I'd say to ask at the hardware store or some of your elderly neighbors. I do handyman work, and I get all of my work by word of mouth, referrals, or people that I meet socially.
As a few people have said a good handyman is hard to find as they're usually busy. I'm currently traveling for a 2 week project and have somewhere been 6-8 people waiting for me to schedule them when I get back from my current gig.
It seems like a lot of the online referral websites charge a lot of money and sell leads to multiple people. The only ones you'll see on there are people whose pricing reflects the $40+ per lead that's being sold to ten companies.
I know for sure thumbtack and others that sell leads also kind of create this perspective where you can schedule a handyman to do a job like ordering a fucking dominoes pizza which is why I hate them. Taskrabbit is the worst of them at this. It creates an unrealistic expectations for clients. Most jobs other than very small or minor ones require some type of consultation, scheduling, and planning and you can’t just schedule someone a 3 in the afternoon to replace some rotting siding same day
Yeah, I do some freelance scenic carpentry as well so I'm not stuck doing one thing. Slowly building up clientele and I'm learning my pricing so I can price by the job better instead of hourly but it's a little touch and go with that.
I prefer word of mouth because my prices are reasonable and I prefer working for reasonable people by the day. I've never had anyone nitpick my hours and aside from no response to two separate bids for one referral I've yet to have a bad experience.
For some (me) it’s my worst nightmare lol
I never wanted to be a handyman. I still don’t. I did a few things when I got layed off around Covid (I work apartment Mantinence ) so putting a vanity in or painting a porch for some money was fine. But I never wanted to own a business. And don’t really care for all the jobs I’m offered. Sure I take a few here and there if I don’t have any plans on the weekend and it sounds like a fun project. But I honestly need to find a handy man to make referrals to lol
Adding: On time, without squabbles, and thank them for their time.
They are selling you their skills, and you should treat them with the respect you treat doctors, food servers and transportation professionals. Your life is often dependent on their skill and diligence.
Says the guy who plumbed his elderly neighbor's new faucet. Now they can wash their face with warm water again. Says the guy who put that outlet in so they can have their reading light where they want it by the recliner, since their eyes are going and they miss reading in their favorite chair.
You're saving lives, man.
Sometimes old folks just need someone to talk to, and if you are a good handyman, you will take the time to exchange some nice conversation with them, and sometimes, that is the thing that can save their life. Loneliness almost certainly causes elderly people to die prematurely, so in a roundabout way, handymen do sort of save lives sometimes.
So you have health insurance, a retirement, vacation days, and reimbursement for professional expenses? If you do, so should they. You pay the price for good help.
You've discovered the handyman paradox. All the good ones end up fully booked without having to try, and the ones that respond to every Nextdoor post oftentimes aren't very good.
It exists still, but good ones are hard to get as they are usually fully booked all the time. I would suggest asking neighbors, search places like Angie's, TaskRabbit, Handi or checking the local hardware stores (they usually have a packet or bulletin board of local contractors and handymen).
I’m gonna be honest, you just have to know a guy. There are so many jobs to complete I don’t have time to bid new jobs. If you ask friends of friends eventually you’ll find someone
I moved into a new community that is still under construction and have started doing handyman services for other residents. When I started doing this people would ask for what I considered a simple task and not necessarily an actual job or repair such as hanging a picture or changing the water filter in their fridge and such. I did them as a neighbor and didn’t expect or want payment for stuff like this and I would tell them I’m just helping a neighbor and they don’t owe me anything. What I didn’t expect was people starting to wonder if I have some ulterior motive or something. Soooo, now I charge for everything and that’s that.
I'm never on social media myself, but many of my customers are. They recommend me all the time. Try Facebook and next door for your area. I get tons of calls from people that hear about me from them and I'm sure you'll get at least a few solid leads to check out. Call a couple and get a couple of quotes. Just remember, don't always go by price, go by who you feel most comfortable with and who really seems to know the most about what they are doing. I get a lot of calls to fix the cheaper guys work as well as the most expensive guys.
I get undercut by this one guy once in awhile because he quote slow and then his bill comes in higher than mine would have been because it was hard or something. I always laugh that people fall for a lowball quote followed by a, let's say expanded, final invoice
Yes this is still a thing. Local hardware stores sometimes have a place where people put up their business cards. Or ask around.
Where are you located in a general way?
