Best Handyman: Nashville Scene Readers' Poll

We were both happy and a little surprised to see Results Handyman Service at the top of the rankings late last week when we picked up a copy of The Nashville Scene. That issue features their 2012 Best of Nashville awards for various categories. Scene readers voted us #1 in the Best Handyman category.

We are honored to be voted Best Handyman. We know that many our wonderful clients took the time and effort to cast a ballot where they had to vote in 20 or more categories. We know without a doubt that our clients are the best in Nashville and we are glad that many of them believe that we are the best in town as well. We attribute much of our success to the drive for excellence exhibited by our great staff. To both our fabulous clients and to our team, we extend a huge Thank You!

We were initially a bit surprised to be at the top of the rankings, mainly because we are a relatively young company (this is our 4th year in business) and we compete against some companies who have been operating in Nashville for decades. Upon further review, perhaps we shouldn't be that surprised to be selected Best Handyman in Nashville. Our ONLY focus in on residential handyman jobs in the Nashville, TN area. We can therefore respond quickly and effectively to the home repair needs of our clients. Some of our competitors offer handyman services, yet it is clear that their main emphasis is on designing and building homes, while others run commercial plumbing and HVAC crews.

If you need a new house, we can refer you to one of Nashville's best builders. If you need a handyman, call us to discuss any mix of issues. We can handle almost any home repair and improvement scenario. Our prices are competitive and our service, quality, and professionalism are second to none.

Bill Boyd

P.S. Click here to see results of 2012 Nashville Scene's Readers' Poll:
Best of Nashville 2012

Fall Forward - Part 2: Winter Proofing your Home

Hope everyone enjoyed the official start of Fall. The recent cool nights (and the Christmas decorations some local stores already have on display!) remind us that Winter is on the way. Now, is a great time to think about ways to weatherproof your home. Investing a little money now will make your home more comfortable when old man Winter comes knocking and can also save lots of money on your heating bills.

Last week, we were helping one of our clients in an older home come up with an action plan for winter. One of the first things we noticed was that that their upper window sashes had slid down and inch or so, instead of staying up where they were designed to be. This was an easy fix for our handyman, and while there, he sealed a few gaps around window frames with caulking and replaced the cracked weatherstripping around their doors. He also inspected their basement and applied fresh mortar to a couple of small cracks.

Finally, he took a look in their attic and found that they had adequate R-30 insulation in most areas. However, he did see a spot that had no insulation at all. It was in an area that we believe had previously been under a roof leak, as there was a 5 gallon bucket in the middle of the area that had no insulation. Since our client had just gotten a new roof, our handyman simply added some new insulation to that spot. Further, since our client didn't want that bucket, we added it to our growing collection of things in our shop that we might need one day. Buckets are one thing, but I don't think we will ever find a home for that 19" Zenith television, circa 1985, that yours truly couldn't give away and didn't want to throw in the dumpster.

Did you know that household fires are more common in the winter? Fall is the perfect time for replacing batteries in all of your fire alarms.

Bill Boyd

Fall Forward - Part 1: Painting and Gutters

As our company embarked on an early morning gutter repair project a few days ago, I wondered if I should have worn a jacket. The cool crisp air reminded me that Fall is quickly approaching. Schools are back in session, football is a frequent topic of conversation around Nashville, and it won't be long until the leaves change from green to shades of yellow, orange, and red. Thinking of these bright colors reminds me that the mild weather we are now experiencing is a perfect time to do exterior painting. And when those leaves start falling, many of them will end up in your gutters.

In Tennessee, exterior house paint has to stand up to extreme conditions, from snowy winter days to spring showers to 100+ degree heat and the bright summer sun. If it's been a few years since your house was last painted, or if you aren't sure when your house was last painted, you may be taking a chance by postponing repainting. Paint that is peeling or wearing off will quickly allow wood rot to begin, and other materials can suffer when paint comes off. Wait another season or two and you may have to replace wood trim or make other repairs in addition to investing in a new paint job. With sufficient prep work and high quality paint applied by professionals, a quality exterior paint job can last for several years, lowering your maintenance costs and saving you money in the long run. Painting is also one of the best ways to upgrade your home's curb appeal. Now, while we are enjoying lots of clear mild days, is a great time to do exterior painting in our area.

We would be glad to come out and take a look at the condition of the paint on your home. While there with a ladder, we can also quickly check the condition of your gutters and downspouts. At the home we repaired on that recent chilly morning, in just a couple of hours, we re-secured several of their gutter sections and reattached gutter extensions with rivets. These inexpensive repairs, along with a simple gutter cleaning in a few weeks, will go a long way in protecting our client's biggest investment.

Watch for our next post on roofing and some other items that may need attention before Winter.

Don't Forget: Estimates are Free. Neglect is Expensive.

Bill Boyd

Pricing - Part 4: Get Peace of Mind

Get Peace of Mind with our Fixed Pricing

As we say on our website, the question about pricing that we hear the most is: "You contractors are supposed to be professionals. Why don't you know what a job will cost ahead of time?"

That is a great question, and we have structured our company so that we can properly respond to it. We will offer a fixed price bid on almost any home repair job. Our fixed price proposal will include both labor and all materials. It will also include a detailed description of the work to be done and the precise costs for doing it.

Upon approval of pricing, a time will be scheduled for work to begin. On the day that work is to begin, our people will be on time. They will follow the agreed upon schedule and they will clean up after themselves. 

When your project has been completed, we will invoice you and you will be given payment options: Cash, check or all major credit cards. We do add a 3% charge for taking a credit card, but that is what we pay for providing that service and we do not want to penalize our clients who pay using cash or checks.

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This post concludes our series on pricing. We hope it has been helpful to you. We look forward to your comments.  If you have any questions, please email us: info@resultshandyman.com or call us at 615.891.7334.

