Handyman

When you buy a home, it’s an incredible feeling. Whether it’s your first house or one of many you have owned there are always going to be challenges, unforeseen repairs, and renovations that will come up. It’s estimated that the average American homeowner spends between 1% and 2% of their homes value per year just to maintain the home and do basic repairs. That percentage will rise significantly if you should decide to remodel or do heavier construction tasks

Most homeowners become ‘do it yourself’ experts simply out of necessity. The reason being that most handymen and contractors charge the same amount per hour, regardless of the work being done. So something simple like changing out the screens in your windows could cost the same per hour as complex electrical work. But even if you can do something yourself, there is also great value in hiring a professional depending on the skill level involved in the job. The various factors and questions that go into deciding what you can do yourself and what should be hired out is precisely what we are going to talk about below.

1) Will the job affect my safety?

DIY jobs are generally going to be small and non-life threatening. If you are considering tackling something bigger you should begin with asking yourself what the worst-case scenario would be if you do it incorrectly. If the answer is something that could harm you and your family, then you should seriously consider hiring the task out before continuing.

2) Does the job require a permit?

The requirement of a permit should be a red flag on any DIY project. A building permit is a simple document that insures any construction activities were done correctly and the resulting building or renovation will be up to code. If you are confident you can complete the task and have the necessary skills to do it safely, then you can easily apply for a permit with the city. It’s important to note that if you should push forward with a job without first obtaining a permit you are putting yourself at risk down the road for possible fines or even difficulty selling the house.

3) Do you know the scope of the job?

Writing down the scope or the tasks required to complete the job before you begin will help you to visualize the process from start to finish. This will also be a good chance for you to tie in inspiration and solidify what you would like the final product to look like. From there just break down your costs for building materials, tools and how much time it will take to complete. Once the scope is finished it will help you to decide whether or not to continue on your own or to hire the job out.

4) Are you prepared to commit the time?

Most homeowners are ‘weekend warriors’ who work on house projects in the off-time between their jobs and family. One of the most important factors to consider is whether or not you will have the time to complete a DIY job. In some cases, a job that would take you weeks, could take a handyman for a couple of days. If you take the time to lay out the scope of the job, we discussed above it will give you a good idea of how much time you will need to set aside.

Whether you chose to do the job yourself or if you chose to hire a local handyman to help you with your projects, know what you are getting into either way. At The Handyman Company, we have years of experience that can help you navigate through any home construction project. Give us a call and we can give you an honest estimate and a helpful outlook.

For most parts of the country, hurricanes are not something people think about on a regular basis. But for residents of the East Coast and around the Gulf of Mexico the mention of hurricanes brings back painful memories of huge storms that ravaged their homes. Hurricane season officially takes place from June to November every year, with the peak of storm activity happening somewhere between August and October. Unfortunately, even though hurricanes and other extreme weather are becoming more common, people still do remarkably little to prepare their homes and family for a natural disaster. This post will hopefully give you some valuable tips and insight on how to prepare your home for a hurricane.

1) Reinforce the Garage Door

The garage has the largest door in your entire home.  Although it may seem solid, during a hurricane, garage doors have a tendency to fold in on themselves and collapse. Once the garage door has collapsed it will give the hurricane-force winds the foothold they need to enter your home and possibly rip the roof off.

To reinforce your home’s garage door the best option would be to install a double garage door, which has been shown to hold up to extreme winds and impact damage. Those can be expensive though, so a more cost-effective option would be to purchase a wind brace kit. A wind brace kit will give you all the tools and supplies you need to add vertical metal bars to the more susceptible parts of your garage door.

2) Install Roof Clips

In some Southern states or other high-risk areas, roofers will take preventive measures against hurricanes when they install your roof and put in roof clips. These metal clips that roofers install are also referred to as ties or hurricane straps. The purpose of roof clips is to increase the strength of the roof where it ties into the walls of your home. The goal is that the more points of contact there are hold your roof in place, the less likely it is to be torn completely off. A roof clip kit can be purchased from your local home improvement store or ordered online. It would also be beneficial for you to perform regular roof inspections to make sure nothing is damaged or out of place before a storm.

3) Protect Your Windows

Before a storm, you will often see homeowners taping their windows. While some may assume this protects the glass from high winds, it actually doesn’t. Tape does, however, help to keep the glass in larger more manageable pieces when it does break. The best budget solution will always be sheets of plywood laid over the windows and then secured with clips. Plywood will protect the glass from impacts and most wind. If you want a more permanent solution, then we suggest purchasing hurricane shutters or impact shutters. These specially designed shutters will offer the ultimate protection from the high winds and flying debris associated with hurricanes.

If you are unsure about where to start with your hurricane preparations or simply need a second opinion, contact the Handyman Company today! One of our helpful team members will supply you with all of the information you need to prepare for hurricane season.