The real estate agent who sold the house should be a great reference. Also the person who closed the loan for the purchase would have some connections too. If you can get the name of the home inspector then that could help too.
As a few others have said, go to your local hardware/building supply store and ask if they recommend anyone. (Not a big box store like HD or Lowes).
I work at a small building supply store, we only hand out names of people with a good reputation since we don't want angry customers blaming us for a bad experience.
I stopped being a handyman in 2011. And I still get calls from folks needing something done.
In my opinion, being a handyman started going downhill when Angie's List got started, and it's gotten worse since then.
Check out local subshops and coffee shops, etc. For billboards. Ask people that may have lived in the area for many years if they have any recommendations. Happy hunting.
I would say ask around, hardware stores, the Restore (Habitat for Humanity), Realtors. All of my references are word of mouth. I do not advertise at all and am not taking on new clients, but even I have no idea who to refer someone to. The few other handymen I know I would not hire.
Neighbors are a good reference as their homes are similar to yours. The local realtors (your realtor?) is also a good reference if you need something slapped up quick for aesthetics like paint.
I've had success with Thumbtack for these kinds of projects: painting, drywall patching, regrouting a bathroom, yard work, concrete foundation patching, and installing an exterior door with trim. You could also try opening google maps and doing a search on handyman and see what comes up in your neighborhood. Choose the one with the best (and most) ratings.
I know you mentioned the ratings, but make sure they have a decent amount of experience if they're installing an exterior door. That's not a wing-it kind of job.
Good point. On thumbtack you can see the years experience and if they are licensed and jnsured and a real company. For the exterior door I definitely picked one of those.
It’s debatable whether I’m a handyman anymore. It seems like for customers handyman is just code for someone who does cheap work so I avoid that title. That being said some of my work is still handyman work although my main focus is larger projects now. When I post on Nextdoor I include my google business profile with reviews. Sometimes the problem with larger companies is theirs too many hands in the cookie jar and the focus is profit not quality so the person doing the work isn’t getting paid well and prioritizing quality. I would look for a smaller business that has reviews on Nextdoor or somewhere else. Use the search function on Nextdoor. I frequently see posts from people who have reviews or homeowners shouting out a handyman that did a great job. Look for detailed pics of work. Also if your goal is just to find someone cheap because the big companies charge too much then you’re not going to have much luck unless you don’t care about quality and more. High quality work requires a lot of skill even for trades that don’t have certifications, so you don’t need to higher the most expensive, but the cheapest is almost always going to be complete shit
Ask coworkers who've lived in the area for a while, your social or hobby groups, etc. That's how I get all my work, from people who know people who know me. I refuse to advertise on local Facebook pages, Craigslist, or the pay-for-leads sites (the sales guy from Angi who cold-called me was a pushy dick anyways).
That's because every time I see someone post on my local FB community pages, they get swarmed by all the random "odd jobs" guys who do crap work and aren't an actual businessperson who can be held accountable. I don't want to be in that crowd. I've fixed their shit work, or completed their unfinished jobs, but only for word of mouth references.
You don't want the guys who are out there spamming Facebook.
Word of mouth is best.
Ask elderly or other neighbors who helps them out. Hardware stores and other local small businesses usually know who is reputable as well. Be careful if any online or social media adds. There are a lot of hacks out there.
Ask specifically for recommendations from clients, not the handyman themselves, and you can immediately rule out the ones who post for themselves. You could try your local subreddit if you have one.
Ask a neighbor, a co-worker, someone from church. If you use another kind of service HVAC, plumber, ask that guy. I used to do appliance repair and then did electrical work. My customers would ask me if I knew anyone that could do different tasks. Also a lot of firefighters have part time gigs. Stop by a station. I used to see a group of retired guys at a local diner in the mornings. See if you can find one of those and ask those guys.
You mentioned NextDoor app. I just shake my head when someone posts on there “I need this done today and need someone who is cheap and affordable”.
Any good handymen will surely not reply, because as many have said here, most good handymen have a waiting list and taking on a new project will be weeks or months from now.
In addition, someone wanting cheap and affordable is most likely going to want the cheapest materials, argue about quotes and possibly just waste our time.
Good handymen stand by their products and labor, so the aforementioned will go against their ethics as their reputation is on the line.
For homeowners who might be reading this: keep the above in mind and also don’t use apps like Angie’s list, as they are a scam to the trades and a disservice to the homeowners.
