Building a Deck? How to Choose a Good Handyman Service

Spring is here! Great weather, sunshine and the beauty of nature makes it the perfect time to build a deck so you can be outside and enjoy the open air more often. You could entertain guests or sit outside peacefully, listening to birds sing while enjoying a good breakfast. Actually, a deck is an ideal way to experience being outside before even having to change out of your pyjamas in the morning!

But if you’re like most people, you won’t be able to build one yourself. And luckily, you don’t need to; there are plenty of experienced handyman services in Knoxville willing to help you get the job done.

With a large project like building a deck, you’ll have to consider a few things before choosing a handyman service.

General Considerations When Choosing a Handyman

If you’ve never made use of a handyman service before, there are a few things you should know before hiring someone. You might also not be able to hire the same person for a large project like building a deck as you would normally use for small, odd jobs around the house. There are three kinds of handyman services out there.

Licensed Handyman Services

Licensed handyman services are usually quite easy to spot. They usually wear uniforms, drive in branded vehicles and have an impeccable sense of professionalism. These companies are usually quite large and your handyman will be an employee working for the handyman service most of the time.

Unlicensed Handyman Working Within the Law

While unlicensed handymen aren’t always bad, they usually aren’t able to take on very large projects. Using and unlicensed handyman can be great sometimes, but will require better discernment on your part because they might not be as reliable as licensed companies. However, for a project like building a deck, you probably wouldn’t be able to use an unlicensed handyman while staying within the boundaries of the law.

Unlicensed and Working Illegally

These are the shady characters you want to steer clear of. These fellows may charge you a small fortune before even starting the work and, although they’re likely to quote you the lowest price, you should be careful not to fall for the bait. Unfortunately, you’ll probably end up with shoddy work, or maybe even none at all, which will only end up costing you more.

Choosing a Handyman Service to Build Your Deck

Now that you know you’ll probably need a licensed handyman service to build your deck, how do you go about choosing the right one? In the end, it’s probably all up to you, but here are some things to consider.

Do They Have Carpenters?

Decks are usually made from wood, so it’s best to choose a Knoxville handyman service that have some carpenters to help you build your deck. While a Jack of all trades might also be able to get the job done, you’re deck is likely have a nicer finish and last longer before it needs to be repaired if it’s built by an actual carpenter.

Don’t Go Too Cheap

Everybody loves a good bargain, but when you’re choosing a handyman service, you should aim for quality work instead. While a really expensive quote doesn’t necessarily insure good work, a quote that is much lower than most should concern you. When someone quotes you much less, they’re probably going to compensate for the amount you pay less somewhere. You might end up with building materials that aren’t up to standard, resulting in a deck that has to be repaired much more regularly than most. A proper deck will require you to invest a sufficient amount of time and money to have it built.

Choose Someone You Like

It might not seem important, but you really should like the handyman service you choose. After all, these people are going to be at your house while your deck is being built, if you don’t like them, things could get a little strange for you. Talk to the handyman you’ll be working with and get an idea about whether he’s a good fit for your project. If you don’t feel like he considers what you want, choose someone else. You want someone who cares about what your vision is, and who’s willing to do what they can to make it work. A good handyman will tell you when your ideas aren’t feasible, but will still try to give you something you like.

Ask to See Photos

Your handyman service might not have photos of other decks they’ve worked on, but if they do, you’ll be able to get a great idea of what their work looks like. You could also visit websites Yelp, where you might be able to see some pictures and read reviews about the handyman service you want to hire.

Once you’ve chosen a handyman service, be sure to stay involved in the project. The goal isn’t to be overly fussy and complain about everything, but if you don’t keep an eye on what’s happening, the end product could end up looking different from what you initially wanted. If you simply weren’t present and never bothered to ask any questions, you’ll be the only one to blame. Don’t feel shy about asking questions, your handyman will probably understand that you’re interested in the work and would much prefer discussing what you want while work is being done than listening to complaints after work was done without your input guiding the project a little.