Bill Boyd

Pricing - Part 3: "Time and Materials" Billing

Some handyman companies prefer to operate using "time and materials" billing. With this method of billing, the client is billed by the hour for labor. It also means that the client pays for a mark-up in addition to the materials used on the job. This can be a fair way to operate. In order to be fair for the client, you should know the exact rates and mark-ups. Some good questions to ask: What is the standard hourly rate for labor? Is the handyman 'on the clock' when driving to my job and when driving to buy materials? Is there a different (higher) overtime rate, and if so, when does this overtime rate apply? What are the mark-ups on materials, on dump fees, on permit fees, etc.? If a subcontractor (e.g. electrician or plumber) is involved with my project, what is the mark-up?

Again, "time and materials" billing can be fair. This is especially true when you are dealing with a contractor you trust. This trust is important because you need to be certain that all time on your job, and all materials used, are tracked accurately and honestly. You have better things to do than auditing material receipts and standing there with a stopwatch while a handyman is working in your home.

You may be wondering why "time and materials" billing exists. A lot of contractors prefer it because it because it ensures that they are being paid for anything that happens. Did the handyman forget a tool or some material? Did he cut a board incorrectly? Did he start painting with the wrong color? With "time and materials" billing, you are agreeing to pay for their mistakes and for their extra trips to the workshop and/or the home improvement store.

With this type of billing, you may also be billed for "water cooler" talk time if more than one man is on your job. More than a few handymen we have met through the years are pros at both carpentry and story telling. Further, we have been told of a handyman at a local company who routinely buys more material than is needed for a job. The client pays for all the material, along with a robust mark-up, only to have the rogue handyman take the 'leftover' materials for his personal use.

If you like this post, please take a look at our other posts on pricing. Next week, we will describe a simpler pricing method that many of our clients prefer.

Bill Boyd

Pricing - Part 2: Our Overhead is Lower, So Our Clients Save

On our website, we state that prices fluctuate widely among contractors. Then, we offer several reasons why this is the case. We can't and don't want to match the rock bottom prices of fly by night contractors, those who are unlicensed and operate without liability insurance, or the guy in a truck who needs a big deposit before he says he will be able to schedule your job.

However, we gladly proclaim that our prices are lower than those of our legitimate competitors. One of the main reasons we beat them on price is that our overhead is lower than theirs. On average, our prices are 25% lower than theirs.

Some of our competitors outfit their handymen with brand new trucks and vans. The owners and managers of these companies typically work in fancy offices, furnished with artwork, mahogany desks and ergonomic leather chairs. They also have a bunch of office people to pay each week, including salesmen (sometimes called client account managers), executive assistants and office managers. It's a good bet that their office people stay happy and alert, thanks to their gourmet single serve coffeemakers & iced beverage machines.

At Results Handyman Service, our work vehicles are clean and reliable, but we buy them used and keep them maintained. Our company is both led and managed by the owners. We have no other office staff. We don't rent office space or pay a mortgage on a building. We operate out of an inexpensive warehouse with a small area set aside for a couple of vintage desks and a phone. The clerk at the local convenience store operates 'our' coffee machine. He knows we will be by early and that we like it black.

Because we are so diligent at keeping our overhead costs low, we are able to provide top quality home repairs at very reasonable prices. It's no surprise that we have a growing list of satisfied clients.

Bill Boyd

Pricing - Part 1: Cheap Things are Seldom Good

Steve and I have spend a good deal of time this winter discussing pricing. We are aware that too many companies in our industry take advantage of homeowners who don't have the facts on pricing. We want people to know more about this topic so they can protect themselves and recognize real value.

Below is something that caught my attention recently was a notice from the Nashville Police Department. It reminded me of something that my grandfather used to say: "Good things are seldom cheap and cheap things are seldom good".

East Precinct - Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
ATTENTION: Recently, across the city, there has been an upswing in an old scam. Someone unknown to you knocks on your door, offering roofing, driveway repair, or other service. Usually, the victim receives worthless service or none. If not already relieved of their money, the victim is threatened to pay up. Therefore, be wary of unsolicited offers that are too good to be true. Check credentials and verify employment claims and affiliations.

For years, we have been telling people to be on the lookout for unlicensed and uninsured contractors. Whether someone knocks on your door or not, you should be aware that people who offer very low prices are most likely not going to deliver a quality service to you. So, what would a homeowner encounter from the guy who offers a very low quote? First it is likely that the guy offering a rock bottom isn’t licensed as a contractor in the state of Tennessee. You can check for yourself at http://verify.tn.gov/

It is also common for low cost contractors to operate without liability insurance or bonding. As a homeowner, you need to be aware that if you hire a contractor who is unlicensed and uninsured, you are taking on a significant risk. If that contractor damages your property, your homeowners insurance is not required to pay for the damage. This could make you responsible for a catastrophic loss.

Sadly, a good number of these low cost guys have substance abuse issues and therefore may need cash quickly. They may quote a price, ask a homeowner for a deposit and then proceed to get drunk or high. As an example, someone approached me and asked for a job last year. When I questioned him about his previous employment, he told me his former boss had terminated him because he was “too spaced out”. Steve and I saw him a few weeks later in a convenience store near our shop. As we were in line with our morning coffee, we noticed the "spaced out" guy purchasing a big can of Red Bull and an even bigger can of beer. I said hello and he seemed proud to mention that he hadn’t slept the night before AND was on his way to do “some electrical work”. We wouldn’t be shocked to learn that his career as an electrician was a short one!

We hope you can avoid all the spaced out "electricians" and other "cheap" contractors in our area this week. We look forward to sharing more about Pricing with you very soon.

Bill Boyd