What is a Handyman?

A handyman is also known as a “maintenance worker” or “jack-of-all-trades”. These trades include plumbing, carpentry, HVAC technicians, and electricians.

 

Plumbing: Plumbers are skilled with water and waste systems that are carried around in pipes throughout homes and buildings.

Carpentry: Carpenters typically work with wood and construction. They are skilled at building the framework for all sorts of structures.

HVAC: Technicians in this trade are skilled in heating and cooling services such as air conditioning, refrigeration, ventilation, and installations.  

Electricity: Electricians specialize in the electrical wiring of a home or building that feeds to light fixtures, machinery, and other related equipment.

 

​A Handyman is someone who is skilled in all four of these trades. They specialize in projects and repairs, specifically around the home and can help tackle odd jobs as well.

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What Makes a Good Handyman?

• A natural inclination to understand how things work

• Common sense

• Willingness to study how things operate and how to repair them

• Acquisition of the tools and supplies necessary to do a wide variety of jobs

• Knowledge of your limitations

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A lack of knowledge of one's limitations is what has given some handymen a bad name. I hear many stories from my customers of their experiences with self-proclaimed handymen. They were anything but handy! In most cases, problems were made worse. The lack of tools, basic knowledge and supplies is also a complaint I often hear.

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As your handyman, I will never want to make a situation or problem worse because of where I may lack. Compared to a bad handyman, a good one knows when to say no to a job, even if it pays well. For example, a certain handyman may be close to perfect when it comes to ventilation and installing drywall to building frames for windows, but he may hate roofing projects bigger than a small patch. Instead of grinding on a project he would rather not do, a good handyman should say no so you don’t waste your money on a job not guaranteed to be done well.

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As a handyman, I am continuing to learn and expand my toolbox. That being said, I know when to say no to a job. I care about who I work for and I am passionate about getting a job done honestly and accurately. I will never leave you high-and-dry, but will help you with another way to get that job done, even if it means referring you to someone specialized in that specific area.

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LIMITATIONS

As your handyman, I can fix, replace, and install fixtures that you can see all around the house. But when it comes to the intricate wiring, ductwork, and plumbing within the house, it is required by law in the Marietta and Atlanta Georgia areas to hire a licenced professional in that specific trade. If this is the case, I do have great references that I can recommend working with.

 

Plumbing

When do you need a licensed plumber?

 

What I CAN do: As a handyman, I have the skills necessary to replace any existing feature that requires plumbing such as toilets, faucets, and other kitchen and bathroom features. I can also repair leaks in those features.

What I CAN’T do (by law): You need a licensed plumber if you are looking to move or add a new fixture that require running pipes or welding. Licensed plumbers should also be able to target where the problem is (pipe burst, leak, etc.) and troubleshoot effective ways to fix it.

 

Carpentry

No limitations because it is not a licensed trade.

 

HVAC

When do you need a licensed HVAC technician?

 

What I CAN do: As a handyman I can replace your thermostat and vent covers.

What I CAN’T do (by law): A licensed HVAC technician is required when adding ductwork (ventilation or air conditioning systems) or installing entire new systems.

 

Electrical

When do you need a licensed electrician?

 

What I CAN do: As a handyman I can replace lights, other fixtures and existing outlets and switches around the home.

What I CAN’T do (by law): Similar to plumbing, a licensed electrician is required to move or add fixtures or outlets that require wiring.

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Handyman vs. Contractor

 

Before you call up and hire someone to work on a project, installation, or repair in your home, make sure you do your research on the extensiveness of the project. Many people go straight to contacting a contractor for their home improvement needs, but with a little time and research, you may find that it will be more worth your time and money to hire a handyman.

 

Handyman

• Expertise and ability to work in many different trades (plumbing, carpentry, HVAC, electricity)

• Generally less expensive and time consuming, as one handyman can take on multiple roles and tackle a project on his own

• Perfect for smaller projects and repairs around the home

 

Contractor

• generally a manager who “contracts” the work to other skilled tradesmen for each area of work

• Usually will end up costing an arm and a leg in the long run because each worker will need to be paid

• Better for bigger construction projects

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