Procedure
DETAILED PROCEDURE FROM THE TIME A JOB IS BOOKED BY THE OFFICE UP TO THE TIME OUR TECHNICIAN COMPLETES THE JOB
SERVICE AREA & ZIPS COVERED BY MR. HANDYMAN
Our Company Name is "Mr. Handyman." There is a Mr. before Handyman. Our full name is Mr. Handyman of Fairfax and E. Loudoun County in Virginia, commonly known as "Mr. Handyman" and we are a franchisee. Our "Service Area" (Map & Zips) can be clicked on the right. When you call Mr. Handyman, first we will note down your name, address and phone number to be sure you're in our service area.
EMPLOYEES ARE INSURED, BONDED AND HAVE WORKER COMP. CLASS A CONTRACTORS LICENSE IN VA.
For your protection, Mr. Handyman has a VA Class A Contractors License. We are fully insured and bonded. For your safety, all of our Technicians have gone through extensive criminal background checks and drug testing. If the Technician gets injured during the job they are covered under our own Workers Compensation policy. There will be no need to make a claim on your (homeowner’s) policy.
CHARGES ARE BY TIME AND MATERIAL
RESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL: We work on the TIME AND MATERIAL Model. That means, we charge for the Time the Tech works and Materials are extra. Under the T & M Model, we can start the work without any delay, of course, depending upon Tech availability. For T & M Model, we will collect payment at the end of each work day. Repeat customers can get 10% OFF on Labor after downloading a coupon under Specials.
Fixed Dollar Amount Quote: As a Special case, if your jobs are two or more days of work, then we can arrange to give you a Fixed Dollar Amount Quote (simply a QUOTE), for a nominal Quote Fee of $50. Even this $50 is given back to you, if you hire us for the work. And, when the Tech comes and gives the QUOTE, and if you like the QUOTE, then the office will Email or Fax a Fixed Dollar Amount Agreement to you. As per the Agreement you will be required to give 1/2 or 1/3 amount of the QUOTE as an Advance to the Tech when he comes later to begin the work. The materials are procured only after the Advance has been collected. The $50 Estimate Fee is also refunded.
TIME AND MATERIAL MODEL: When you call in, we note down all your projects and assess the amount of time it would take to do the work. From the time estimate, you get an idea about the total labor cost and can add a rough material price to the estimate. That way you get an idea about the total cost. You may want to compare this total price with estimates given by others. Comparing just the hourly rate will be misleading. (Some of the suggested jobs that you may add to use up the full two-hour minimum are: Blinds, Bathroom Caulking, Some Dry Wall Repair, Towel Rack/Curtain Rod/Toilet Paper Holder Installation, Touch Up Painting, Gutter Cleaning, Filter Change, Hang Pictures/Mirrors or Screen Repair.) To accommodate smaller jobs (1-hour minimum): Contact the office, as it may be possible to schedule based on Tech availability.
ARRIVAL TIME OPTIONS, A) Morning 8 AM or B) Flexible 11 – 2 PM (in winter) & 11 - 3 PM (in summer)
When you call our office we will schedule the work date that is convenient for you. We have two appointment timings for the day:
- A) We can reserve a morning fixed arrival time of 8:00am.
- B) The next Tech arrival timing is afternoon between 11 to 3pm and we call it Flexible Arrival Timing. If you are generally at home and do choose this second flexible afternoon arrival, we can certainly give you a call (on your cell or home), about 1/2 hour prior, just when the Technician is on the way to your house after completing his earlier job.
C) Your booked time, A) or B), is what we call First Available. It is helpful to get you an earlier appointment, if your job is booked too far in advance. The office can call you if an earlier opening becomes available. If the new schedule suits you then the office will move your appointment up. If not, your original appointment stays. However, you need to tell the office at the time of the booking that you want to be placed with the First Available schedule.
EMAIL ADDRESS, WORK ORDER DETAILS AND PAY BY CHECK.
When we schedule your appointment, we will also note your email address. We use your email address to send you an email confirmation for the job booked. We collect the payment at the end of the job on daily basis preferably by a check. To track our marketing expense, we also ask "How did you hear about us?"
BETTER TIME ESTIMATE BY THE TECH.
When the Tech arrives and knocks, he will note his arrival time. He'll take 5 to 10 minutes or so and go over the list of your projects. He'll write down his own better estimate. In the end, however, you will be charged for the actual time the Tech would have worked. You will be requested to sign to authorize him to start the work. You may give him additional work even after you sign. Our Service Checklist contains the list of the odd jobs that we do. Also, we encourage you to read the Work Agreement on the Invoice. The Tech checkmarks jobs completed in real time, on the Invoice. That lets you know the progress of the entire work order. If any project takes more time than the Tech first assessed, he will/should keep you informed of the reasons. Sometimes, some jobs pose unexpected repair problems while some other jobs are a breeze. That is why you are charged for the actual time spent by the Tech and not his estimated time or the time the office scheduled it for. In the case you are not at home and the Tech is working unsupervised, just let the office know and you will be kept informed about the progress of the work, about every three hours via email with photos. That way you are kept informed especially for large jobs or in the case of Landlord/Tenant relationships where the Landlord may be hundreds of miles away. For jobs lasting two or more days, the Tech will keep track of jobs through use of the “Long Jobs Form” and you can add jobs, or delete or change your jobs as they go.
ON-SITE ESTIMATE.
Mr. Handyman specializes in jobs from two hours to few days. Techs like to finish all small jobs on the first day of the service itself. For larger jobs, you have these options:
1) We do suggest that you first "try us out" for the two hour minimum. After doing the two hour work, the Tech can take a look at the larger jobs/projects and give you a FREE T & M estimate. That way you would have assessed our Tech’s pace and quality of work.
