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Hiring a handyman makes home improvement and repair tasks run quite a bit more smoothly than it typically would if you were to do it yourself, but it can also take a huge chunk of money out of your budget. However, there are some ways that you can get work done while still managing to save yourself a little bit of money. Have More Work Done at Once Often a handyman will charge a fuel charge or a minimum per-visit charge. If you can have him do two or three tasks while at your home, rather than calling him back two or three times, you will likely save a little bit of money. Your contractor will also appreciate your consideration of his valuable time, so this is a win-win situation for the both of you! Negotiate for the “Big” Jobs When you have a big job that will take several days, work to negotiate the price a bit lower than the bid you are quoted. Try to figure out how much the handyman needs to make per day, and then set your price based on the number of days he will be at your home and that amount. Often a larger job can get a discounted rate if you know how to negotiate. Buy Your Materials If your contractor does not have to run to the hardware store, you will save money. There will be no additional fuel charge or time spent shopping. Always ask if you can buy the materials first, and get a detailed list from the contractor about the supplies he will need for the job. When you are paying, ask the store personnel if there are any other items that you may not have. If something does not get used, you can return it, as long as you keep your receipts. Your goal is to have everything on hand that your contractor needs to finish the job without a trip to the hardware store. Do Some of the Dirty Work Are you having flooring installed? Remove your furniture before the contractor arrives. Do you want to hire a handyman to paint a room? Have it draped and all pictures removed from the walls ahead of time. This makes the task look easier, which may mean that you get a lower bid. Shop Around Before you sign a contract with any particular individual or company, make sure you have shopped around. Sometimes a little competition can get a price lower. If the contractor knows you are taking bids from some of his competition, even if he does not know what those bids are, then you may be able to get a better rate, because he will keep his bid in his lower range to land the job. As you go through the process of negotiating with a handyman, remember that you are working with a professional. Be polite, but firm in your requests. This will help both of you to come to a beneficial arrangement, and soon you will have a newly repaired or spruced up space in your home. If you are looking for anAustin handyman, a list of local professionals can be found by going here: http://www.angieslist.com/
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