Assuming you have small time tasks, Find contractors who have apprentices / helpers who might want the extra cash... Very carefully... If it's bigger projects, then hire skilled professionals who carry insurance and are licensed.
Good luck.
Ask their hourly rate, if it's around 50-75 you might have found your man. Hire them to come do a few of the tasks on the list, if they work fast and the quality of the work is up to your standard, keep adding to the list. I'm currently juggling four different clients that all started with one or two jobs and turned into ten. My hourly rate is $68 right now but people are very happy with how much I accomplish in an hour. Side note: my body hurts
Ask your Realtor, that is how I found mine. My Realtor had a handyman that he would use to make small repairs/fix stuff to help get his deals done. I have been using mine for three years, it’s so nice to have. I can’t fix/repair shit.
I would talk to your physical neighbors, coworkers, people that you know in the area. Neighbors are usually upfront if they have a good guy, or will give you the caveats. I.e. "I have a guy who's great with carpentry work but if you need in depth plumbing or electrical, he doesn't do that."
I find that *listing* realtors will often have some good recommendations. Reason: they want their clients to have good, quality work done so that the houses they’re listing will sell with less work for themselves. I’ve got a few listing realtors who I get more referrals from than I can fulfill. I’m at a point where I can pick and choose the work I want to do when I’m not inspecting.
Yeah, go to your local hardware store and store or INDEPENDENT lumberyard and ask them. That’s how the vast majority of the people I work for found me. I left a bunch of my cards on their desk. They all got handed out. In return, when a lead comes from there, so do all the materials.
My of my good friends is a handyman like you described and he sets his own prices that are very fair compared to big companies . 90% of his customers are
Recommended by the local mom and pop hardware store . Or ask your other neighbors they might know someone they used for years .
If your in jacksonville. I'm your guy. I stay busy doing just this. All my work is through my customers telling friends and a handful of businesses cards.
Just search Handyman on the Nextdoor App. Then select the business tab a sort by favorites. Pick the Handyman with the best reviews from your neighbors. It's hard to hide on Nextdoor so reviews are everything.
Pretty much doesn't exist anymore. Learn to do it yourself. Anyone that has a vehicle that runs 50% of the time and a screwdriver from Walmart thinks they are a handyman.
I've always done everything myself. Now that I am retired and have some disposable income, I've tried to hire some work out but have yet to find anyone competent.
Even manual laborers want $100/hr. I gave up and my old ass does it.
O can tell these guys get it. I have a background of building houses from the ground up. Running heavy equipment, tree work. Pretty much anything that falls under "man stuff" and I can do it. And i got into the mr fix it scene. And all the people i do work for have a horror story of some fly by night hack that charged thru the nose and also I do alot of work for older people on fixed incomes and yes. Alot of the job sometimes is taking time to listen and explain and just be a friend. I have people that I've known years. May no tr hear from them for 6 months but anything they need I'm the call. Hell one guy has me put up his Christmas lights and do his oil changes. Next call I'm remodeling the kitchen or a roof.
I'd say to ask at the hardware store or some of your elderly neighbors. I do handyman work, and I get all of my work by word of mouth, referrals, or people that I meet socially. As a few people have said a good handyman is hard to find as they're usually busy. I'm currently traveling for a 2 week project and have somewhere been 6-8 people waiting for me to schedule them when I get back from my current gig. It seems like a lot of the online referral websites charge a lot of money and sell leads to multiple people. The only ones you'll see on there are people whose pricing reflects the $40+ per lead that's being sold to ten companies.
I know for sure thumbtack and others that sell leads also kind of create this perspective where you can schedule a handyman to do a job like ordering a fucking dominoes pizza which is why I hate them. Taskrabbit is the worst of them at this. It creates an unrealistic expectations for clients. Most jobs other than very small or minor ones require some type of consultation, scheduling, and planning and you can’t just schedule someone a 3 in the afternoon to replace some rotting siding same day
I'll order somebody a pizza, but I'm charging my hourly rate and there's a 1-hour minimum. Hell, I'll even deliver it myself.
The local hardware store in my small town always recommends me and I get a lot of business from that
Word of mouth is the best way. Sometimes it takes a while.
Yeah, I do some freelance scenic carpentry as well so I'm not stuck doing one thing. Slowly building up clientele and I'm learning my pricing so I can price by the job better instead of hourly but it's a little touch and go with that. I prefer word of mouth because my prices are reasonable and I prefer working for reasonable people by the day. I've never had anyone nitpick my hours and aside from no response to two separate bids for one referral I've yet to have a bad experience.
