Types of handyman
Possibly a homeowner’s most valuable ally is a skilled and experienced handyman, who is able to resolve general maintenance problems, both inside and outside the house. By definition, a handyman is a “jack of all trades”, who is competent at fixing a wide range of household problems, or carrying out minor renovation work. Maintenance of offices, flats or residential complexes is often the responsibility of a permanent on-site handyman whose responsibilities may be extremely varied.
Outdoor work
Many handymen are employed to do tasks such as basic brickwork, build fences or boundary walls, clean or fix gutters, clean, repair or varnish wooden fixtures and structures such as shutters, pergolas, fences, decks and outdoor furniture, repair broken windows, fix lights, repair concrete driveways, fix gates, and weld ironwork, to name just a few of the jobs they can undertake. They may be helpful in removing rubble and garden refuse and taking such items to the dump.
Indoor tasks
Handymen are useful in attending to problems such as sticking doors or faulty locks, repairing and painting walls, carrying out small tiling jobs, basic plumbing tasks, replacing lights, repairing certain equipment or appliances, and general indoor maintenance or repairs.
They could be employed to install curtain rails, blinds, shelves, and even build basic bookshelves. Since they are experienced in many areas, they can effectively turn their skills to any number of tasks.
How to choose the right handyman
As a rule, it is always a good idea to use a handyman who has great reviews (or even personally recommended by someone). There are plenty of handymen services advertised, but you need to check that the work carried out will be to the desired standard. Poor workmanship will result in increased costs to rectify problems, so it is better to pay a little more and get the right result the first time. A good handyman will advise you upfront if there is a job which he feels is beyond his abilities, and he can either refer you to a specialist or sub-contract the job himself.
Check their recommendations and reviews
If you are planning on using a handyman who has advertised online but is not known to you, take the time to read the reviews which are available or ask if you may contact previous clients of his to assess how satisfactory his work is. Never be afraid to check workmanship and professionalism before engaging a handyman, to avoid any possible conflicts and having to have the job redone later.
