Brian's Home Repair
About us
Sorry, I am no longer taking on new customers at this time. (April 2015) McDowell Graduate & Vietnam Vet Serving The Erie Area Since 1990. Former Florida licensed contractor, semi-retired and able to do most any home repair job. I'm a one-man operation - no helpers or employees and I pretty much work by myself now, so I prefer small jobs that can be completed in a couple hours.
Business highlights
48 years of experience
Services we offer
I am no longer taking on new customers at this time. (April 2015) Electric & plumbing repairs. Flat screen TV installation. Carpentry. Ceiling fans. Lighting., Sorry
Reviews
4.517 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 82% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 6% | ||
| 6% | ||
| 6% |
Showing 1-17 of 17 reviews
Jenn C.
Apr 2015
he was suppose to install a screen door on apartment, finish siding on garage, and put fascia on peak...these were on a rental unit. When done with that he was suppose to install 3 fans, install bathroom floor and install 6 windows. He did door, siding and fasia. Then never showed up to do the rest. I contacted him numerous times to try to get work finished. He never responded to text messages or calls. I ended up having to hire someone else to do the work. The door he did install ended up getting damaged because it was installed wrong. That had to be replaced again. The fascia also was not done correct. The siding was good though. I would not recommend him for home repairs. He had good referrals which is why i hired him.
Patricia H.
Apr 2015
unknown
Response from Brian's Home Repair
"This Angie's List system leaves a little to be desired...I was too busy to respond to this ladies most recent inquiry from A.L. , When we get a notice that there is a message on A.L., we have no idea who it is from until we take the time to get on the computer, log in, find the message. If I had known the message was from someone who had contacted me previously, I would of taken the time out of my busy schedule to fire up the computer, find A.L., log in and respond. I have since posted in my profile, that I am not taking any new business at this time.. Sorry [Removed Member Name]."
Gertrude S.
Oct 2014
Everything went great.
Debra G.
Oct 2014
Brian has done work for me in the past and I needed some other miscellaneous work done so I called him again. He set up an appointment within two days, got here on time and did the work efficiently. He hung this little gas heater on the wall, lit the pilot and then showed me how to work it. He ran an electric line to the heater and installed a receptacle too.
Brian also took down and planed several interior doors and one exterior door that were sticking something awful, and every one of them works like new now. He also took down a ceiling light fixture that had been pulled out of the plaster and he installed a correct fixture with a pull chain and then repaired the plaster around it. He had to use some ingenuity to get the fixture to work because it was originally off a ceiling fan, but he took it to the hardware store and figured out the right combination of materials to make it right. It works beautifully and I'm happy!
I will continue to use Brian for my handyman needs as he does a great job every time.
Brian also took down and planed several interior doors and one exterior door that were sticking something awful, and every one of them works like new now. He also took down a ceiling light fixture that had been pulled out of the plaster and he installed a correct fixture with a pull chain and then repaired the plaster around it. He had to use some ingenuity to get the fixture to work because it was originally off a ceiling fan, but he took it to the hardware store and figured out the right combination of materials to make it right. It works beautifully and I'm happy!
I will continue to use Brian for my handyman needs as he does a great job every time.
Gertrude S.
Oct 2014
Everything went great and was all done under 2 hours.
Gertrude S.
Jun 2014
Everything went great. This was a new kind of bed frame that replaces box springs. The dimmer switch works great. As always, Brian did a great job .
Kimberly V.
Feb 2014
He didn't clean up after himself and only worked an hour or two a day All jobs could have been completed in a day and a half.
Gertrude S.
Jul 2013
Brian did a great job. The bead board looks great in the kitchen. One wall had many layers that had to be removed first. I'm very pleased with all the projects Brian did and would highly recommend him. I would definitely hire him again.
Gertrude S.
Jul 2013
Brian did a great job installing the cabinets and they look great.
Gertrude S.
