Specialty Contractors

When is a handyman the best man/woman for the job?

When you need some everyday repairs and maintenance done on your home, the services of a general contractor (handyman or handy-person!) will be handy indeed. Hiring a jack-of-all-trades can solve problems from fixing a leaky tap to a spot of rendering. They've seen it all.

When the job is more complex (e.g. negotiating electricals, sewerage, local council matters, etc) or if the job will take more than a few hours, you may need to call in an expert in that field. Here are some related professionals and vendors to complement the work of specialty contractors: Building Project Managers, Landscape Contractors & Gardeners, Architects, Interior Designers & Decorators, Kitchen & Bathroom Designers.

Find a tradesman who has seen a similar kind of job to yours or who comes with good recommendations. Home maintenance can often start small but expand into a large job, if your handyman is more talk than walk.

What kinds of specialty contractors are there?

An end-to-end Project Manager will take on your project with a view to maintaining the timeline you need to keep all parties happy. They will often use a critical path analysis to order the necessary materials at the best times and to time the arrival of tradespeople at optimum times to avoid expensive downtime. As well as making sure contractors are paid on time, a project manager can be employed to ensure your project comes in on budget and to a high standard. He or she will consult with you regularly to keep you informed of the progress.

As they juggle your demands and the work of home builders, the building project manager often benefits from a construction industry background. This may also assist you when you need to hire additional contractors.

What to ask a potential project manager:

• How long have you been a project manager?
  
• Do you have a history in construction?
  
• Can you give me a written estimate?
  
• What happens if the project goes over budget?
  
• Are you licensed and insured?
  
• Have you managed a project like this one? If so, can you show me photos?
  
• How do you calculate costs, and what do they include?
  
• How long will this project take?
  

Find specialty contractors on Houzz.

Look in the Professionals section of our website under specialty contractors, then select the nearest metro area for a contractor. You can also look through photos of completed projects to see how a contractor might approach design challenges.