Looking for a Handyman in Knoxville? Here's What to Ask Before Hiring

When your home needs repairs, maintenance, and improvement projects, finding a reliable handyman service to take care of your property can be stressful. You need someone competent and experienced (of course) but you also want to know that they'll provide excellent customer service and respect your time.

The best way to ensure that you find the best handyman in Knoxville is to ask the right questions before you seal the deal. We'll cover the top seven questions you should ask, and why it's so important to get that information.

Want to skip straight to the part where you get a top-notch handyman at your door? Rely on Mr. Handyman of West Knoxville for your home improvements, maintenance, and repairs. With more than a decade in business and a focus on customer satisfaction, our team has the skills and experience to get the job done right, efficiently and courteously.

7 Questions to Ask Your Potential Handyman Company

When you've done some research and found a couple potential companies that might be good for the project you have in mind, give them a call and ask these questions. Any business that takes pride in the services they offer should be happy to provide complete answers, so don't hesitate to ask.

1. Do You Do This Type of Project?

Not all professional handymen provide the same services, so the first thing you need to know is whether they are willing and able to tackle the type of work you have in mind for your home. If it's something complex, like a bathroom remodel, make sure to clearly explain what you want to have done—for example, if you need fixtures relocated, that's a bigger job than simply adding some new tile.

You may be able to find out what services they offer on the company's website—Mr. Handyman has a list of our wide range of local services online—but it's also a good idea to ask because the list may not be exhaustive. If they don't do the work you need, it doesn't hurt to ask them if they have any recommendations for a company that does, since they likely work with a lot of home service providers.

2. How Long Have You Been in Business?

A company that has only been in business for a short time isn't necessarily bad. After all, they can still hire experienced and competent employees. However, a company that is well established and has been operating for at least several years is more likely to have a proven track record of quality work. They are also more practiced at administrative procedures like scheduling and billing, which can make those processes smoother for you. Finally, if a handyman services company has only been around for a few weeks or months, that's a potential red flag that it may be a scam designed to take your money without providing the promised service.

3. How Much Experience Do You Have With This Project?

Next, find out how experienced the handyman or team of technicians is with the particular type of work you want done. Obviously, the more experience they have, the better—this is skilled work and skill comes with practice, so if they've only done it a couple of times or not at all, you don't want your home to be an experiment or learning tool for them.

In all fairness, recognize that if you're requesting highly specialized or uncommon projects, you might not be able to find a handyman who has done that exact work too often. That's fine: ask about experience with similar types of work that has some elements in common with your project to get a sense of their competency.

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

As the old saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words." It's great if a handyman can speak knowledgeably about a job, but photos of their work are concrete evidence that they can really pull it off, and they should be proud to provide that evidence. You can see photos of Mr. Handyman's work on our West Knoxville gallery page.

5. How Long Do You Estimate the Project Will Take?

Ask for a rough estimate of how long the project will take from start to finish. Your handyman will likely charge by the hour, so this will give you a sense of what to budget for labor costs. It'll also help you figure out how big of a disruption the project will cause in your home.

Remember that while a company may be able to give you an educated guess over the phone, they'll almost certainly need to have one of their handymen visit your home and see the circumstances in person before they can realistically tell you how long it's going to take.

6. Are You Licensed and Insured?

This is one of the most crucial questions you can ask. There are certain state and federal regulations that handymen must meet to be licensed, so you can rest assured that they have the training and continuing education necessary to do a good job and meet all applicable building codes.

It's also very important for the company to fully insure their employees with general liability and workers' compensation. That way, in the unlikely event that something is damaged or someone is injured, you won't be on the hook to cover the costs. Our handymen are always licensed and fully insured to give you peace of mind.

7. Is Your Workmanship Guaranteed?

What happens if the work isn't completed to your satisfaction? If a company is confident in the skill of their employees and the quality of their parts, they should provide a guarantee that the work will be done correctly—or if it's not, it'll be fixed at no cost to you. That's what the Neighborly Done Right Promise is all about: if it's not done right, we'll make it right.

Mr. Handyman is The Best Choice for a Local Handyman in Knoxville!

When you're inviting someone to do work on your most expensive possession—your home—you need to feel comfortable and secure in the knowledge that you've made the right decision. Mr. Handyman of West Knoxville has the expertise and passion to help transform your home into your ideal living space.

Give us a call today, or request service online, and ask us every one of the questions above. We're certain our work will meet or exceed your expectations!