Author: Scott Becker   Your Online Handyman   January 2010

Let’s face it, home repairs aren’t cheap.  Not to say that your contractor is ripping you off, but time is money and when you are paying for someone’s time it can get rather costly.  After all they, have to earn a living too.

As you may have noticed, I have not been blogging in the last week as much as I would like.  Why?  Because I have been busy off-line on-the-job fixings almost everything especially in one particular home.  As soon as I repair one thing, the homeowner appears with a list of several more things that need my attention.

For me it has been a really good job with a lot of work, for the homeowner it is going to be somewhat different.  Although it is going to seem like a different house, I am going to have to present to this homeowner quite a sizable invoice.  After all, I spent so much time away from the things that I really like to do.  There was rotting wood, broken tiles, doors that didn’t close and painting that needed to be done.

Considering that this has been a difficult year at best economically, I’m glad to have a job like this.  And I’m also sure that the homeowner will be glad to get all of this work behind him, except as I mentioned he probably will not be that excited when he gets my bill.

Would you like to avoid excessive home repairs and the bills that go along with them? Would you like to save money?  Well, you can, it’s really not that difficult, it just takes some planning and a few good habits.

1.  DIY – do as much of the work as you can yourself.  Even if your contractor isn’t billing by the hour, you can be assured that he is still billing by the amount of work to that has to be done.

2. Combine several jobs – not only is there a minimum charge,each time a contractor has to come into your home, two jobs done at the same time can be done faster by sharing materials and manpower and thus save you money than if each job is done separately.

3. Maintenance – maintaining your home either by doing it yourself or hiring a professional contractor will help you save money and avoid a situation like the one that my customer is in which is needing everything done at the same time.

4. Be flexible – ask your contractor if he or she has a time in their schedule that they haven’t been able to, but would like to fill.  Often by helping them out and taking a time that they slot that they choose, they will save you a couple of bucks.

Home repairs can be rather expensive, but by applying a few simple techniques they don’t have to be as high as you think.  And if you really want to save money on your home maintenance and repairs, fill in your name and email address in the box on the far right.  By doing so you will receive periodic strategies and ideas that will keep you’re hard earned money in your pocket and not your contractors. however if you don’t have the experience and skills needed to complete a home project don’t be afraid to give your local handyman a call.

When you need a handyman services in the Kansas City are, UBM is the company with a reputation for satisfying the needs of homeowners and business owners. Contact us or call 913-322-6200 today.