13 things a handyman won’t tell you (but every homeowner should know)

How to find the most trustworthy handyman for the job, the household things you can fix yourself, and your handyman’s biggest pet peeve.

If your handyman says he can “do it all,” that’s a red flag. I’ve seen a guy who advertises on his truck that he mows grass, paints, does renovations, and builds houses. That’s not the guy you want to hire. Actually, a sure sign that you can trust me is if I tell you I’m not the best person to do a particular job and give you the name of someone else.

Here are 30 secrets your plumber won’t tell you.

Before you call me about your clogged sink or shower drain, try a plunger or a Zip-It drain-cleaning tool. Neither requires you to take anything apart, and both often do the trick in just a minute or two.

Here are 33 home repairs you should do before someone gets hurt.

Offering me water or some cookies is great, but if you really want to show me hospitality, let me know that it’s OK for me to use your bathroom. It’s always a pain to have to jump into my truck and drive somewhere to answer nature’s call.

The advantage of hiring a handyman from a national franchise is that he’s usually screened and trained and has a boss you can complain to if there’s a problem. But you may also end up with an employee who doesn’t care as much about quality, and you almost always will pay a higher price.

These are the 13 signs you’re about to hire a dodgy tradie.

Sometimes I still have to look up how to do something before I do a job (YouTube is the best!). A good handyman stays up to date on new products and trends and is always open to learning something.

Houses don’t take care of themselves. It’s on you to inspect yours at least once a year: Do you need to caulk around your windows and doors? Do you have any rotted wood? Are any shingles loose? It’s a lot less expensive to hire me to address those things than to replace them after years of neglected maintenance.

If I’m any good, I really don’t need to advertise, because I get plenty of work through word of mouth. When I started my business, I put a magnet on my truck with my phone number. After about six months, I had to take it off because I was getting too many calls.

I may give you a different price than the one I gave someone else for the same job. Why? Some of us charge more when we’re really busy. Or if I go into a house and it’s positively filthy, I’ll raise the price because I don’t want to work there.

Before you throw something out, ask whether I can repair it. I’ve fixed broken doors and window frames, furniture, toys and even a medical bed. One time, my neighbour put his lawn mower out on the curb and headed to the store for a new one. I rescued and fixed it before he got home with the replacement.

Here are 22 cheap ways to make things last longer.