Anyone know of local competent handyman who will work for $20-$25/hour??

[DaddyD]

I need a guy to do some really basic stuff. So far most of the companies I've contacted want to charge "by the job", and the prices they are quoting are CRAZY expensive! I did find one company (Doc's Restoration) who charges by the hour--$110 for the first hour and $85/hour pro-rated after that.

Anyone know of a local, competent, "jack of all trades" kind of guy who works for more reasonable rates?

[Dana1963]

It’s called the loaded labor rate truck, license, tools, benefits, insurance including workman’s comp.
Anyone working @ $20-$25 probably has no insurance liability or workman’s comp and no license. I have interviewed many small businesses for work at my home and many claim they are licensed and insured can not submit proof.

[retiredguy123]

Try Aloha Larry, 561-239-0797.

[Stu from NYC]

Please remember you often get what you paid for. Would try any new guy with relatively simple work that would be hard to make a mess out of.

[CanTho]

I need a guy to do some really basic stuff. So far most of the companies I've contacted want to charge "by the job", and the prices they are quoting are CRAZY expensive! I did find one company (Doc's Restoration) who charges by the hour--$110 for the first hour and $85/hour pro-rated after that.

Anyone know of a local, competent, "jack of all trades" kind of guy who works for more reasonable rates?

Yes indeed " Doc's Restorations " he started in the small plaza near Bargains and Treasures near the railroad tracks on CR466.

His hourly rate is crazy. What you are looking for and the $$ amount is well good luck with that, $30.00 - $ 40.00 is average. Be careful.:)

[mulligan]

When I was involved in custom home/condo construction in Collier county, we had a simple rule of thumb with regard to small contractors : Good, Fast, Cheap....Pick 2.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Call Kirk he’s done work in my last couple of homes he can do anything he’s around $60 but you get what you pay for tell him Charlie O sent you from Fenney 3522706272

[JoelJohnson]

I could do it, but I can only work 3-4 hours a day, have to rest up for 3 days after each day I work and can't lift anything over 24 lbs. Oh, I have to take bathroom breaks every 20 mins.

Is it a deal? :)

I always say "if you're lucky, you get what you pay for"

[Stu from NYC]

I could do it, but I can only work 3-4 hours a day, have to rest up for 3 days after each day I work and can't lift anything over 24 lbs. Oh, I have to take bathroom breaks every 20 mins.

Is it a deal? :)

I always say "if you're lucky, you get what you pay for"

Works for us our last one could not list more than 10 pounds.

Can you start 3 hours ago?

[DaddyD]

Stu from NYC: Definitely agree with you, anytime you hire a new handyman, always start them out with a few simple things in order to judge their skills / competency.

To everyone who replied "remember--you get what you pay for", and "anybody who will work for that won't have license, worker's comp., insurance, etc.--I'm not looking for someone to do truly skilled work, i.e., plumbing, roof work, a/c work, electrical work, and other such similar things that take specialized tools and/or knowledge & (ideally) years of training & experience.

I'm looking for a local "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of guy who can do simple things like:

Replace ceiling fans and fluorescent light fixtures
Hang an interior door
Replace window screens
Light pressure washing
Wash cars
Change oil and sharpen or replace blades in lawn mowers
Mow a lawn and do yard work like weeding, re-planting, trim shrubs, etc..
Clean and repaint exterior wooden decks
Install shelving in garage

I've got a large piece of property with several building on it, and can often give someone a full days work once every two weeks or so, so I'm looking for someone who I can create an ongoing relationship with, likely someone who has a full time job but who would like to earn some side-money.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I don't think any of the jobs above are so difficult or complicated that would necessitate hiring someone who is licensed and insured. Maybe $20-$25/hour is too low in this area, but $40-$50+ for this type of (relatively) unskilled labor seems crazy to me.

[Halibut]

As the saying goes, you can only have two of these three: good/cheap/fast

The last retired Villager handyman we had charged $30/hour but took almost half a day to install a bathroom light fixture, repair the lamppost light, stick up a new smoke detector, and replace two burned out ceiling bulbs. (We can't climb ladders anymore.) His charged time included several long cigarette breaks out in his truck, plus stopping work to chat our ears off for 15 minutes at a time.

The franchise places are twice as expensive but do their jobs efficiently and correctly.

Hiring a second person to fix the first one's mistakes just creates more frustration. The last competent handyman we had was good and cheap, but in line with the rules, it's now impossible to schedule him.

