Handyman Work
I can perform routine repairs around your home and office. I do 99% the work myself and have no employees. If a larger task is reqested,
such as major deck rennovations, I have help that I can schedule to assist me in my work. Following is a list of example repairs that
I am prepared to handle:
- Leaks and drips
- Squeaks and jams
- Commode problems
- Minor electrical and plumbing issues
- Ceiling fan installation or repair
- Repairing or replacing rotten wood
- Siding repair or installation
- Replacing rotten door jams and window sills
- Installing door locks and garage door openers
- Minor deck and sheetrock repair
- Hanging shelves and rods
- Chainsaw work
- Stump Removal
See the Handyman Services page for a more detailed list of common tasks. I would generally prefer to repair a broken item rather than replace it, but that is not always an option.
In addition to household repairs, I can also do jobs involving welding and garden and food plot preparation. I cannot repair roofs (see "Insurance").
Scheduling
I typically stay booked about 5-7 days out and handle my calls on a first come basis. I can respond to an emergency situation if needed but every call can't be an emergency.
Insurance
I carry $1,000,000 liability insurance to protect the homeowner. This insurance does not cover roof repair, and as such I cannot perform any roof repair. I’m covered under my wife’s health insurance in case I’m injured, eliminating the need to have a separate workman’s compensation policy.
I’m licensed by the City of Roswell to conduct business.
Procedure
I try to visit each job site prior to the performing the actual work, especially when dealing with a new customer.
From that visit I can better estimate the amount of time and material required to make the repairs. When I arrive to perform
the work, I will attempt to bring all the materials and resources required to do so. My established customers will often
call and give me a list of tasks they wish performed and just tell me to make the repairs- they know I will do the job to the
best of my ability, and I know they will pay me when they are completely satisfied with my work.
I typically paint the material I replace with paint provided by the customer. I will hunt through 20 partially empty cans of
paint in the basement to find the right paint, but it will be at my regular hourly rate. I can also attempt to have the paint
matched by a local paint store. For larger painting jobs, such as whole house or room painting, I have a painter that I can
recommend and schedule for you.
Pricing
When I arrive on the job site, I begin working by the hour. I do this for the following reason: If I estimate that a task
takes 2 hours and it goes extremely well, say half an hour, I will charge you for the actual timed worked- in this case, 30 minutes.
It’s not fair to you for me to charge you for the entire 2 hours I estimated. If you add additional tasks while I’m working,
it generally won't be a problem since you are paying me for the time I’m actually working. Conversely, if I estimate that a job
will require half an hour of work and it takes me 2 hours, my charge will be 2 hours. I will attempt to complete your work
as efficiently as I can, but no two jobs are exactly the same.
I will provide the customer with a cost estimate (not a quote), consisting of an XLS spreadsheet with the tasks and material
in a line item format. I have a number of problems with the "quote" methodolody that lead to my preference in working with
estimates. Since no two jobs are the same, accurate measurement of time and material is not always possible. Rather than
overestimating the time required in a quote in order to take into account the unexpected (resulting in a more expensive quote and most
likely overcharging), I prefer to simply work by the hour. In addition, the quote process tends to drive the worker to complete
each task as fast as possible, perhaps sacrificing quality, just to get to the next job. This is why I prefer not to give
quotes for the cost of a job. If you must have a quote, simply double my estimate. I will finish the work for that figure.
Prices are as follows:
- $50 an hour for general labor
- $20 an hour for running around getting additional items like paint, more material, etc.
I do not mark up materials, so they will be charged to the customer at the purchased price. If you don't like the work, you don't pay for the labor.
Lewis Poley
Poley's Repair Service, Inc
770 235 7367
Poleysrepair.com
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