FAQ's

I have the deepest respect for our aging population. I fully understand the difficulty of getting basic help. There is a whole community of people that are physically unable to perform needed repairs to their home. Small things like replacing a smoke detector battery, light bulb or a safety apparatus can become monumental. Unfortunately, seniors can experience difficulty accessing a handyman or contractor for small jobs. For some, using email and Internet is a struggle. I’ve learned to be more clear and make sure what I am saying is fully understood. I am more than fare to our seniors. I encourage family members and caretakers to contact me to participate in the process of providing them a good experience.

This is the single most asked question for a handyman and it is complex. I use local pricing trends and project calculators like Homewyse.com to estimate the time it takes for a professional tradesman to do a task. I do not charge you for “on the job training”. My overhead is extremely low, allowing me to be very competitively priced.

I do have a minimum charge. I charge by the job, not by the hour. You may want to bundle your jobs.

I have a minimum charge of $120. The reason for a minimum is to prepare tools and supplies, travel via truck, honor warranty in future, overhead to run business etc.

 This is not an hourly price but a minimum charge and will be deducted from the overall labor charge.

I do! But I don’t generally travel to do estimates. More and more this is becoming the norm. These are small jobs and can often be estimated through pictures and some discussion via email. If a visit is prudent then of course I would be happy to come by and take a look first.

Livermore is my primary customer base since I live here. Working in Pleasanton incurs a travel and time charge. I don’t work outside of Livermore and Pleasanton.

Yes! My labor is fully guaranteed for one year if it was my fault. I will either make it good or refund the labor charged for that specific task.

I am vaccinated for COVID and am happy to provide proof. I wear a mask but will not require you to wear a mask.

I work on my own and have no helpers, so you always know who you’re getting.

In California, a handyman cannot work on large projects while a licensed contractor can. The thinking is… if the handyman you choose is unskilled, gets in over his head on a large job, he could leave you in an unsafe situation or cause great financial loss. Some might say a contractor could perform subpar work and cause you financial loss but the expectation is they won’t. Generally, the holder of the contractor’s license works as an apprentice for 4 years, must pass a test, pays fees and becomes a licensed and respected contractor. They are legally allowed to do larger jobs. Note that many handymen are contractors but don’t mention it for some reason.

A handyman or contractor can be used interchangeably for small jobs and both are a good choice. A handyman cannot get involved in large lengthy jobs, on the upside this makes them more available. If a handyman offers to work on a large project he/she has a contractor’s license, is working under a contractor or is doing work illegally in Ca. Contractors are always insured but not all handymen are insured, I am fully insured. This is a deep subject.

I am retired so the days generally all run together. So pretty much any day is fair game.

I charge by the job in most cases and not by the hour. I find this works best for many reasons. An agreed upon price assures you that the price is the price and won’t increase without a change order. An hourly rate causes stress on both the customer and the worker. Is the handyman taking longer due to inexperience? Well, you shouldn’t be paying for on-the-job training. Expensive tools can save time. Having the right tools and techniques shouldn’t make for a small payday. Hourly rates have their place such as when troubleshooting a problem.

Hourly work would be used for troubleshooting electrical problems or any work that cannot be estimated.

I use a professional business management system that provides you with an invoice for you to track your business with me.  You can pay online through the invoicing system or pay me in person. Online payment methods include Credit card or Paypal. These payment options will incur the usual fees that go along with using electronic payments. Or you can pay me directly by cash which is preferred.

I have a one million dollar policy to protect you and your home. I am more than happy to provide you a copy of my insurance and tax license (business license).

Not normally.  I do small jobs that are mostly labor. I would only need a deposit for materials that cannot be returned to the store for a refund. If a deposit makes sense, my invoicing system will allow you to provide a deposit or you can give me a deposit directly. Many of my senior clients rather not use a computer and I am more than happy to forgo the computer billing route for them.

Not this handyman! No need to worry about a tip here. I appreciate your business as much as you appreciate my help.

Good question. The best way for you to save money is to have the items already at your home (if they are the correct parts). Such as… TV and mount, Exhaust fan and ducting, Chandelier and dimmer switch, Toilet and all hoses. I hope you get the idea. If you pick out a Toilet but need it delivered, I would pick up all the necessary supplies at one time but have to charge you for shopping. It is fairly expensive to have your handyman shop for you. Every minute is work time. Many small use items like fasteners, glue, wire nuts etc. I have on the truck and not something you need to have. A couple emails back and forth should clear up any unknowns.

I don’t up-charge when my day isn’t going as planned. I run into unplanned issues all the time and just work through them and consider them part of this business like any good handyman. Think about it, a handyman’s day is just one big problem solving exercise every day. Although, sometimes you run into the unexpected problem that most common sense people would agree was not part of the job. Maybe there is mold or pipes behind that drywall, or the access to the attic is not what you thought. There could be electrical or plumbing right where you wanted that window or doggy/kitty door! A very common adjustment comes when an under the sink water shutoff valve permanently leaks after turning it off and back on. If I need to stop work, I won’t be charging you for time not spent do to unknowns that arise. But if you need me to run for parts, I will have to charge for my time. I am a very fair individual.