- Tom BrezsnyThe Truth About The Handyman
So you hired the handyman, praying he is handy and actually knows some tricks and hacks for all the weird stuff you need fixed.
The GFI outlet is on the fritz, the smoke alarm is screaming, the window locks are broken, you have a new light to install, your weather stripping around the front door is worn and hanging, you get the idea.
Why is he soooo expensive?
Imagine he is walking in blind to a problem that may have more complexity than meets the eye.
Perhaps the new cover plate for the new light you picked out doesn’t conceal the old paint and he has to touch up around the new plate. Or he discovers not only is the GFI dead, it’s a circuit that has a problem. Or you didn’t realize your smoke alarm is hard wired, a much bigger hassle to repair. Or your windows are a rare vintage and the locks are hard to find.
We expect him to be a magician and just fix it! But he must possess knowledge of the proposed problem and all the things that could go wrong. He must have the right tools, which are expensive. He likely has to make a trip to Home Depot because the light fixture is Chinese and the bracket holes are in the wrong place to match to the wall! Additionally, it’s him that risks his neck on an 18’ ladder hanging a heavy chandelier by himself, or putting up a painting.
All the tasks we expect handymen to do are outliers. Generally not straightforward or cookie cutter; each of your tasks takes ingenuity, skill and experience. So a lot of what you are paying for is knowledge, efficiency and time.
And because he cannot see into walls, the unknown looms, “What else will I find?” is his mantra!
So be patient and gentle with your handyman, don’t expect the impossible for peanuts. Good work ain’t cheap and cheap work ain’t good!
