My Handy Mate LLC Improvement & Remodeling

From the start, workers were consistently late if they showed up at all the first week, didn't know what they were supposed to do and were not familiar with the project. They did not clean up or seal off areas effected by the work resulting in plaster covering the entire first floor of my home that I am still trying to clean up. When I asked about the timeline for the project and expressed concerns about the progress of the remodel, the owner, Jassen, would add an additional week onto the estimated time it would take to complete the job each time asked. We went from 7-10 days to 10-15 and then a quoted 15 day minimum on day 9 with no apparent completion date in sight and little progress so far. Jassen only stopped by twice during the entire 8 days of work actually being completed after picking up the deposit. When the plumbing was completed, he said he did not come personally inspect the plumbing but approved it through pictures. This is unacceptable. I had also asked about getting a new estimate in the first week since we had removed the tile floor portion of the project when we found hardwood floors in good shape underneath the existing tile. He didn’t want to provide a new estimate. Discussions about waterproofing the shower surround and permits escalated to him sending me a series of emails from DIY chat room website threads as his authority on the subject and misleading and deceitful explanations of Ohio code as well as unprofessional phone calls with the city. He argued at one point that he had never heard of using a vapor barrier at all even though they purchased one as part of the materials for my bathroom. After following up with the city and finding out we needed a permit all along, he became very argumentative when I informed him that I was going to apply for the required permits and continued to insist we didn’t need one. He then informed me in an email that this would be a change in scope and would result in a price increase. I questioned his motives in charging me more now since the items that required a permit were on the original estimate. He later backtracked and stated that it was to cover the cost of the $75 permit. However, I had already stated I would pull the permit, so the cost would be paid directly by me and would not be an additional cost to him. After all this and more, I informed him that I no longer wanted to work with him and asked for a refund minus the work they had already completed. Jassen was agreeable to no longer working together and issuing a refund minus charges of plumbing and demo, but was subsequently unresponsive to requests to try to get my refund. It took 10 days for him to respond that they had “gathered all information.” I had to repeatedly request copies of receipts and follow up. Once I got them, it was clear they overcharged me for items like trash bags, trash cans, tape, wrenches and likely other items I didn’t identify. The plumbing supplies and labor charges were extremely exaggerated at approximately triple the estimated cost. At no time did Jassen ever make me aware that they were that far off the estimate. I find it interesting that he threatens me with a change of scope and price increase for getting a $75 permit, but does not feel the need to inform me that they had gone way over on the plumbing estimates until I was owed a refund. He also subsequently argued that a “change faucet” charge included in the final invoice was not for the installation of a new faucet on the sink as previously discussed and never completed, but was actually for a shower valve. However, the plumbing charges for the shower were a separate line item already, and they were supposed to change out the faucet on the sink. I think this was punitive. For the work actually completed, the estimate was for a total of $1,164 for plumbing and demo including labor and material allowances, but he charged me $2302. (I had paid a deposit of $3902 for a job that was estimated at $6639, including material allowances and labor.) It took over two weeks and lots of follow-up to get refunded only $1600 and be left with a demolished bathroom. They never even attempted to complete the work on the estimate outside of the bathroom. In the end, the plumbing work they did even failed inspection. When I notified him that the plumbing failed inspection, his response was that it was ill-timed. The tub drain leaked, the tub drain was not connected properly to the tee and no shower shut off valves were installed. Also, the type of pipes and seal used were questionable and not standard. Additionally, this contractor holds himself out on his website as having a Franklin County General Contractors license which doesn't exist. His estimates also are misleading as his disclosures are cut off in various sections of his estimates which is why I was shocked to receive an email asking for so much money upfront. He does not appear to have sufficient knowledge of the requirements in Ohio for permits or residential building codes. I would not hire or recommend.

The Holderby Brothers run a good business and they seek long-term relationships with homeowners. This is a good approach and results in a better understanding of the needs of the client. In my case, I have had them do "handy" work like handing new lights, installing custom chair rails and wainscoting, as well as larger projects like my Stacked Stone custom wall. They come out a walk the space, which is a process for homeowner to present vision and needs, budget, etc. Then they provide a written quote with materials, labor and price. Be sure to ask for separate quotes if you have them look at multiple projects in same visit. I liked this approach because I was able to prioritize and budget for each project and then decide which ones to start and when. They are very low-pressure, and will offer flexibility to allow you to bring your own products or have them procure the materials. One example of this was in doing the concrete backer drywall for my wall. They recommended that, and the result is a sturdier installation! The owners are very involved, if they use full-time workers or if the special need is to bring in a sub-contractor. They are very comfortable with current technology...you can sign things electronically, get receipts to your email, send photos of your desired look (i used a lot of pinterest photos,,,haha), and have an office staff that is available and responsive. Overall, great company.

