HANDYMAN SERVICES: THE ANSWER FOR THE NOT SO HANDY HANDYMAN IN YOUR HOME
For a long time, I buried my head in the sand and ignored all the things around the house which needed fixing. Neither my husband nor I have much skill when it comes to maintaining our house (other than regular housework, of course). I knew I should find a handyman service but I didn’t want to spend the extra money.
I envied my friends whose husbands could double as a handyman…until one of them cut off two of his fingers. Now, I’m grateful I married a techie; the worst that can happen is he gets carpal tunnel. I was even more envious of my girlfriends who were handy themselves. Being so completely useless at this type of work, it always amazed me when they would fix or renovate something on their own…until one of them fell off a ladder and now deals with chronic back pain. I’m no longer worried about the cost of handyman services. In fact, after I actually looked into it, I realized most are actually very affordable and worth every penny, especially when the cost is your physical well-being or that of someone you love.
Do you remember Tim the Tool man Taylor from the popular 90s sitcom Home Improvement? Although Tim’s handyman character flaws were obviously exaggerated for comic effect, satire is always based in reality. We all know someone who thinks they’re really good at fixing things but then ends up doing more damage every time they go near a toolbox. Or, as commonly portrayed in the show, end up hurting themselves.
It’s great fodder for comedy writers but in reality, it’s no laughing matter. There’s a reason Handyman Services are considered professional services. Whether you’re looking to install or repair something, do some carpentry or major yard cleaning, or delve into plumbing or electrical work, you need specific skills and knowledge. There are also inherent risks in many of the activities involved in maintaining your home as they often involve climbing ladders, handling potentially dangerous tools or working with electricity.
Statistics from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program reported that in 2003, 29.6% of home renovation injuries were caused by power tools and close to 20% by tools without motors or engines (hammers, screwdrivers, knives, etc.). Many others were injured in falls. Most of these injuries could have been avoided if the injured party had the proper skills and protective gear.
Why take unnecessary chances? There are handyman services that can send you a professional handyman with specialized skills and the required workplace health and safety training to do the job safely and efficiently. I’m not saying that you need to call a handyman every time you need to change a light bulb. I’m just saying that you should carefully consider the work in question and not take unnecessary risks.
