Handy man fees...Your thoughts

Handy man fees...Your thoughts

Investor · Rochester, NY · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 36 votes

Hello,

Am i being unreasonable by telling my handy man that these charges are too much.  He said he went online and searched for average charges.  My argument is he should use local comparisons not national. And i could have done most of these except the ceiling repair :) It's just that i am 2 hrs away from the property in Rochester NY.  Would gas be worth it to fix these minor repairs? (The work is already completed and i will pay) but i don't want him to think he can take advantage of me..especially being that i am a woman.  Thanks.

2 Two installed smoke detectors 25.00 25.00
1 Installed new padlock 25.00 25.00
1 Repair the door with hinge with new holes 50.00 50.00
1 Ceiling repair replaced the new drywall, screwed the stud and patched 2nd times then put the texture for match ceiling. Painted 2nd coat. 85.00 85.00
1 Tile base fell off and removed the old caulked then cleaned installed new caulked. 25.00 25.00
1 Drywall 0.00 0.00
1 Purchased receipts from Home Depot 33.65 33.65
243.65
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Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
7y

@Meg K.,

Those seem very reasonable to me, if anything the drywall job alone I'd expect to cost around $200.   If he/she does quality work, don't nickle and dime them-- a good relationship is worth a lot more than a few bucks! 

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  • Flipper/Rehabber · Davie, FL · Member since 2016 · 101 posts · 136 votes
    7y

    @Meg K. Those charges don’t seem out of hand to me but I’m in a different area.

    If he’s experienced enough, he shouldn’t have to research going rates and should know what’s competitive in his market.

    On the positive side, he’s not charging hourly. At least you know how much each item costs to install. Unless you’re very hands on normally, he probably got it done much faster then you could have, with the right tools, and since time is money, it probably was worth it based on your 2 hour commute.

    Example: I’m very hands on and have all my own tools, but I’m flipping a house 3 hours north of where I live and because of that, I’m paying a little more to local contractors to get the job done. I’d rather spend my extra time looking for new flips then driving 6 hours round trip and hotel stays.

    Just my 2 cents.

  • Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    7y

    @Meg K.,

    Those seem very reasonable to me, if anything the drywall job alone I'd expect to cost around $200.   If he/she does quality work, don't nickle and dime them-- a good relationship is worth a lot more than a few bucks! 

  • Investor · Rochester, NY · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 36 votes
    7y
    Makes sense...Thanks.


    Originally posted by @Darren Lenick:

    @Meg K. Those charges don’t seem out of hand to me but I’m in a different area.

    If he’s experienced enough, he shouldn’t have to research going rates and should know what’s competitive in his market.

    On the positive side, he’s not charging hourly. At least you know how much each item costs to install. Unless you’re very hands on normally, he probably got it done much faster then you could have, with the right tools, and since time is money, it probably was worth it based on your 2 hour commute.

    Example: I’m very hands on and have all my own tools, but I’m flipping a house 3 hours north of where I live and because of that, I’m paying a little more to local contractors to get the job done. I’d rather spend my extra time looking for new flips then driving 6 hours round trip and hotel stays.

    Just my 2 cents.

  • Investor · Rochester, NY · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 36 votes
    7y
    LOL @ Nickle and dime.  True. Thanks. Need objective opinions.

    Originally posted by @Linda S.:

    @Meg K.,

    Those seem very reasonable to me, if anything the drywall job alone I'd expect to cost around $200.   If he/she does quality work, don't nickle and dime them-- a good relationship is worth a lot more than a few bucks! 

  • Real Estate Broker · Greater Rochester/Finger Lakes Region · Member since 2016 · 61 posts · 63 votes
    7y

    He's very reasonably priced.

  • Investor · Rochester, NY · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 36 votes
    7y
    Thank you!

    Originally posted by @Craig S.:

    He's very reasonably priced.

  • Contractor · Pensacola, FL · Member since 2017 · 311 posts · 156 votes
    7y

    That is below market rates for what I pay here, or what I would charge for a similar task were I doing it myself.  

  • Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y

    The pricing is very reasonable & I certainly wouldn't be burning any bridges with that guy.

  • Rental Property Investor · Gallatin, TN · Member since 2016 · 21 posts · 9 votes
    7y

    @Meg K. I recently had a handyman make a very similar ceiling repair and it was $150. 

  • Rental Property Investor · south Alabama · Member since 2018 · 121 posts · 88 votes
    7y

    I’d have to see the quality of that ceiling repair. I’ve seen some pretty awful patch jobs that could’ve been done by an 8 year old.

