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Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale - December Newsletter

Greetings from the front office of Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale

Jon and I are excited to be launching our very own newsletter-a place to keep you informed, share some helpful home tips, and share updates from our team.  

Welcome to our little slice of the world.  If you are anything like us, you spend your days running; running to work, running for groceries, running to your kids’ school, sporting and service events, running to help your aging parents or your friendly elderly neighbor, and you don’t stop until you hit the bed at night.  We get it, we are right there with you.  The good news is that is where we come in.  We opened Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale in June of 2021, with the mission to bring quality home repair with exceptional customer service to the valley.  Jon comes with years of experience in customer service.  He is determined to transform the way you feel about home projects.  Together, we have three children who keep us running every day.  We wake up every morning with the goal of making sure that you know your home projects are in good hands.  From the first phone call to the follow-up after your project is complete you will be met with a friendly, knowledgeable team member who will take the reins and allow you the freedom to keep running.  

We have added a new member to the family!  Our team of qualified, skilled, and experienced technicians has grown.  Our team of technicians comes with varying skills and expertise; our office staff will send the best suited technician to care for your home projects.  Each technician is an invaluable member of our team allowing us to serve our valued customers.

Together with you, we’ve love to give back to our Active-Duty US military members and Veterans.  We will be joining Packages from Home to help deliver care packages to the men, women and military K9 dogs that have so bravely served for our country.  If you feel moved to donate, our technicians will gladly accept your donations of food, hygiene, or entertainment for our military service members.

From the entire team at Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale, thank you for being here, thank you for trusting us, we are committed to you, our valued customer.  

Your neighbors,

Jon & Michelle Tranter

Greetings from the front office of Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale
Photo of Jon and Michelle Tranter, owners of Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale.
Service You Can Trust!

Let us know how we can help you today.

Little Fixes, Big Impact: Professional Drywall and Paint Touch Ups That Transform Your Scottsdale Home

Everyone has some small home projects, and no project is too small. That tiny nail hole from last year's holiday decorations, the scuffed corner where the moving box scraped the wall, the paint chip near the front door that catches your eye every time you walk by. They're minor imperfections, but they can have a big impact on the overall appearance of your home. Worse yet, they can affect its value.

Many homeowners dismiss minor issues or might even attempt their own quick DIY fixes. We’ve all seen the disasters that can come from that approach. But hiring a professional for drywall and paint touch-ups can transform spaces in ways that can surprise even the handiest amateurs.

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Little Fixes, Big Impact: Professional Drywall and Paint Touch Ups That Transform Your Scottsdale Home
Cartoon image of a handyman holding a spatula and paint roller with text Little Fixes, Big Impact at the top.

Make A Difference Today by Supporting Packages from Home

Together, we can bring comfort and care to active-duty U.S. military members stationed or deployed overseas (including military working dogs and K9 teams), as well as homeless, transitioning, and at-risk veterans. Your donations of requested food, hygiene, and entertainment items provide more than supplies — they deliver hope, boost morale, and improve quality of life.

Our technicians will gladly pick up your donations from your home or business and deliver them to a local Packages from Home drop site. Call us on 602-613-0868 or use this form to schedule a pick-up — and help us show our heroes they are never forgotten.

Make A Difference Today by Supporting Packages from Home
Packages from home logo.

DIY Disasters: Hilarious True Tales of Home Improvement Gone Horribly (and Hysterically) Wrong

Cartoon image of a homeowner backed against a wall with home improvement disasters around him.There is something deeply satisfying about fixing things around the house. Whether it’s building a bookshelf, repainting the living room, or installing a new light fixture, DIY home improvement is an empowering experience that fills us with pride and a sense of accomplishment … Until things go sideways, that is. For every one successful weekend warrior story, there’s easily at least five that end in duct tape, water damage, bandages, anti-inflammatories, a first-aid kit that needs restocking, and someone muttering, “YouTube made it look so easy!” or “That’s the last time – and this time I mean it!”

In honor of the brave souls who have risked their sanity (and sometimes even their homes and bodies) in the name of do-it-yourself improvement, here are some real-life funny DIY disasters that remind us all why tools come with instructions and why home improvement professionals exist.

1. The Ceiling Fan Missile Mistake

A father, known in the family for his “I’ve got this” attitude, decided to replace an old ceiling fan in the living room. He watched half of a YouTube tutorial, then grabbed his toolbox from the garage. With some elbow grease and a heavy dose of illogical confidence, he installed the shiny new fan.

