THE MOST RELIABLE HANDYMAN SERVICE IN NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA

Prepare your home for the changing weather conditions with these helpful seasonal articles:

• Home Tips for Preparing Your Home for the Spring
• Home Tips for Preparing Your Home for the Summer
• Home Tips for Preparing Your Home for the Fall
• Home Tips for Preparing Your Home for the Winter

10 Home Improvement Tips from JackAllTrades!

1. Drawers that stick will slide easily when you apply soap or candle wax on the runners at the bottom of the drawers.
2. Rubbing soap or wax on screws will make them easier to screw in.
3. Sandpaper lasts longer and works better when the paper backing is slightly moistened before wrapping it around a block of wood.
4. For squeaky doors, spray the hinges with cooking spray.
5. When you are knocking in small nails, place the nail between the teeth of a comb.
6. To remove paint from your skin use olive oil instead of turpentine. Besides moistening your skin, the olive oil softens the paint, making it easier to remove.
7. To eliminate scratches in wood tables or chairs, use a combination of a half-cup of vegetable oil and one cup of lemon juice. You'll also get a beautiful shine!
8. Cutting rubber is much easier if you dip your scissors in water first.
9. To tighten loose screws, remove the screws and stick a toothpick or kitchen match into the hole and break it off. Put the screw back in.
10. Make paint odor disappear by leaving a container of vanilla open overnight. One teaspoon of vanilla per gallon of paint.

How to Choose A Handyman Service

Many consumers are unaware that anyone offering handyman services is (according to the New Jersey Contractors' Registration Act of 2004) "considered a home improvement contractor." It's mandatory for a contractor to be licensed by the Office of the Attorney General. The Contractors' Registration Act states that; "A home improvement is any remodeling, altering, painting, repairing, renovating, restoring, moving, demolishing, or modernizing of a structure used as a place of residence, or of any portion to the property on which the structure is located"

"Home improvement includes the construction, installation, replacement, improvement, or repair of driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools, terraces, patios, landscaping, porches, windows, doors, cabinets, kitchens, bathrooms, garages, basements, and basement waterproofing, fire protection devices, security protection devices, central heating and air conditioning equipment, water softeners, heaters, and purifiers, solar heating or water systems, insulation installation, aluminum siding, wall-to-wall carpeting or attached or inlaid floor coverings, and other changes, repairs, or improvements made to a residential property." The act makes no exceptions for companies or individuals who have been in operation for years. The act says, "There is no provision for grandfathering."

The act is also very specific about any person who does home improvement work "on the side." It states that "The Contractors' Registration Act applies to any person, corporation, partnership or association engaging in the business of making or selling home improvement - regardless of whether the home improvements are done on a full-time basis, or part-time basis." In order to be licensed by the Attorney Generals Office, one must have a minimum of $500,000 insurance, be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Affairs, and not have a criminal background. Make sure that you see a written copy of the handyman's license and written proof of his/their up to date insurance policy.

So be most careful not to hire a handyman who works out of his truck and "on the side." It's not a good idea to hire a handyman service that's part of a franchise. Franchisees rarely know anything about construction and because they pay royalties to the franchiser, will be more expensive than traditional handyman services. Be cautious about written "estimates" or "proposals." Estimates and proposals are, after all, approximations. The handyman service can come back to you as the job progresses for a higher price. You need a guaranteed price in writing.

It's best to hire a service which allows you to supply materials so there won't be a huge mark up of said material. You can either pick up the material yourself, have it delivered, or pay a fee to have the handyman pick it up. Any of these choices will be much cheaper than having the service supply the material. Typically fair terms of a contract are: 1/3 upon singing of the contract, 1/3 on the start of the work, and 1/3 upon completion. Make sure that the service employs "completion certificates" - written documents that you have to sign at the end of your job to state that you are satisfied with the work. In addition, reliable services also insist on speaking to their customers upon completion of a job, so no unscrupulous worker can forge a signature. Never deal with services who insist on cash transactions. If the service is not paying its taxes, what other illegitimate acts is it guilty of?

Make sure that you can understand the handyman when he speaks. If you cannot communicate with someone who's working in/on your home, you're asking for trouble and stress. Be certain that when you phone the services' office during normal business hours, a live person answers the phone. Services who have only an answering machine most likely are a single fellow working out of his truck or even part-time. If that handyman should get sick you'll have to wait until he's well for him to finish your job.

It's a good idea to choose a service that has a website describing the kinds of projects they do, several testimonial letters, and before and after photographs of work they have done. Be careful that the service is really a handyman service and not a home improvement contractor who's going to try and sell you larger jobs. A legitimate handyman service will recommend that you start off with a one or two day job so that you can test their work and reliability. Unreliable services try to sell you as much work as they can all at once.

Whatever you do, don't have you brother in law, or nephew, or uncle do your jobs for obvious reasons!

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