10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Drywall Repairman in Ann Arbor

Many homeowners tend to think of drywall damage like unsightly holes as purely a cosmetic issue that doesn't really affect their home. However, drywall performs some important functions, and even small holes leave your house vulnerable to more serious issues such as pest infestations and moisture damage. It can also make your home uncomfortable and cost you big time on your utility bill by allowing warm or cool air to escape inside the walls.

When your walls or ceilings suffer from problems like cracks, holes, scuffs, water damage, peeling or bubbling tape, or ripped facing paper, it needs professional repair or replacement. You don't want just anyone working on your home—you need to know that your drywall repairman will be thorough and capable of providing quality workmanship along with extraordinary customer service.

Our team at My Handyman of Ann Arbor, Saline, and Chelsea created this guide for the top 10 questions you should ask before you commit to hiring a drywall repairman in Ann Arbor, so that you’re informed and prepared for seeking help with damaged areas of your home.

How to Find Drywall Repair Near Me

Before we get to the questions, you need to have someone to ask about drywall repair. Ann Arbor has several options, but if you don't already have a short list of candidates, here are a couple of tips to help narrow down the search:

Ask for referrals from family, friends, and neighbors. Most homeowners need drywall services at some point, and they can give you their recommendations based on their own experiences. You may even be able to see the results of work in their homes so you can judge for yourself if it's up to your standards.
See what residents of Ann Arbor and nearby areas such as Saline and Chelsea are saying in online reviews. Most people write reviews when they've had either a wonderful or a terrible experience, so online reviews can be a helpful tool. The best way to determine if they're genuine and honest is to look for consensus across multiple reviews.

What to Ask Before Hiring a Drywall Repairman

Now that you've narrowed down your list to a couple prospective drywall repair companies, the best thing you can do is pick up the phone and give them a call. Grab a pen and paper and jot down some notes on their answers so you can compare. If a company is honest and has confidence in the skill of their employees, they should be pleased to provide complete answers to these questions, so don't hesitate to ask!

1. How Long Have You Been in Business?

A company that has only been in business a short time isn't necessarily bad, but the more experience they have with administrative tasks such as scheduling and billing, the better. If they've only been in business for a few weeks or months, it's also a red flag indicating that they may be a scam company.

2. How Much Experience Do You Have with Drywall Repair?

As we all know, practice makes perfect. Repairmen with experience in drywall will have the ability to get the job done right the first time and find creative repair solutions. At My Handyman of Ann Arbor, Saline, and Chelsea, our service professionals each have decades of experience in repair trades and have completed dozens of drywall repair jobs.

3. Can You Show Me Photos of Your Completed Work?

If a repairman is proud of the work they've done in the past, they'll have the snapshots to prove it. When it comes to drywall repair, a picture is worth far more than a thousand words.

4. What Is the Tentative Timeline for This Project?

It's good to get a basic estimate of how long your repair may take so you can factor in an approximate cost for labor, but keep in mind that they can only give you an educated guess over the phone and will need to see the damage in person to give an accurate timeline. Also, remember that a faster completion time isn't always better.

5. Who is Responsible for Moving Furniture?

Some repairmen are willing and able to move furniture out of the way of damaged walls, and others don't include that in their services. Either way, you should know what the expectation is so you can be prepared when they arrive.

6. Can You Find and Repair the Source of the Damage?

This is where hiring a handyman, instead of a narrowly focused drywall repair contractor, can really pay off. You might know exactly what created your damage, but some causes are less obvious, like humid air in a poorly ventilated room. A skilled handyman can track the problem to its source and eliminate it for good, so you aren't dealing with damaged drywall again in a few months.

7. Will You Take Care of Refinishing the Wall?

You don't want to deal with the hassle of hiring another company to handle painting services after your drywall projects are complete. My Handyman will take care of painting and leave your new walls with a perfect finish.

8. Will You Clean Up Before You Leave?

Someone has to clean up after the repair work is done—ideally, it's not you. At My Handyman, our service pros always clean up after themselves and leave your home in better condition than they found it.

9. Are You Licensed and Insured?

It's important to make sure that the person you hire has all applicable municipal and state licensing so you can rest assured that they have the necessary training and will adhere to all building codes. It's equally important to find out if the company insures their repairmen with general liability and worker's compensation. All employees at My Handyman are fully licensed and insured.

10. Do You Guarantee Your Work?

Finally, you want to hire someone who is confident in the quality of their work and stands behind it with a guarantee. That's what the Done Right Promise is all about—if the job's not done right, we'll make it right!