Stephen Houpis has been in the handyman business since 1993, when he started Hire A Husband Handyman Services in Santa Fa, NM. Upon arriving here in Asheville in 2001, he continued to provide handyman services. He has been running Hire A Husband Handyman Services successfully here in Asheville ever since and consequently has established a solid reputation in the community which is based on many referrals and returning clients. What sets him apart from the “other guys” is that Stephen will return your calls, show up for appointments and do high quality work, to your satisfaction. While Stephen Houpis is on your property you are insured for up to one million dollars. There is 1 employee. Uses subs for electrical & plumbing. Charges an hourly rate of $40. Travel charges may apply. Many references available.
Business highlights
32 years of trusted experience
Services we offer
Carpentry. Painting. Tile. Electrical. Plumbing. Fixtures. Small Remodels. Water Filtration.
contractors, drywall, plumbing, remodeling, home remodeling, interior painters
+ 4 more
This is the first review I've ever completed online. I feel it is necessary because the work was so poor and the service so unprofessional. Stephen agreed to undertake work on our project for $40 per hour. Approximately three weeks later (one week prior to our previously agreed and scheduled start date), he said that his rate was going to be $50, not the $40 that we agreed upon. I told him that he should have mentioned this when he accepted the work and that changing this seemed like an extortion ploy as I had no time to secure another contractor. He wouldn't budge on the price and I was stuck. In retrospect, I should have known the character of this man I was dealing with upon that interchange and told him "no thanks." I made the mistake of keeping him on the job and have regretted it ever since. His work quality was very poor. In our initial discussions, he assured me that he was very meticulous with his work and that he would ensure high quality work. He did not. After doing some simple kitchen plumbing that was well-below par, leaked and damaged the kitchen cabinet, I fired him and told him that he would not be paid for work that I had to have someone else come and fix. He said that I didn't "recognize the difficulty" that he had putting everything together and that he would like a chance to correct his work. I told him that the work was so poor that I no longer wanted him working at my property and was deducting the cost of the sub par work from his final invoice. If you don't care about high quality, Stephen is the contractor for you.
Description of Work: Needed to have some general work done on a condo renovation. Painting, trim work, minor plumbing and basic carpentry
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
1.0
value
1.0
professionalism
1.0
responsiveness
3.0
punctuality
2.0
$1,500
Response from Hire a Husband Handyman Services
The quality of my professionalism ( I show up on time, return phone calls and I'm insured for $1 million dollars of liability coverage ) and my work is always in the best interest of the client, whenever possible. I have an outstanding reputation in this city. Sometimes the on site conditions and personality differences, will dictate otherwise, as is the case with the [Member Name Removed]'s condo. In a phone conversation with Mr [Member Name Removed], I informed him that the kitchen sink drain plumbing was NOT leaking when I left the job, as witnessed by his wife. I ran lots of water thru to make sure, as always. Something occurred over night. Could happen to anyone. I said it could be something as simple as a loose fitting, and that I would gladly fix it. I stand by my work, always. I have been in business for over thirty years and have never run into a situation like this? On the one hand Ms [Member Name Removed] was very complimentary about my work. I had trimmed out a mirror in the master bath, that she said was done well. When in conversation with Mr [Member Name Removed], he admitted that he should give me a chance to correct the plumbing issue, as is the usual case in these matters. By then though, I reconsidered and decided that I didn't want work for them anymore, considering how they were handling the discrepancy. I remain steadfast in my conduct. The rate increase went into effect with ALL my new clients, as were the McGraths. I wish them the very best with their sale of the condo.
Melanie W.
10/2015
5.0
handyman service, interior painters
+ 0 more
Stephen is always prepared and always arrives when planned - Does very good work, that is more than professional is quality.
Description of Work: Painting repair of tire, rebuilding steps, removing curtain rods, building handicap ramp, repair of door, etc.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,000
Hermann G.
02/2012
5.0
house painters
+ -1 more
Both men always gave me notice about their expected arrival, were always on time, and finished each item of the operation in the time period they suggested to me. Both were highly professional, easy to work with, prompt, courteous, and most importantly, VERY thorough. The power washing included the application of an anti-bacterial/fungal wash solution. The sealant was applied with a sprayer, and care was taken to protect anything in the way of spray being blown away from the siding surfaces. For example, they wrapped the heat-pump carefully, etc. Material costs ran slightly higher than they had estimated and I was quite happy to pay the added cost when I saw how well the job had done. I feel both men were completely trustworthy, would not hesitate to recommend them to any one, and would hire them in the future.
Description of Work: Stephen Houpis of "Hire a Husband" and Tony Godwin applied sealer to my cedar-sided home. I offered the contract to them after attempting to secure 3 estimates. Only two contractors responded, and the bid differed a lot, Hire a Husband's bid being about 45% less than the higher bidder. I have seen such high variation among bids when getting estimates for installing a gas range and associated piping--it would seem that professionals should be able to estimate costs and profit better than that. I went with the low bidder and have not been disappointed in the least. The job began with a thorough power-washing of the entire siding and the two smallish porches. The application of the sealer required that all windows, doors, garage-doors be protected by plastic and sealed off from the sealant spray, and other, minor preparation and required a subsequent "clean-up" i.e., removing all plastic sheeting, re-installing some fixtures, etc. The operation was weather sensitive and we had to wait for an appropriately sunny and warm (more the 50 deg F series of days to allow the washing to dry, the sealer to be applied and dry) and it took a while to get the right combination. Once that happened everything went relatively fast. The house looks beautiful, though I instructed them not to worry about detailing every item, as I wanted protection more than uniform finish. It had been 6 or 8 years since I did the job myself previously, and there was some weathering.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,600
Carolyn R.
05/2011
3.0
handyman service
+ -1 more
Planning was poor, execution on some things was fine, on other's poor and will need to be redone. Made 5 trips to Lowe's to return items and get the right stuff.
Description of Work: several small jobs like shelving
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
3.0
value
2.0
professionalism
3.0
responsiveness
3.0
punctuality
4.0
$200
BARBARA E.
03/2009
5.0
handyman service
+ -1 more
Stephen is very knowledgeable. He is efficient, very honest and trustworthy. I let him have the key to my home. I had no issues with that. He is a perfectionist. He is careful and qualified. He explains everything very well. Just a really good guy. When you call him he gets right back to you. He communicates each situation as it arises.
Description of Work: I have hired him to redue a closet, re-cauk a tub, ceiling work, refinishing my deck. His name is Stephen Houpis.
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our State Contractor License Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.
Service Categories
Handyman Services,
Interior Painting,
Exterior Painting,
Kitchen and Bath Remodeling,
General Remodeling,
Plumbing,
Drywall,
Unfinished Carpentry,
Ceiling Fans,
Finished Carpentry and Woodworking,
Mailbox Repair,
Pressure Washing
FAQ
Hire a Husband Handyman Services is currently rated 4 overall out of 5.
Monday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Hire a Husband Handyman Services accepts the following forms of payment: Check
Yes, Hire a Husband Handyman Services offers free project estimates.
No, Hire a Husband Handyman Services does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Hire a Husband Handyman Services does not offer a senior discount.
No, Hire a Husband Handyman Services does not offer emergency services.
No, Hire a Husband Handyman Services does not offer warranties.
Hire a Husband Handyman Services offers the following services: Carpentry. Painting. Tile. Electrical. Plumbing. Fixtures. Small Remodels. Water Filtration.