Tips for hiring a handyman for home projects or repairs

Dear Savvy Senior: What’s the best way to find a good handyman or tradesman who can help with small jobs around the house? — Almost 75

Dear Almost 75: It’s a great question. Finding someone reliable for home projects and repairs can be a bit of a crapshoot. How do you find someone who will return your calls or texts, show up on time, do the job right and finish it, all at a fair price? Here are a few tips and resources that can help you search.

What kind of help

While it may seem obvious, the scope of the work you need done will determine what kind of worker you need to hire. For example, if you have an odd job or small home repair project that doesn’t require a lot of technical expertise, a handyperson may be all you need. But if you have a job that involves electricity, plumbing, or heating or cooling systems, you’re better off with a licensed tradesman. Bigger jobs like home renovations or remodeling may require a general contractor.

Where to find a pro

Whatever type of work you need, the best way to find someone is through referrals from people you trust. If your friends or family don’t have any recommendations, then turn to professionals in the field such as local hardware or home improvement stores, or even real estate agents.

If you don’t have any luck there, a number of online resources can quickly connect you to a wide variety of skilled workers in your area.

If you need someone for a home chore or small job, a popular option is Taskrabbit (taskrabbit.com), which lists thousands of freelance workers (called Taskers) who have undergone background checks. You can get help with things like furniture assembly; lifting or moving heavy items; mounting or hanging TVs, shelfs or pictures; minor home repairs; cleaning services; yard work and more. Taskers set their own hourly rates, which are displayed on their website before you book.

Some other good options for locating handypeople are fix-it franchises such as Ace Handyman (acehandymanservices.com) and Mr. Handyman (mrhandyman.com). These companies vet and insure their staff, but they may be more expensive than Taskrabbit. Or, if you use social networking sites, you could post a request for a handyperson in your Facebook group or on Nextdoor (nextdoor.com).

If you’re in the market for specialist such as a plumber, electrician, painter, roofer or carpenter, try Angi (angi.com). It also vets its independent contractors and will let you request quotes from several candidates.

Thumbtack (thumbtack.com) is another good resource. It’s similar to Angi but offers more details like average response time, specifics about the work the person does, and photos of past projects.

Things to know

Once you’ve located a few candidates, here are some steps to protect your money and ensure you’re satisfied with the results. First, get a handwritten estimate or digital contract that lists the tasks and the hourly rate or project fee.

Also, ask to see their proof of insurance, which covers any damages they may cause while working on your home, and ask for several references from past jobs.

You should also pay after the work is done, not before. But it’s not unusual to be asked for a small deposit for material costs upfront.

If possible, pay with a credit card, because you can dispute the payment if something goes wrong with the job. Checks and electronic payments such as PayPal don’t offer the same level of protection.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.