It went very well. There were no big issues and the job was finished nearly on time and on budget. They were very responsive and i would work with them again.

I used the provider's website to make an appointment for an estimate. I received a confirmation email that my message was received and that I would be contacted as soon as possible. Never heard back. This review is just for information. I was require by the website to give a grade/ score.

Jassen came out and looked at my kitchen and seemed to understand the scope of work for renovation, which is why I hired him. I interviewed three other contractors. Jassen was personable and seemed competent. The first phase of work went well because he had an excellent carpenter. The second phase of drywall work was where he failed. His subcontractor Jorge Salazar was sloppy with excessive mud applied, which created excessive dust. His crew did not clean up each day as they said they would. Even though I did not run the A/C for several days, when I did turn it on, the dust totally coated the blower fan and coils. When I complained to Jassen about the cost to clean the furnace, he blamed me. I know how messy drwall is, but this was excessive. The proposed living/dining room ceiling replacement was to be a sound-deadening remedy. His manager Gary and drywaller Jorge Salazar and I agreed to install sound-deadening batting, soundboard and drywall. The materials used were changed by Jassen without my knowledge or agreement. Instead, he decided to overfill with thermal insulation which I did not need as a middle condo unit. When questioned about the change in product, Jassen said he didn't want to discuss "cumbersome details" with me. He confused product density for sound deadening capabilities. He believed that over stuffing with thermal insulation and vinyl would be superior to using a sound-deadening product. He was wrong, and I have a new ceiling no sound-deadening ability from my upstairs neighbors. I had to redo over half of his work but received no reimbursement from Jassen Holderby.

Great to deal with...over the phone and in person. On Time, and not over the estimate. Would definately hire again.

I found my handy mate from Angie's list. Jasson came to our house for a quote, which was very detailed. The price is fair without hidden cost. It took about three weeks to start the project. There were 1-2 contractors working on it every day, depending on their assignments. I provided the major materials including bathtub, vanity, mirror, tiles and their purchased the rest. The quality of the work looks great!

Very responsive polite and professional

Even though we have decided not to proceed at the moment for financial reasons, I wanted to send in an A+review regarding my experience working with Shana & Jassen. The request was to finish our garage: Insulate, Drywall, paint and build shelving. The estimate was fair and interaction with Shana & Jassen was great. I would definitely recommend and hope to contract their services in the future.

They did a fantastic job. They showed up on time, worked hard, and completed the work in a day. They gave their expert advice a couple of times because the area they were tiling was a bit non-uniform (it's an old house). We appreciate their knowledge and advice since they discussed some things we had not considered.

They were quick to respond to our request for a quote and were able to schedule us in for the tiling work within a week of our giving them the go ahead. They did an amazing job with the backsplash - encompassing the wall behind the sink, small countertop area around the fridge and the desk area wall. A lot of small cuts and the result is amazing. They put down covering on the floors before starting and cleaned up afterwards - couldn't ask for a more professional crew. Also did a great job on the cut ins around the electric outlets and mounting back the face plates properly with the extensions - no fuss! When I asked them about the spackling, they were able to complete that as well - I highly recommend them!

The quote seemed a bit high but to be fair I was not able to provide a whole lot of details. It was a quote given via message through a posting they made online. It looks like they do great work though so I do intend on following il with them for a more detailed quote.

They did a great job. Protected the newly finished/painted wall. The price was fair. The worker arrived on time and was very courteous. I WILL rehire them for more work in the future.

They were a one stop shop. The gentleman who was the project manager is no longer with the company but he is the one that I worked with specifically.