[mulligan]

Stu from NYC: Definitely agree with you, anytime you hire a new handyman, always start them out with a few simple things in order to judge their skills / competency.

To everyone who replied "remember--you get what you pay for", and "anybody who will work for that won't have license, worker's comp., insurance, etc.--I'm not looking for someone to do truly skilled work, i.e., plumbing, roof work, a/c work, electrical work, and other such similar things that take specialized tools and/or knowledge & (ideally) years of training & experience.

I'm looking for a local "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of guy who can do simple things like:

Replace ceiling fans and fluorescent light fixtures
Hang an interior door
Replace window screens
Light pressure washing
Wash cars
Change oil and sharpen or replace blades in lawn mowers
Mow a lawn and do yard work like weeding, re-planting, trim shrubs, etc..
Clean and repaint exterior wooden decks
Install shelving in garage

I've got a large piece of property with several building on it, and can often give someone a full days work once every two weeks or so, so I'm looking for someone who I can create an ongoing relationship with, likely someone who has a full time job but who would like to earn some side-money.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I don't think any of the jobs above are so difficult or complicated that would necessitate hiring someone who is licensed and insured. Maybe $20-$25/hour is too low in this area, but $40-$50+ for this type of (relatively) unskilled labor seems crazy to me.

Keep in mind that there is NO license that covers all the tasks you want to have completed. If you do find someone to work at the low rate you are looking for, he will most likely not be insured. follow him around with a pillow, because if he falls and gets hurt, he could wind up owning your home.

[davem4616]

up north the firemen use to do the type of work you listed for folks on their days off

might want to check that option out

[Stu from NYC]

As the saying goes, you can only have two of these three: good/cheap/fast

The last retired Villager handyman we had charged $30/hour but took almost half a day to install a bathroom light fixture, repair the lamppost light, stick up a new smoke detector, and replace two burned out ceiling bulbs. (We can't climb ladders anymore.) His charged time included several long cigarette breaks out in his truck, plus stopping work to chat our ears off for 15 minutes at a time.

The franchise places are twice as expensive but do their jobs efficiently and correctly.

Hiring a second person to fix the first one's mistakes just creates more frustration. The last competent handyman we had was good and cheap, but in line with the rules, it's now impossible to schedule him.

I believe you are looking for at least two different people.

For yard work you need landscaping/mowing company. Would ask neighbors for recommendation.

For everything else need a handyman but sorry have no recommendation as I believe guy we are using might be retiring shortly.

[jebartle]

Tony, Mr. Fix it....1-941-780-1105

[Stu from NYC]

up north the firemen use to do the type of work you listed for folks on their days off

might want to check that option out

Very true. Local retired firefighter was our gutter cleaner for many years very reliable good guy to work with.

[DaddyD]

I finally found a local guy (lives in the Weirsdale area) who is a true "jack of all trades, master of none". He charges by the job, not the hour, but definitely less expensive than the companies that do a lot of paid advertising in the Villages. Anyone who's interested PM me and I'll give you his contact info. I'm guessing his hourly rate ends up being around $40/hour.

[Stu from NYC]

If I was a competent handyman no way would I work for 20-25 per hour.

Lots of work for good people here.

[wireguy]

DD Integrity 401 487 7621

[larbud]

Should have learned some basic skills along the way! It ain’t rocket science..

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I agree about leaning basic skills I never did , I always tell people if there is a screw driver in any home I lived in it’s because someone left it and I don’t know how to cook either, when I sell my homes they come with a never used stove , and at 82 this Saturday it’s to late to learn lol

[Sabella]

[QUOTE=Stu from NYC;1854598]If I was a competent handyman no way would I work for 20-25 per hour.

Lots of work for good people here.[/. I believe most of us pay the full month weekly grass cutting fee for the 3 winter months when the grass is cut only once a month. I had a well known local plumbing company install a kitchen faucet which was a simple no issue job which the not a real Plummer guy sent -showed up and made sure the 15 - 20 minute job went past 30 minutes so he could charge more. How about the recommended garage repair guy who I called due to the garage door chain shaking a lot.He showed up tightened a screw on the chain and charged me $60. For less than 5 minutes work. ( He wasn’t inconvenienced he was in the Villages working that day.)I could go on and on.There is a difference between ripping off seniors and charging reasonable rates. There are a lot of seniors living here that don’t have money to burn and so to pay fair prices for good services should be the norm not the exception.