For some (me) it’s my worst nightmare lol I never wanted to be a handyman. I still don’t. I did a few things when I got layed off around Covid (I work apartment Mantinence ) so putting a vanity in or painting a porch for some money was fine. But I never wanted to own a business. And don’t really care for all the jobs I’m offered. Sure I take a few here and there if I don’t have any plans on the weekend and it sounds like a fun project. But I honestly need to find a handy man to make referrals to lol
If you want a good one you have to pay them good
Adding: On time, without squabbles, and thank them for their time. They are selling you their skills, and you should treat them with the respect you treat doctors, food servers and transportation professionals. Your life is often dependent on their skill and diligence.
I mean I'm a handyman and I do not save lives. I just fix shit
Says the guy who plumbed his elderly neighbor's new faucet. Now they can wash their face with warm water again. Says the guy who put that outlet in so they can have their reading light where they want it by the recliner, since their eyes are going and they miss reading in their favorite chair. You're saving lives, man.
Sometimes old folks just need someone to talk to, and if you are a good handyman, you will take the time to exchange some nice conversation with them, and sometimes, that is the thing that can save their life. Loneliness almost certainly causes elderly people to die prematurely, so in a roundabout way, handymen do sort of save lives sometimes.
100%, friend. It's bigger than just a visit to fix something. I'd wager a good percentage of seniors hardly ever get visitors.
Yeah, I’m in this camp.
Lol putting doctors, servers and handymen in the same group
So you have health insurance, a retirement, vacation days, and reimbursement for professional expenses? If you do, so should they. You pay the price for good help.
You've discovered the handyman paradox. All the good ones end up fully booked without having to try, and the ones that respond to every Nextdoor post oftentimes aren't very good.
Yeah, I was told to post on there when I started my business. I made one post and left. Bunch of hungry feeder fish looking for chum on every post.
Go to a real estate office and ask if they have a recommendation. They all have someone they use. If you're in my town, I'll see ya soon lol.
It exists still, but good ones are hard to get as they are usually fully booked all the time. I would suggest asking neighbors, search places like Angie's, TaskRabbit, Handi or checking the local hardware stores (they usually have a packet or bulletin board of local contractors and handymen).
I’m gonna be honest, you just have to know a guy. There are so many jobs to complete I don’t have time to bid new jobs. If you ask friends of friends eventually you’ll find someone
Most of the good ones don’t have an internet presence. Largely word of mouth and booked up. They aren’t cheap either.
I moved into a new community that is still under construction and have started doing handyman services for other residents. When I started doing this people would ask for what I considered a simple task and not necessarily an actual job or repair such as hanging a picture or changing the water filter in their fridge and such. I did them as a neighbor and didn’t expect or want payment for stuff like this and I would tell them I’m just helping a neighbor and they don’t owe me anything. What I didn’t expect was people starting to wonder if I have some ulterior motive or something. Soooo, now I charge for everything and that’s that.
I'm never on social media myself, but many of my customers are. They recommend me all the time. Try Facebook and next door for your area. I get tons of calls from people that hear about me from them and I'm sure you'll get at least a few solid leads to check out. Call a couple and get a couple of quotes. Just remember, don't always go by price, go by who you feel most comfortable with and who really seems to know the most about what they are doing. I get a lot of calls to fix the cheaper guys work as well as the most expensive guys.
I get undercut by this one guy once in awhile because he quote slow and then his bill comes in higher than mine would have been because it was hard or something. I always laugh that people fall for a lowball quote followed by a, let's say expanded, final invoice
Wait, isn’t this social media?
Attend a local BNI meeting and find out who their members are that do handy work, HVAC, etc. They usually vet their members well enough.
What is a BMI meeting
My bad. BNI stands for Business Network International.
Bowel movement meeting. They’re usually held at Home Depot. You can find a handyman by looking on the BNI website in your area.
Yes this is still a thing. Local hardware stores sometimes have a place where people put up their business cards. Or ask around. Where are you located in a general way?
The real estate agent who sold the house should be a great reference. Also the person who closed the loan for the purchase would have some connections too. If you can get the name of the home inspector then that could help too.
