the work: understand the problem, think it through, do it carefully, and do it right.