Handyman: Handier And Cheaper Than A Plumber

I am the last person who will give someone grief about not being able to be handy around the house, probably because I just learned how to use a drill last year. When Sean didn’t want to attempt the bathroom sink but then kept asking me if he should, I reassured him that I would not think he was any less manly for not wanting to flood our bathroom himself. I also pointed our that someone who did this for a living may have things like tools and spare parts that we didn’t have.

The “odd jobber” came to our house and put in the sink in about two hours. He was pleasant, showed up on time, and he all the right tools (which helps when doing this sort of work). There were a few runs to the hardware store, Sean being the gofer/eager learner and me being the constant offerer of food and drink. In the end, he did a pretty good job.

We thanked him profusely and he charged us $50. We were surprised in a “surprisingly happy” way not often associated with home repairs. We tipped generously, overjoyed at the fact our project had come in over $200 under budget. Hugh (“the odd jobbah” as we’d say Downeast Maine) handed us his business card.

“…Handyman… No job too small…”

I have seen this before, of course, in classified ads especially. What makes handymen different than contractors, or even plumbers anyway?

While handymen don’t usually have licenses or certifications, they often charge under $50 an hour but their “job sizes” may have a financial limits. (In some places, for example, if the job costs over $500 you need a licensed contractor.) Hugh had learned plumbing “by trial and error” but clearly knew what he was doing.

So if you have some home improvement to be made, look no further than your local handyman or woman. They may be able to give you the results you want for far less than you’d pay a contractor/plumber/professionally certified person. And they’ll take on those small projects that regular contractors won’t even bother with. Just ask around your neighborhood for recommendations. I know we’ll be calling our odd jobber again!

Meanwhile, the before and after photos…

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