I cannot find a reliable handyman who does good work

[We're Metals]

This is more of a rant than a question but where are you guys finding local handymen these days? I have some cabinets for a media center I need installed, slight drywall and electrical work. I set up dates with referred handymen by friends and neighbors and they don't show up or have other excuses. Does everybody have so much work these days?
I had a guy a few years back do some flooring. He was good and reliable but now is too old and isn't taking new work.

How are you guys finding handymen/ contractors?

 

[Pablo]

This is more of a rant than a question but where are you guys finding local handymen these days? I have some cabinets for a media center I need installed, slight drywall and electrical work. I set up dates with referred handymen by friends and neighbors and they don't show up or have other excuses. Does everybody have so much work these days?
I had a guy a few years back do some flooring. He was good and reliable but now is too old and isn't taking new work.

How are you guys finding handymen/ contractors?

Word of mouth only

DIY. I trust the guy but he’s kinda old

 

[SC Maintenance]

None of this is "these days". Contract workers have always marched to their own drum. Getting any contractor to show up has always been the issue - which is why a lot of people just go with the big general type contractors - make arrival their problem.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

This is more of a rant than a question but where are you guys finding local handymen these days? I have some cabinets for a media center I need installed, slight drywall and electrical work. I set up dates with referred handymen by friends and neighbors and they don't show up or have other excuses. Does everybody have so much work these days?
I had a guy a few years back do some flooring. He was good and reliable but now is too old and isn't taking new work.

How are you guys finding handymen/ contractors?

I had this problem a couple of years ago. Nobody wanted to do something relatively simple.

 

[Zee09]

Not showing up is good
They are telling you they are not qualified for that kind of work..

 

[bdcardinal]

We found a really good plumber by word of mouth. Whenever I have needed someone I ask him who he works with. He has never steered me wrong.

 

[crashz]

Word of mouth only

DIY. I trust the guy but he’s kinda old

Mine is a hack and completely under-qualified. But his price is good and he can usually be found hanging around the house anyway.

 

[CarlB]

My sentiment, "No one will care as much as you."

So you have to decide what you care about enough to contract vs DIY.

 

[doitmyself]

Mine is a hack and completely under-qualified. But his price is good and he can usually be found hanging around the house anyway.

Mine is beyond incredibly slow. He started gathering stuff (dishwasher, sink, countertops, flooring, etc.) three years ago to do a kitchen make over. He just had new cabinet doors delivered last week................wife is questioning the "before Christmas" tentative deadline. Sigh.

 

[opus1]

Mine is beyond incredibly slow. He started gathering stuff (dishwasher, sink, countertops, flooring, etc.) three years ago to do a kitchen make over. He just had new cabinet doors delivered last week................wife is questioning the "before Christmas" tentative deadline. Sigh.

Was a year specified or just "before Christmas?" Because if the job waits until January 2026, technically, that's "before Christmas" too.

 

[dfarr67]

Word of mouth only

DIY. I trust the guy but he’s kinda old

And no finger pointing.....

If I can justify the tools purchase I'll do it. Redoing a washroom with lots of tiling- I have a guy that does decent work, if I have to look at the work day in and out I'd rather have a good job rather than my own mediocre job.

 

[dfarr67]

Mine is beyond incredibly slow. He started gathering stuff (dishwasher, sink, countertops, flooring, etc.) three years ago to do a kitchen make over. He just had new cabinet doors delivered last week................wife is questioning the "before Christmas" tentative deadline. Sigh.

Don't understand that business model- in and out and get paid.

 

[Thebigm]

This is more of a rant than a question but where are you guys finding local handymen these days? I have some cabinets for a media center I need installed, slight drywall and electrical work. I set up dates with referred handymen by friends and neighbors and they don't show up or have other excuses. Does everybody have so much work these days?
I had a guy a few years back do some flooring. He was good and reliable but now is too old and isn't taking new work.

How are you guys finding handymen/ contractors?

Ok

 

[Ausfahrt]

There is a renaissance underway. The guy who has a college degree and sits in front of a computer all day is being replaced by AI. Your local handyman that you could hire for cheap fixes is a dinosaur. Tradesmen are going to be more costly going forward.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Yep. I been burned by the best of 'em.
I have a couple of guys who help me now. And I always pay them more than they ask for. Money well spent.

 

[supton]

Mine is beyond incredibly slow. He started gathering stuff (dishwasher, sink, countertops, flooring, etc.) three years ago to do a kitchen make over. He just had new cabinet doors delivered last week................wife is questioning the "before Christmas" tentative deadline. Sigh.

 

[Tdbo]

How are you guys finding handymen/ contractors?

Frankly, I'm having one H of a time.
I have been on the search for over a month for someone to do a laundry list of things, up to and including replacing some T-111 on my shed, and reroofing same shed.
I've backed down the list to the bare minimum items, as it is too late in the season to do especially the latter.
I started on Nextdoor, as I have had decent luck there before.
Had several morons claim that "They are eager to help, and they would like to talk."
Leave them messages, told them they could call or text (to try to make it convenient to the scheds.) No response.
Started a second ND thread, relaying my experiences with the first thread, and asking forum users if they could recommend someone.
Of course, out of the gate, obvious that he never even read the thread, was one of the morons that wouldn't return a call.
Called him out on the thread, he backed off, later he went back and deleted his responses.
Real crapweasel.
Presently, I have reached out in one of the local Facebook groups and have gotten a couple of names.
Called both and left messages. One of the two responded back.
He supposedly is coming over tonight between 5-6 to look at the job and give me a price.
We'll see how it goes.
I have picked up a couple of other names through other sources that I will follow up with if tonight's guy washes out.
It has been a PT job trying to find someone, and that is without addressing their skill level.

 

[JeffKeryk]

View attachment 307635

If my boss had to remind me, I was in deep yogurt. Seriously.

 

[We're Metals]

My sentiment, "No one will care as much as you."

So you have to decide what you care about enough to contract vs DIY.

True that. I am not the guy to provide a finished product and with trying to run 3 businesses, I just dont have the time. Otherwise I would do it myself.

 

[CarLuver]

how much do you guys think a handy mans hourly rate should be ?