Jun 2013
Brian did a nice job on the window seat lining it with cedar wood. He also put hinges on the 2 doors and 2 handles to make it easier to open. Along with the repair of the closet door,the closet shelf and the 3 exterior lights, Brian gave me advice on what to do with crumbling cement in my basement. He did a great job on everything and I would definitely hire him again.
Edward S.
Jun 2013
Joined angies list because some plumbers in erie pa. are to busy or do not return phone calls
called Brians home repair told me he would be there at 4pm and was on time looked at the problem and handled it, he was very helpful also, already have something else scheduled to fix, thanks angieslist.
called Brians home repair told me he would be there at 4pm and was on time looked at the problem and handled it, he was very helpful also, already have something else scheduled to fix, thanks angieslist.
Gertrude S.
May 2013
When reading information online about toilet installation, the average time was 2 hours and cost of $150.00. Brian completed the job in half that time at half the cost. Brian did a great job.
Gertrude S.
Apr 2013
The work took a few hours and Brian did have to go buy additional supplies. Brian did a great job and I will hire him again for future projects.
Debra G.
Mar 2013
I met Brian when he answered an ad I put on craigslist looking for a honest, reliable handyman. I set up interviews with five or six guys who answered my ad and Brian was by far the best - he showed up on time, he knows what he's doing, and he gave me a great bid on the work I needed done. I own several rental units and since that first job I have hired him many times to do other minor maintenance and repairs on these houses. So far he has done plumbing and electrical work, doors, windows, drywall install and repair, built shelves, balanced a washer, got a sticky lock working, and many other miscellaneous small jobs.
One of Brian's strongest skills is that he can look at something and figure out what's wrong and/or why it's not working. He's done this many times for me and it has saved me a truckload of money because he will suggest a simple, inexpensive fix requiring few parts and/or materials rather than advising me to rip the problem out and start over. Doors, windows, leaky faucets, installing light fixtures, repairing toilets, etc., he gets the job done quickly and efficiently. He shows up when he says he's going to, gets to the job within a day or two, charges a fair wage, and always stands behind his work. He'll also go the extra mile to find the part he needs or get help with a difficult problem. Every single time he has found a way to solve the problem and get the job done, and he doesn't charge me an arm and a leg to do it.
Brian does a good job every time, charges a fair wage, and saves me money on just about every job he does! I will continue to use him in the future and I would recommend him to anyone who asks. He's a great handyman to have on call!
One of Brian's strongest skills is that he can look at something and figure out what's wrong and/or why it's not working. He's done this many times for me and it has saved me a truckload of money because he will suggest a simple, inexpensive fix requiring few parts and/or materials rather than advising me to rip the problem out and start over. Doors, windows, leaky faucets, installing light fixtures, repairing toilets, etc., he gets the job done quickly and efficiently. He shows up when he says he's going to, gets to the job within a day or two, charges a fair wage, and always stands behind his work. He'll also go the extra mile to find the part he needs or get help with a difficult problem. Every single time he has found a way to solve the problem and get the job done, and he doesn't charge me an arm and a leg to do it.
Brian does a good job every time, charges a fair wage, and saves me money on just about every job he does! I will continue to use him in the future and I would recommend him to anyone who asks. He's a great handyman to have on call!
Ellen O.
Jan 2013
I had explained when I called him that I was having some interior painting done and my husband was not able to be home. I needed help moving some furniture around the rooms and some boxes carried downstairs for me. He accepted the job and the date and time were set. He showed up on time, but from the moment he started working, he also started complaining. It seemed that he really didn't want to be here, but he could have just said the job wasn't to his liking. Instead, I heard how hard this was and he hadn't worked this hard in a long time. I even felt that I needed to help him by carrying some of the items myself, just to be done faster. I'd even asked him about some gutter repairs (being more along his line of work). He quoted me a price and was supposed to call 3 days later to schedule the work. Then, at the end, after telling me he preferred cash instead of a check, he proceeded to offer me a part time job selling some gas service he's involved with. When I wasn't interested, he tried to get me to buy the gas service. Not at all what he was here for. Thankfully, he finally called to say he couldn't do the gutter work, as he didn't have the proper ladder. This saved me the task of telling him I didn't want him back. I got another company to fix the gutter for a fraction of what he was going to charge, with the proper ladder and done the day of the estimate.