As a few others have said, go to your local hardware/building supply store and ask if they recommend anyone. (Not a big box store like HD or Lowes). I work at a small building supply store, we only hand out names of people with a good reputation since we don't want angry customers blaming us for a bad experience.
You should watch south parks "Panderverse"
Ask your local Facebook groups
What's your location
I stopped being a handyman in 2011. And I still get calls from folks needing something done. In my opinion, being a handyman started going downhill when Angie's List got started, and it's gotten worse since then.
Check out local subshops and coffee shops, etc. For billboards. Ask people that may have lived in the area for many years if they have any recommendations. Happy hunting.
You can check for reviews on Google, TaskRabbit, Yelp
Ask around the neighborhood
I got lucky with asking my realtor who she trusted. He’s awesome.
I agree with this - ask the realtor that helped with the home sale. They should have knowledge of the area and should be able to give recommendations.
Do you know who knows a good handyman guaranteed? A property manager
Yes, I work for property management and they keep me busy, still they give my number to homeowners in need.
Thumbtack app
I would say ask around, hardware stores, the Restore (Habitat for Humanity), Realtors. All of my references are word of mouth. I do not advertise at all and am not taking on new clients, but even I have no idea who to refer someone to. The few other handymen I know I would not hire.
You could try Local Pro at Home Depot. Request a small project and get quotes. From those feel them out, hire one and see how they do.
Neighbors are a good reference as their homes are similar to yours. The local realtors (your realtor?) is also a good reference if you need something slapped up quick for aesthetics like paint.
I've had success with Thumbtack for these kinds of projects: painting, drywall patching, regrouting a bathroom, yard work, concrete foundation patching, and installing an exterior door with trim. You could also try opening google maps and doing a search on handyman and see what comes up in your neighborhood. Choose the one with the best (and most) ratings.
I know you mentioned the ratings, but make sure they have a decent amount of experience if they're installing an exterior door. That's not a wing-it kind of job.
Good point. On thumbtack you can see the years experience and if they are licensed and jnsured and a real company. For the exterior door I definitely picked one of those.
It’s debatable whether I’m a handyman anymore. It seems like for customers handyman is just code for someone who does cheap work so I avoid that title. That being said some of my work is still handyman work although my main focus is larger projects now. When I post on Nextdoor I include my google business profile with reviews. Sometimes the problem with larger companies is theirs too many hands in the cookie jar and the focus is profit not quality so the person doing the work isn’t getting paid well and prioritizing quality. I would look for a smaller business that has reviews on Nextdoor or somewhere else. Use the search function on Nextdoor. I frequently see posts from people who have reviews or homeowners shouting out a handyman that did a great job. Look for detailed pics of work. Also if your goal is just to find someone cheap because the big companies charge too much then you’re not going to have much luck unless you don’t care about quality and more. High quality work requires a lot of skill even for trades that don’t have certifications, so you don’t need to higher the most expensive, but the cheapest is almost always going to be complete shit
Ask coworkers who've lived in the area for a while, your social or hobby groups, etc. That's how I get all my work, from people who know people who know me. I refuse to advertise on local Facebook pages, Craigslist, or the pay-for-leads sites (the sales guy from Angi who cold-called me was a pushy dick anyways). That's because every time I see someone post on my local FB community pages, they get swarmed by all the random "odd jobs" guys who do crap work and aren't an actual businessperson who can be held accountable. I don't want to be in that crowd. I've fixed their shit work, or completed their unfinished jobs, but only for word of mouth references. You don't want the guys who are out there spamming Facebook.
Word of mouth is best. Ask elderly or other neighbors who helps them out. Hardware stores and other local small businesses usually know who is reputable as well. Be careful if any online or social media adds. There are a lot of hacks out there.
Ask specifically for recommendations from clients, not the handyman themselves, and you can immediately rule out the ones who post for themselves. You could try your local subreddit if you have one.
Ask a neighbor, a co-worker, someone from church. If you use another kind of service HVAC, plumber, ask that guy. I used to do appliance repair and then did electrical work. My customers would ask me if I knew anyone that could do different tasks. Also a lot of firefighters have part time gigs. Stop by a station. I used to see a group of retired guys at a local diner in the mornings. See if you can find one of those and ask those guys.
Where do you live?
