Today, we’d like to discuss a question that comes up for us frequently. That is – should I use a handyman or a licensed, insured contractor?
We come down on the side of using the contractor all the time. You might wonder why, and the main reason for that answer is because liability for doing something wrong is huge. You can’t really imagine all the things that could happen. If you’re using a contractor with skill, knowledge and experience, that professional is unlikely to make a mistake. A handyman may or may not have the right skills and he may try to do something he’s not qualified to do. That’s a huge liability.
Contractors have accountability to you. The contractors we like and use are always willing to go back and look at something and re-diagnose it or fix it when necessary. They are accountable for their work. They have specialized knowledge and can deal with particular problems. If they have to, they will bring in a subcontractor the way a doctor would refer a patient to a specialist to get something fixed. At the end of the day, you want something repaired economically and completely, and you only want to fix it once. For those reasons, a contractor is your best bet.
Should I Use a Handyman or Licensed Contractor for my Rental Home? South Florida Landlord AdviceLiability is also a concern. Think about what happens if you own a second story condominium and you need a plumbing repair in a multi-unit building. If you get a guy who fixes a toilet wrong, you could end up dumping tons of gallons of water on the people below you. It’s your responsibility as a rental property owner to fix it right. You don’t want to create a new problem where you did not already have one.
If you have any questions, or you’d like to talk about this question further, please contact us at Florida Management & Consulting Group in Coral Springs.
Military: David Harper is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. As a Lieutenant he served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War (1968-1969) where he was a Casualty Staging Officer ( Aeromedical Evacuation). He was tasked with moving wounded Soldiers and Marines from Vietnam to various military hospitals in the theatre and eventually Stateside. After serving in several Air Force Reserve Units he was “called up” to serve in Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-1991) Where he was Chief Planner on the Central Command Staff for the Aeromedical Evacuation of all US Casualties during the pre-invasion and post-invasion phases. He retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1993. Currently he is the President of the Broward County Chapter of the Military Officer’s Association of America.
South Florida Property Manager Roger Schalk is a member of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM), and the Florida Association of Property Managers (FARPM). A real estate professional for 18 years he has spent his entire professional career managing and developing company’s and their employees in customer facing roles and has successfully established himself in Property Management.