Response from Brian's Home Repair
"Moving furniture is not normally a task a professional repairman does. This customer sounded desperate on the phone saying the only day the job could be done was on a Sunday because painters were scheduled to come on Monday. I suggested she see if the painters could move her stuff for her. She asked them and they refused. So ya, I interrupted my Sunday to help her. Now I'm sorry, but I do have a bad back so, normally I pick the jobs I know I can do that won't precipitate the pain. I felt sorry for her so I accepted her job. I am 63 years old and carrying the boxes down the stairs made me out of breath. I wasn't complaining, but, as I remember, I had no reservations expressing my surprise at how much out of breath it made me. She was the one that offered to pay in cash, if I wanted, so I chose cash over a check to save the extra step needed to convert a check into cash. She showed me the gutter job. I knew my ladder might not be high enough and it would be dangerous for me to try to do that job using my ladder. If I was going to do a dangerous job like that , I was going to have to get paid well for it. But, before I started the job, I decided that, although I like helping people out, it wasn't worth risking life and limb to try and make her happy. I suggested she call a gutter professional, knowing they should be able to give her a better price. I've devoted my whole life to providing quality service at very competitive prices. I always try to save my customers money over hiring the high priced guys. I treat my customers like friends and they usually do become friends. As for the gas service, we all know, lots of people are in need of more income and want to save money. My sideline business is another way I've found to help my customers do both, so I mentioned it too her to see if I could help her in yet another way. She declined and that was that. Obviously, I was not a good match for this customer. But, you’d have a hard time finding others that feel the same as her."
Gertrude S.
Jan 2013
Brian did a great job with both lights and the door. He had to work outside in the cold to do the door but did not complain. I am very happy with my new ceiling lights and the new dog door looks great and works great. Brian responds immediately to your call and sets up a time within a day or so. His charges are very reasonable.
Carol H.
Nov 2012
As I have had difficulty with "no show" handymen in the past (who never called back after missing the appt) I decided to check Angie's List. Did receive response from two of the messages that I left. Bryan, who was the first to call back, agreed to give an estimate for the work. Met with him and he gave an estimate that was slightly lower than one I had received by one of the previous "no show" handyman (who is not on Angie's list). I agreed to the price and an appointment was set up.
Since I live out of town upon his request I did call the day of the appointment to let him know I was at the rental property. Unfortunately I was unable to reach him personally but left a message. He did not make the appointment but did call back that afternoon to explain and apologize. A second appointment was set; I did call him prior to the appointment to let him know I was in Erie and he appeared at the property promptly. Because of the previous snafu he reduced the cost of the job.
He was very courteous and a neat worker. I will definitely contact him again.
Since I live out of town upon his request I did call the day of the appointment to let him know I was at the rental property. Unfortunately I was unable to reach him personally but left a message. He did not make the appointment but did call back that afternoon to explain and apologize. A second appointment was set; I did call him prior to the appointment to let him know I was in Erie and he appeared at the property promptly. Because of the previous snafu he reduced the cost of the job.
He was very courteous and a neat worker. I will definitely contact him again.
Gertrude S.
Aug 2012
I had questions about future projects, such as installing a built in dishwasher. Brian was very helpful.
Licensing
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FAQ
Brian's Home Repair is currently rated 4.5 overall out of 5.
No, Brian's Home Repair does not offer free project estimates.
No, Brian's Home Repair does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Brian's Home Repair does not offer a senior discount.
No, Brian's Home Repair does not offer emergency services.
No, Brian's Home Repair does not offer warranties.