Handyman charges

[dragonwalker]

I became a first time homeowner about 1.5 years ago. I've been fortunate and I have not needed to hire a handyman to fix anything. I have two fairly minor issues, a non functional electrical outlet and a drain stopper in a bedroom that doesn't work when you pull it.

A handyman my realtor provided disappeared after contacting him. I found another one that a number of people on Nextdoor neighbor recommended.

I spoke to the guy and he seems fine although he spent a bit of time explaining how he was formerly a licensed this or that and good and how his rates will be going from $60 to $70/hour next year and how he wants to do things properly. I explained the issue and I asked about how long it would take and he didn't give any specific time and I suggested 1 hour. He then said he would need to get supplies from Home Depot. I informed him I was hoping it might be simple enough to fix without additional supplies to which he said he does not carry any "inventory" so a run to Home Depot is required. Is that normal for a pretty straight forward repair like this? I'm thinking this is going to drag to at least 2 hours and beginning to think it might be worth doing it myself. My concern though is the electrical outlet and messing with that with 0 experience in that. Just wanted to get some perspective to make sure all this is normal as far as costs and how this works since I've not needed to hire a handyman before.


Curiously, there was some dry wall work I also needed done and when I sent him a photo of the work it included the top plumbing of my water heater which he noted "problems" and referred a plumber and said he couldn't do the drywall patch up because it involves plumbing. I called the plumber and he confirmed the plumbing isn't setup isn't ideal but is safe. I then reached out to another dry wall specialist person.

[YttriumNitrate]

I became a first time homeowner about 1.5 years ago. I've been fortunate and I have not needed to hire a handyman to fix anything. I have two fairly minor issues, a non functional electrical outlet and a drain stopper in a bedroom that doesn't work when you pull it. ... I explained the issue and I asked about how long it would take and he didn't give any specific time and I suggested 1 hour. He then said he would need to get supplies from Home Depot. I informed him I was hoping it might be simple enough to fix without additional supplies to which he said he does not carry any "inventory" so a run to Home Depot is required.

Well, for the outlet issue my guess is that he'll probably just end up replacing the outlet. It's an inexpensive part and a simple fix, but he needs to know which one to get. Checking on the website, my local Menards has over 50 kinds of 15A outlets, and you might need a 20A one rather than a 15A.

For the drain stopper, he might need to replace the sink drain (https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/plumbing-installation-repair/bathroom-sink-drains/plumb-works-reg-pop-up-bathroom-sink-drain/501pw9875bn/p-1563517869943-c-9417.htm?tid=1113258317824983137&ipos=2), or it might be just an issue of reconnecting something.

[SunnyDays]

I found a handyman on our local online news site who just does it as a hobby in retirement for $20 an hour.  When my guy is told what the problem is, he brings the applicable tools, but then still might need to run out for parts/supplies.  I watch him while he works and have learned a few things, so feel a little more confident tackling small things on my own.

For your electrical issue, it could just be a loose wire, so if you shut off the power to that receptacle, you could just just check that each wire is attached and tighten the connections.  If that doesn't work, then they may be mismatched with where they're supposed to go, so shuffle them around and try again.  It could also be a breaker issue, but if that's the only outlet that doesn't work, it's not likely, unless it runs on it's own circuit.

For the drain stopper, assuming it's a sink, just check underneath to see if the pull up is attached to the stopper.  Sometimes they just come loose from use and need tightening again.  It it's in a tub, it could just be clogged with hair, so either remove the stopper and unclog or pour Draino/Liquid Plumber in.

In other words, try to do some troubleshooting yourself and play around a bit with small things like that before resorting to paying someone.
The price quote you've received is high to me, but maybe I just got lucky.  Do you have any handy friends or neighbours that will come take a look?  Maybe you have some skills that you can barter with.

[dragonwalker]

Regarding the electrical outlet,  oddly the outlet has 2 plugs and only 1 of them isn't working. I made sure it wasn't triggered by a switch so not sure if something else is causing it. The stopper issue as I recall the entire stopper is loose and can be pulled out of the sink so not sure if that is a bit of a different repair.

[nedwin]

Dragon - as a homeowner youtube is your friend for all simple home maintenance/repairs. Sink drain stoppers are pretty simple, it can likely be fixed with a pair of pliers only, or even no tools. If people in your household have long hair cleaning off the innards of drain stoppers will be a regular maintenance item.  Tubs are different, but again youtube is your friend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbCGWzy386I

As for the handyman charges, they seem appropriate.

[iluvzbeach]

Our handyman’s current rate is $75/hour. We try to do work ourselves but when it’s outside our area of expertise, or work my DH doesn’t want to do, that’s what we pay. It may or may not involve a trip to the hardware store, but we never know until the guy looks at the work we need. It’s part of the costs of homeownership unless you can do it all DIY.

[GilesMM]

...

For your electrical issue, it could just be a loose wire, so if you shut off the power to that receptacle, you could just just check that each wire is attached and tighten the connections.  If that doesn't work, then they may be mismatched with where they're supposed to go, so shuffle them around and try again.  It could also be a breaker issue, but if that's the only outlet that doesn't work, it's not likely, unless it runs on it's own circuit.
...

Recommending someone with no apparent aptitude nor appetite for electrical work to open up receptacles and start shuffling around connections is a recipe for potential disaster.  This is how people/pets get electrocuted, wires scorched and sometimes property damaged or in flames.  If you're not sure, get a handyman or a professional.  Be clear on what your handyman is qualified and willing to do when it comes to sensitive work which must adhere to national/state/local safety codes, like electrical and plumbing.

My advice is to invest in a simple outlet tester (link below) and test all your outlets.  Review any notes from previous work or inspectors (including home purchase inspection).  Make a prioritized list of electrical needs. Find a highly recommended local electrician (Yelp is a good resource) and have them come sort your issues properly.  You will probably pay in the neighborhood of $150/hour but they are professional and efficient.  They can test and fix a lot of stuff in two hours.  They typically have all the equipment they need in their truck. 

I have had four electricians my house in the last year plus the one with the solar install company and the local electric utility guru to swap the meter and poke around in their massive service panel in my garage.  Two guys were not very experienced but tested things and gave what advice they could, most of which proved helpful.  One declined to charge since didn't actually fix anything. My favorite is in his 60s and knows everything inside and out plus carries a ton of stuff in his van.  He helped diagnose faulty circuits, bad wiring in outlets and rewired part of a circuit breaker system.  Another young guy is super smart and was able to troubleshoot an extremely complicated relay blown in the ceiling on a low-voltage control system.  Both he and the older guy know how to use diagnostic tools to determine what is wired how and where.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QW7K1JJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

[lthenderson]

I think your handyman's rate is fair and I wouldn't expect them to have an inventory of anything other than maybe some basic supplies like tools, tape, glue, etc. As someone mentioned above, you can literally find hundreds of different outlets or drain assembly styles and it wouldn't be practical or economical to stock even one of each.

Also, most simply look at the rate as dollars per an hour of work and the value of the materials used to fix the problem. Many don't consider the cost of fuel, insurance, vehicle maintenance and depreciation, perhaps a secretary to answer phones or an office that needs heated and electrified, etc. All those things that the homeowner never sees still cost money to provide the handyman service.

[sonofsven]

Honestly, your handyman sounds like an unlicensed contractor. In my state contractors are required to be licensed and hold a bond and insurance.