2) After he has given you his estimate, you may decide and tell the Tech to continue with the estimated projects.
3) If your jobs are for more than two days, we can give you a Fixed Dollar Amount Quote for $50 payment. This $50 is refunded to you when the work is awarded to us in 20 days.
4) Or discuss your projects with the office 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM and office will advise the best possible way to handle the estimate.
VAN STOCKS & PURCHASED MATERIALS.
Materials used are of two types - Van Stock & Purchased Materials. Van Stock means general materials that the Technician carries on his van, like caulk, screws, nails, drywall mud, tape, thin-set for tiles etc. Obviously he can't carry the entire Lowe's inventory on his van. The Tech will charge a nominal amount with mark-up for the Van Stock items used. The more stock that is used, the more the charges will be. Van Stock saves the Tech a trip to the marketplace to buy those items. If there are additional materials needed for the job that the Technician does not already have on his van, we refer those items as Purchased Materials. You can purchase the materials or the Tech can go and get them. After he makes a list of the needed materials, the Tech can go to purchase the materials. He goes to the nearest home center and picks them up. He will be on the clock when he goes to the store, so that would add time to the final invoice. He will also apply a % mark-up to those materials on a sliding scale from 60% to 100%. The mark-up depends on the cost of the materials. The mark-up charged also covers the royalties paid to the franchisor. If the van is used to bring in your materials or for any other use, then Van Use Fee of $15 is also charged. Technician's expertise comes in handy if he picks up the materials. It's fine with us if you would like to buy the materials. The Tech will let you know what materials are needed. He will start working on another part of the project while you go to the store to get the needed materials. Or, you can have the needed materials available beforehand, ready for the Tech when he arrives. If you get the materials, you save on Tech time as well as mark-up. Most customers let the Tech to do the buying. That way, the materials bought are absolutely correct and backed by our one-year warranty policy.
HEAVY & LONGER LADDER POLICIES.
If the Technician needs a 40' extension ladder or a 16' A-frame ladder, he'll need help from a second Tech. Those ladders are very large and heavy. OHSA requires that two people handle it. If you have a job where the handyman needs help from another Tech using the ladder, then you will be paying for the second Tech for the actual time worked. It starts with a one hour minimum and then 15-minute increments. There is no ladder rental or charge for the 32' or 40' extension and 16' A-frame ladders. Some jobs do need a very heavy 60' extension ladder that requires three Technicians, as per OSHA, to handle it. For use of a 60' ladder, a fee of $100 is charged on the Invoice and you pay for three Techs for time worked.
100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE!
You need to go through all the completed jobs while the Tech is still working at your home and see that the jobs are done to your satisfaction. After finishing all your jobs, the Tech will request you to sign the invoice at the top, whereby you will be acknowledging that the work was done properly and to your satisfaction. Even after your signature, you still have our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Yet, we do request you to check the work before signing. If an issue arises within one-year relating to the workmanship, please give the office a call. We will come back and re-do it, with no additional labor charge to you. Material cost and the Service Charge will apply. However, we do not guarantee water leaks of any kind, as mentioned on the Invoice Work Agreement. Read more about it in “Customer Q and A." So, do check those water leak jobs (roof leaks repaired, window leaks repaired, new plumbing fixture installed, etc) for the next two or three days. If a leak does re-develop, please call us to do more work against payment.
CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE.
Please read your yellow copy of the Invoice and consider Tech Recommendations near the bottom-left, discussed and written by the Tech. If another visit by the Technician is needed, for example DAY 2 of the dry wall or DAY 2 of the tile job, or you decide to get additional jobs done as per the Tech Recommendations, please call the office to schedule it. However, it is best to get it scheduled while the Tech is still working and is about to finish the job that day.
48-HOUR CANCELLATION POLICY.
Once your appointment is scheduled, we do have a 48-hour cancellation policy. The office operates Monday through Friday 8 AM - 6 PM. If you do need to cancel your appointment, please call the office during business hours, at least 48 hours before your appointment. If you cancel within the 48 hours, there is a first hour charge of $158. Example, if you have a Monday appointment, you would need to call us by 6 PM on Thursday to avoid the one-hour charge.
EXPERIENCE THE HASSLE-FREE REPAIR SERVICE. SUM UP.
If you want to experience hassle-free repair service, from start to finish, with 100% satisfaction guarantee, then try us. After the first visit, when you feel comfortable with our service and the T & M Model, we are sure your next appointment will be hassle-free. All you have to do is email or call with your:
1) Projects or the To-do list
2) Date the service is desired
3) Morning Fixed or Afternoon Flexible Arrival Time and
4) Just your guess work for the approximate hours that you want us to send the Tech for. Then the ball is in our court to organize and confirm the appointment for you.
SOME VERY USEFUL POLICIES IN YOUR FAVOR.
* We never collect a down payment (except for a Fixed Dollar Amount Agreement).
* We also have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee!
* We have completed thousands of customer projects since May 2005, mostly on the Time & Material Model. Many projects were for more than two days and all of our customers are fully satisfied. That is why we have Customer Satisfaction Rating of 99%.
* You too will become one of our 70% repeat customers.
* Our attention to detail, whether in customer service or the Tech’s work, sets us apart from the rest. Mr. Handyman has one priority, to keep you fully satisfied.
* We stand for: On Time, Done Right, Professional, Safe and Reliable.
* When you call, please do give us your daytime phone number, preferably a cell phone if you are away from home during the day.
Click here to print our services checklist