This company did a very good job on the brick wall and it looks just amazing. The staff was always professional and was practically OCD on how the bricks were stacked and how they were laid. Although it took longer than expected, I am willing to sacrifice time over perfection anyday. The second project however didn't go as well as the first one. They hired a plumbing sub-contractor to do the tub work because they were scarce on resources and they damaged the tub and some other items doing the tub install. The thing I was impressed by, this company took accountability for their responsibilities and made sure the tub was repaired. They then offered if it couldn't be repaired that they would have it replaced in needed. No Argument . That was an amazing experience dealing with them on the issue as I never felt stressed while they were figuring out our options. In the end the tub looks great and most importantly they are being hired to tile the floor and shower surround in the bathroom based on my dealings with them. Things go wrong in the world, we can't change that, however we must own up to our responsibilities when things do go wrong. My Handy Mate did just that and it is a company you can trust even when things don't go completely as planned. In my opinion, a true company's rating is based on how well they respond when things don't go right not when it all is perfect. A true persona of a company is revealed when things go wrong and in the end, My Handy Mate is a company you can trust and depend on.

Jassen was very responsive and quick to help in anyway he could. His crew were knowledgeable and courteous. I would recommend him for any job and plan on using him for other projects I have coming up.

Custom cabinetry done very well. Scratch built cabinets to match the vanity I bought at Lowes. In the course of installing they ruptured a pipe, caused cosmetic damage to LR ceiling below. Also shower not laid flat nor secured to wall so it did not completely drain. They came back and fixed to shower to about 90% of what I expected (not perfect but I can live with it). Took no action on the ceiling although they said they would. Crew was very friendly, communicative, and professional, and normally I wouldn't hesitate to work with this company again EXCEPT that their work was not done correctly the first time. UPDATE: It's been less than two years since the contractor performed the work, and the shower is beginning to fall apart. With the sections separating from each other and pulling away from the wall, I can now see that the shower was not installed correctly in the first place. Given that they never fixed my LR ceiling and the shower is failing because of their faulty installation work, I am downgrading them from a C to a D.

Molding inside closet not installed well. Baseboard not completely painted on first day, so one painter (Lindsay, very good) had to come back next day to finish up.

Overall it went well. I asked for a quote and he arrived on schedule. They worked with me on the install date & time. They showed up about 30 minutes late but they did call ahead to let me know (much appreciated). The crew was professional and worked quickly & did not sacrifice quality. I asked them to come back out a few days later to re-inspect the screen door. They did with no problem and made an adjustment that worked. Overall I was happy with them. I would use again and would recommend.

They haven't charged me anything because they really didn't do anything. There were two guys who came and they didn't even know what they were supposed to do. They were not equipped to do several things that I had put on my list that I would have liked them to do.

The guy did a nice job but it took a lot longer than I had anticipated. Fortuantely it was a flat fee though, not an hourly payment.

The men were kind enough to pick up my storm doors at the store since I had no way to get them. They were on time and very nice. They immediately went to work unpacking the doors. They did struggle a bit getting the front door up but I think it was due to the door itself rather than their work. The front door took a little more time but it looks great! The back door went up easily and so did the weather stripping. The guys cleaned everything up after themselves and were courteous and professional. They also made sure that the doors were adjusted properly so the wouldn't slam shut. I was very pleased with the work. If I have things to get done around the house that my husband doesn't have time to do, this will be my first call.

Gave an estimate up front of all the items then completed them according to the estimate. Estimate was very reasonable for work involved. Started work quickly and stuck with it until completed. Matt treated my home as if it were his own, which I greatly appreciated. I will certainly call My Handy Mate next time I have a few things that need doing that I can't (or don't wanna) do myself

It went great. They were very punctual and if they were going to be arriving at a time other that what I was told, I was notified right away. They made some wonderful suggestions that I would never have thought of. I am very please with their work and would certainly call them again if I need something done!

I contacted them to do the work and they were able to send out an estimator the next day. He arrived on time and looked at the area I indicated, but did not climb up to look in any detail. He was able to get a work crew out that afternoon who also came and looked at the areas I indicated, but they did not climb up to look in detail either. They went out and bought some of the wood and used it to go as far as they could, but when they finished with that, they said I need to call the estimator to give me another estimate on the rest of the work. I did so and he contacted the work crew and called me back with another estimate for the rest and was able to get the crew out the next day to finish the job. I didn't pitch much fuss about having to get two separate estimates because I discovered the bad wood as I was trying to prepare my house for house painters who were scheduled to start at the same time. I was more concerned about getting it done quickly. However, I feel that if they had climbed up to inspect the bad wood prior to going out and buying replacement boards, the job could have been completed in one day for less money. Other than this, the end result was good.