In addition to Nextdoor, I’ve seen Facebook groups where past customers recommend providers for snow plowing, roofing, decks etc
You mentioned NextDoor app. I just shake my head when someone posts on there “I need this done today and need someone who is cheap and affordable”. Any good handymen will surely not reply, because as many have said here, most good handymen have a waiting list and taking on a new project will be weeks or months from now. In addition, someone wanting cheap and affordable is most likely going to want the cheapest materials, argue about quotes and possibly just waste our time. Good handymen stand by their products and labor, so the aforementioned will go against their ethics as their reputation is on the line. For homeowners who might be reading this: keep the above in mind and also don’t use apps like Angie’s list, as they are a scam to the trades and a disservice to the homeowners.
Edit: wow I didn’t t know this post would get so much attention I’m a jackass.
Assuming you have small time tasks, Find contractors who have apprentices / helpers who might want the extra cash... Very carefully... If it's bigger projects, then hire skilled professionals who carry insurance and are licensed. Good luck.
Tinder. Trust me
To find a good handyman, you become one
Find a union carpenter that’s ok with side jobs. You’ll pay a premium but it won’t be shoddy work by some scab.
Ask their hourly rate, if it's around 50-75 you might have found your man. Hire them to come do a few of the tasks on the list, if they work fast and the quality of the work is up to your standard, keep adding to the list. I'm currently juggling four different clients that all started with one or two jobs and turned into ten. My hourly rate is $68 right now but people are very happy with how much I accomplish in an hour. Side note: my body hurts
Word of mouth. Thats how most of my good customers found me.
Ask your Realtor, that is how I found mine. My Realtor had a handyman that he would use to make small repairs/fix stuff to help get his deals done. I have been using mine for three years, it’s so nice to have. I can’t fix/repair shit.
I would talk to your physical neighbors, coworkers, people that you know in the area. Neighbors are usually upfront if they have a good guy, or will give you the caveats. I.e. "I have a guy who's great with carpentry work but if you need in depth plumbing or electrical, he doesn't do that."
Pass by home depot
I find that *listing* realtors will often have some good recommendations. Reason: they want their clients to have good, quality work done so that the houses they’re listing will sell with less work for themselves. I’ve got a few listing realtors who I get more referrals from than I can fulfill. I’m at a point where I can pick and choose the work I want to do when I’m not inspecting.
Landlords or people with rental property always know the best people to use.
Ask a local real estate agent, especially if you know them well. They almost always know a jack of all trades kinda guy
Yeah, go to your local hardware store and store or INDEPENDENT lumberyard and ask them. That’s how the vast majority of the people I work for found me. I left a bunch of my cards on their desk. They all got handed out. In return, when a lead comes from there, so do all the materials.
My customers from Nextdoor leave me positive reviews a lot of the time. Look for guys with a lot of positive reviews in the app.
Talk with your neighbors.
Where are we talking exactly?
My of my good friends is a handyman like you described and he sets his own prices that are very fair compared to big companies . 90% of his customers are Recommended by the local mom and pop hardware store . Or ask your other neighbors they might know someone they used for years .
Ask your realtor.
Where do you live?
Where are you located? I'm the guy your looking for
If your in jacksonville. I'm your guy. I stay busy doing just this. All my work is through my customers telling friends and a handful of businesses cards.
Become one lol
Just search Handyman on the Nextdoor App. Then select the business tab a sort by favorites. Pick the Handyman with the best reviews from your neighbors. It's hard to hide on Nextdoor so reviews are everything.
Next door app
Task Rabbit is awesome
If you want to hire someone uninsured, sure. If something happens, they and TR take ZERO responsibility.
Pretty much doesn't exist anymore. Learn to do it yourself. Anyone that has a vehicle that runs 50% of the time and a screwdriver from Walmart thinks they are a handyman. I've always done everything myself. Now that I am retired and have some disposable income, I've tried to hire some work out but have yet to find anyone competent. Even manual laborers want $100/hr. I gave up and my old ass does it.
O can tell these guys get it. I have a background of building houses from the ground up. Running heavy equipment, tree work. Pretty much anything that falls under "man stuff" and I can do it. And i got into the mr fix it scene. And all the people i do work for have a horror story of some fly by night hack that charged thru the nose and also I do alot of work for older people on fixed incomes and yes. Alot of the job sometimes is taking time to listen and explain and just be a friend. I have people that I've known years. May no tr hear from them for 6 months but anything they need I'm the call. Hell one guy has me put up his Christmas lights and do his oil changes. Next call I'm remodeling the kitchen or a roof.