Everything looked great, so he flipped the switch. The fan spun for a glorious five seconds before detaching from the ceiling and flying across the room like a buzzsaw from an action movie. It came to rest by embedding itself in the wall.

What went wrong with the ceiling fan, you ask? He had screwed the fan directly into the ceiling drywall without anchoring it to a ceiling joist. The only thing holding it in place had been blind optimism and two screws designed for picture frames.

2. Has Anyone Seen Shrek Lately?

A loving and lovely husband wanted to surprise his wife while she was on a weekend trip, so he set out to repaint their bedroom a calming sage green. What could be more thoughtful and romantic than painting the bedroom, right? He ran to the hardware store and grabbed a discount can of green paint. Since time was of the essence, he didn’t want to waste any with ‘needless’ things like color samples … or painter’s tape and drop cloths.

What could possibly go wrong with skipping the planning and prep before painting? Well, as it turns out, two major things. First, without any paint prep, he got the green-hued paint on the ceiling, floor, outlets, light switch, and the terribly unimpressed family cat. Second, and somehow worse, the paint dried several shades darker than expected, so the bedroom gave off a decidedly more "military tank" than "peaceful forest” vibe. 

When the man’s wife returned, she took one look at the room and interrogated him about the murder of Shrek in their bedroom. That sage green went from calming to calamity. 

3. Bathroom Tsunami Was Not on Their Bingo Card

A couple decided to remodel their bathroom. The wife was on demolition duty, which meant taking a hammer and some hidden aggression to the old shower tiles. She was in full HGTV demo-day mode when suddenly, a geyser of water exploded from the wall.

What was behind the bathroom tiles? As bad luck would have it, the copper pipe that fed the shower was just behind the tile she obliterated. Water blasted the room like a firehose while the wife screamed for her husband, who was sprinting around the house looking for the main shutoff valve – something they had never needed to find before that fateful day.

Unsurprisingly, a plumber was called, and we’re sure the words “please hurry”, “flood”, and “holy $#!*” were part of the conversation while trying to explain the situation at hand. The longest twenty minutes in history and one copper pipe tsunami later, the plumber made $600. The memory? Priceless (unlike the plumber). The wall? Probably still under repair. The lesson for us all? If you don’t know where the main water shutoff valve is, go find it right now. We’ll wait.

4. TAVALANCHE!!! Can Tiles Just Slide Down The Wall?

Inspired by the beautiful examples on Instagram, a homeowner bought trendy hexagonal tiles to create a backsplash in her kitchen. Armed with pre-mixed adhesive, a trowel, and zero prior experience or knowledge of tile work, she went to work.

The project seemed to go fine, so the woman retired for the night pleased with herself and loving her newfound confidence in home improvement; then, the next morning dawned. Overnight, gravity had won the fight that the homeowner didn’t even realize she was fighting. There were no tile spacers used and the adhesive was not allowed to set properly, so all the tiles had slid down the wall and collapsed in a heap on the countertop.

Her partner dubbed the incident a tile avalanche. 

Home improvement DIY projects can be a blast, but sometimes they are a total disaster. Most of us have likely been halfway into a project with a growing suspicion that we should’ve just called someone professional. We’d like to leave you with a few quick takeaways:

  • If it involves plumbing or electrical, consider phoning a pro.
  • Buy the painter’s tape and use it - just do it. And while you’re at the store buying the tape, pick up some paint samples. There are maybe 2 scenarios in existence that warrant an emergency painting of walls.
  • Don’t paint the cat. 
  • The right tools matter more than you'd think, and a pro with the right experience brings the right tools.  
  • Know where your main water shutoff valve is BEFORE you start demo day. When we come to help you with your home improvement project, we’ll find it and show you where it is.

We hope you enjoyed reading about these DIY disasters. Remember, we are happy to help with projects – just give us a call! In our next newsletter, we’ll share a few more hilarious true tales of home improvement gone horribly (and hysterically) wrong. Until then, stay safe out there, DIYers!

"They're affordable, compatible, and get the job right the first time."

- Ron Evans

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Are you trying to cross everything off your home “to-do” list or starting a new home improvement project? 

Rather than hiring several different contractors, give Mr. Handyman® of Scottsdale a call. Our skilled Scottsdale handyman team can complete all your tasks.

Just call our friendly, local customer service team to schedule your service at a time that works best for you!

602-551-7605

Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale is your trusted local source for professional maintenance and repair services. We employ only skilled, experienced, and reputable craftsmen who can handle nearly any handyman task with precision and care.