Get matched with top handymen in Acton, CA

You can find a reliable handyperson by looking at professionals in your area and ruling out companies with poor reviews online. Next, check each handyperson on the Better Business Bureau to see if they have a history of complaints and rule out those that do. Finally, you can contact each handyperson to ask the following qualifying questions:

• What is your hourly rate?

• Are there any jobs you can’t tackle?

• Are you fully insured?

• How many years of experience do you have?

• Do you have references I can contact?

Handypeople usually don’t hold trade licenses, so they typically aren’t qualified to tackle projects involving installing or making alterations to plumbing or electrical lines. Below are some jobs that a handyperson usually won’t be able to complete:

• Installing plumbing for a new kitchen or bathroom

• Replacing plumbing pipes

• Installing or repairing septic systems

• Running new electrical wiring

• Installing a subpanel

In most states, handypeople do not need to be licensed to perform simple home repair tasks and smaller jobs. When projects exceed specific cost amounts, however, ranging from $500 in California to $50,000 in other states, some municipalities consider them to be contractors, meaning they need to be licensed. To learn if your handyperson should be licensed to work on your job, contact your local governing body or state contractors’ licensing board before starting any work.

While handypeople do not need to be licensed in many places, you should only hire insured pros for any home improvement work. Your handyperson should have active liability coverage that protects them and you in the case of an error or accident. Furthermore, if they have employees on your property, they should also have workers’ compensation insurance. If you hire an individual or a company that is not insured and they damage your property, have an accident while on the job, or become injured on your property without insurance, you can be held financially liable.