  • Rental Property Investor · Jacksonville / Neptune Beach, FL · Member since 2015 · 13 posts · 5 votes
    7y

    He will probably be increasing his prices after he's proven he's reliable and it sounds as if he should. He's super reasonable. 

  • Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    7y

    Wow your a cheapskate bro . Those are fair prices . Your time and gas has value but so does his time and gas . What more do you want . If he even showed up he’s already better than 3/4 of the handymen I’ve dealt with . Don’t try to beat him up on prices or you’ll be sorry if you think that’s high try calling a licensed insured contractor to come in for repairs . You’ll pay 60$ an hour easy

  • Contractor · Onalaska, WI · Member since 2019 · 10 posts · 12 votes
    7y

    @Meg K. I’m a “handyman” and those charges are very reasonable. Patching a ceiling regardless if it’s small or large should be over $200. Landlords need to understand our time at the store also needs to be accounted for. I think you got a good deal. I wouldn’t say anything to him about it.

  • Investor · Rochester, NY · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 36 votes
    7y

    THANK YOU EVERYBODY!...I'm not a businesswoman...ha ha so i really don't treat this as a business..which i should  if i want to get more properties.  Thanks for the objective answers. I always pay BUT i always complain as well.  I need to move from a mentality of scarcity to abundance! :) Aren't millennials the best...how they are able to retire before 30 and make it look so easy?! *insert sarcasm*

  • Specialist · Easton, PA · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    7y

    @Meg K.

    Seriously?! $243 and you aren’t ok with that?! If my clients raised a fuss about that I’d have no problems telling them to find someone else.

  • Rental Property Investor · AZ · Member since 2018 · 212 posts · 183 votes
    7y

    Great prices. 

  • Investor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2015 · 625 posts · 601 votes
    7y

    @Dennis M. Real talk

  • Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    7y

    Dont lose his phone number .  You may even want to throw in an extra $20 when you pay him . He will remember it and when you call he will be there 

  • Contractor · Grand Marais, MN · Member since 2016 · 249 posts · 417 votes
    7y

    @Meg K. Complaining about every price will either get MUCH higher prices, or people that won't show up.

  • Real Estate Agent · Oakland, CA · Member since 2018 · 54 posts · 42 votes
    7y

    I will gladly pay someone above average if their work is above average. If you always want to get an average or lower price, you will get average or lower quality. Of course, if you calculated that his work is below average then you got something to discuss with him. 

  • Rental Property Investor · Clinton, CT · Member since 2016 · 49 posts · 36 votes
    7y

    I would look at this a different way. It appears to be a lot when you look  at it on a micro scale. Charging $25 to install something that probably took 15 minutes. When you look at what you had him perform how many more times is this going to be required? I would hope your smoke detectors don't move for 10 years, you don't have tenants that are damaging your doors and tile. Something I have seriously looked at the last two years is my hourly worth in a work day and 24 hours a day. If you calculate your time, travel, fuel, and costs to perform these yourself and it is below what you are being charged then take care of the items yourself until you're worth more to pay someone to do them for you. 

  • Rental Property Investor · Birmingham, MI · Member since 2016 · 60 posts · 71 votes
    7y

    @Meg K.

    I saw a bill of 378.06 flash in my head. Repeat, regular client I could let it go for $320. Just saying.

  • Investor/Agent · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2017 · 291 posts · 308 votes
    7y

    I agree with what @Michael J Callinan said.  The drywall patch and repair alone requires multiple steps with dry time included.  Your handyman probably had to make a few trips to get this done for you.  That's a lot of hassle for $250 IMO.  I would try to smooth it over with him.

  • Johnson City, TN · Member since 2017 · 209 posts · 367 votes
    7y
    I learned many years ago to respect what an experienced, good tradesman charges. There is always someone out there looking to charge way more than a job is worth hoping to catch them off guard. These guys don't last for long. As a young GC I was griping a little to an old plumber about what another sub was charging me to do something that I thought he was charging high for how long it would take. He looked at me and said, "how long would it take you to do it? I learned my lesson there.
  • Investor · Schaumburg, IL · Member since 2015 · 219 posts · 104 votes
    7y

    @Meg K.

    First, there is a reason why you did not do it yourself. You value your time. Apparently, you don't value his.

    $243 with material seems like a deal. Sounds like he picked up the material and fronted the money as well. He must trust you enough that you will pay him back. Patching drywall on the ceiling is a pita.

    Going forward, you know how he prices his jobs, if your not happy with his work/value don't call him back. You got off cheap.

    I cannot imagine how much you think he is overcharging you by.

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