All Options Home Repair Services

The workman and his helper were on time and friendly, but I should have known there'd be trouble when the handyman didn't have a stud finder and brought a lightweight swag type hook to hang a 45 lb. plus elk mount. It appeared he had no experience in doing this type of work (hanging a large heavy object to a wall). What kind of handyman shows up for a job like this without a stud finder? I loaned him mine, but he didn't know how to use a stud finder. Thankfully I also had an appropriate large lag screw on hand. After a lot of messing around he finally marked where he though the stud was and he and his helper went up on two step ladders. The partner got to the top of his ladder and realized it needed to be closer. He had to let go of the mount, go down the ladder and move it closer while the handyman who was holding the elk by himself. They came way too close to dropping it. When they finally did get it "hung" they left a large scuff on the wall. After they left the more I looked at the elk, the more I was afraid that they'd missed the stud and that it would fall destorying it, the wall, and the floor below. I tried calling the owner of the business and never received a return call. I ended up having to have another handyman come in and remount the elk properly. On to the mailbox issue. The helper left and the handyman tried to install the mailbox. He got everything out of the box and ended up saying it couldn't be done because the post wouldn't work with the box. I'll give him the benefit of that, but I would have thought if he was a professional handyman he would have come up with a solution/work around. I ended up getting a different post and installing it myself with the help of my son-in-law.

They came in on time was very professional. Only one man was there as he said that the other man was busy on another job and would swing by later. I was concerned about one person removing the large fence panels on either side of the affected post and said I hope he had someone to help him. He dug out the holes, not an easy job. One of the holes was HUGE after removing the old concrete and rocks that previous fence builder used years ago. The first thing that was concerning to me was that he did not REMOVE the two panels on either side as he was working digging out the holes and instead left them hanging on the hardware of screws and brackets on the two good posts on either side. We had quite big winds previously and all I could think was with any slight or moderate breeze, the brackets would bend with the weight or ruin the GOOD posts! Luckily the wind was very subdued. So the other guy came and seemed to be more the boss or someone I thought would have more experience. I went to the back to introduce myself and view progress ( I don;t like to breathe down workers back) I noticed especially the huge hole and rocks and concrete that came out. The other was normal. I mentioned that it would take alot of concrete. I was busy in the house and happened to go by the window and see the one guy wheelbarrowing dry cement across the yard to site. I thought to myself they have exactly the same wheel barrow as I do, looked more closely where my wheel barrow was supposed to be and realized he was using MY wheelbarrow!! I was upset, opened the door, calling to him that that was my wheel barrow and I thought they brought their own equipment. I said You should have asked!! I said I hope they clean out my barrow good if they were using it to mix the concrete. They said they weren't going to mix it in the barrow. OK!!! Dry concrete in the holes and just add water!! OK!!Any way I got busy, I didn't stand around watching every move they made but went by the window when I saw the one guy propping up the post in the hole with the fresh concrete moving back and forth with a ciggarette in the other hand while the other guy was on the other side screwing the brackets into the posts. They did not have the where with all to try to preserve the two cedar boards but ripped them off. So they nailed on new cedar boards. The same with the other post.They said they would be back the next day to take off support boards. They left and I went out there. I was so UPSET! The one hole that was so large that I commented would need lots of concrete was finished like a bowl! They obviously didn't have enough concrete to do it right. Water would just collect in there and cause MORE rot. I saw they were still out front smoking, so I approached them with my concern. They were patronizing and acted like they didn't want to hear. But I told them I wanted it done right. They left without saying good by. I called the office and talked to secretary who said the two men were talking to their boss, the guy who came out for the initial estimate. So in the meantime I talked to my neighbor who works at Sun Forrest and he saw the work and was just as upset at the work. I know that putting new concrete on old is not a good thing and requires an adhesive. So after talking to Ace hardware guy, went to buy the product with intention to tell them to please use it. When the one man that I thought was the boss who knew stuff came out the next day I approached him with my concern of adding new concrete on top of old as it sloughs off in time. He said he didn't think the concrete that was poured yesterday was NOT old concrete and that there wouldn't be a problem. I showed him the stuff I bought and what various people had advised but he shined me on. I went out to the holes and pointed out the dug out posts and concrete that they had rolled into my bushes and on top of my compost pile and asked him to remove it to specified place I showed. They never bothered to ask where they might dispose of said concrete. Also the other guy when he nailed in the new board to the post, he bent over the nail and instead of pulling it out and redoing it, just hammered it bent into the wood!! I mean, COME ON!! He asked who did it, (DUH) the other guy, and fixed it. The concrete was hilled up around the posts and looked better and hopefully will hold up. But the one post I told you about that had the fence panels hanging off the other posts, when they screwed them in to the new posts, it was NOT even across because it pulled down and was SO obviously botched... it really p***** me off! As time goes on it is even more obvious that it leans IN instead of being level vertical OR horizontal!! The whole thing with them using MY wheelbarrow using water and hose without asking, smoking and leaving cigarette butts around, and general dismissive condescending attitude toward my concerns was VERY upsetting. I"ve told EVERY one I know to never use these 'handymen, EVER!!.

I picked them up out of the blue because they do all kinds of work, other things, and they work for landlords. I got a quote from Home Depot and Lowe's and they were a little bit higher. I would recommend them, my tenant was there, he is disabled, they had to come, do some extra work on it, and didn't charge me any extra. I give them high ratings and would use them again in the future.