The list on the fridge

Every house has one. The blinds that never got hung. The fence panel that has been leaning since the last storm. The closet shelf that came down in March. The TV still sitting on the console because nobody wanted to drill into the wall.

None of these are big enough for a company with a dispatcher and a fleet. That is exactly why they never get done. Noah takes them, and he will take four of them in one visit, which is cheaper for you than four separate trip charges from four separate people.

What lands on this page

• TV mounting, including cable concealment in the wall cavity where no power relocation is involved
• Blinds, shades and curtain rods
• Shelving, floating shelves and closet systems
• Furniture and playset assembly
• Fence repair: wood, vinyl and chain link, including gates that stopped latching
• Gutter cleaning
• Drain clearing and snaking
• Appliance installation for cord-and-plug units: washers, dryers, refrigerators, ranges and over-range microwaves
• Door adjustment, latch and strike plate fixes, and doors that will not stay closed
• Caulking, weatherstripping and door sweeps
• Mailbox posts, house numbers and address plaques
• Mounting and hanging: mirrors, art, garage racks, hose reels and organizers
• Attic ladder adjustment and repair
• Pet doors in existing wood and vinyl doors
• Grab bars anchored into framing or with proper wall anchors
• Punch list work before you sell, so the inspection report is shorter

Aging in place, done sensibly

Pasco County is older than the Florida average and considerably older than the national one. New Port Richey is more than a quarter over 65 and Trinity’s median age is 47. A lot of what makes a house work for another decade is not dramatic: a grab bar anchored into a stud instead of into drywall, a threshold that stops catching a walker, a lever handle instead of a knob, better light in a hallway, a shelf lowered eight inches.

That work is squarely handyman scope and Noah is glad to do it. What he cannot do is convert a tub to a shower, because that is plumbing.

The line, stated plainly

Ceiling fans, light fixtures, outlets and anything else electrical are off the table in Florida for an unlicensed person, at any price, with no exception for how small the job is. Same for plumbing fixture replacement, water heaters, HVAC, roofing and anything structural. If your list has one of those on it, Noah will do the other eleven items and tell you who to call for the twelfth.

Questions people actually ask

Is there a minimum charge?

There is a minimum visit, because driving to Trinity for a fifteen minute job does not work for anyone. The practical answer is to stack your list. If you have six small things, that is one efficient visit instead of six trip charges.

How do you charge, hourly or by the job?

Small and unpredictable work is hourly. Anything with a defined scope gets a flat number before he starts, so you are not watching the clock and wondering.

Can you fix my ceiling fan? It wobbles.

Balancing a fan that is already installed is one thing, but anything involving the wiring, the mounting box or replacing the fixture is electrical work and requires a Florida license. Florida’s electrical rules have no small-job exemption at all, which surprises most people. He will pass that one to an electrician.

Do you do work on rental properties and turnovers?

Yes, and turnover punch lists are a good fit: paint, patch, blinds, doors, caulk, hardware, all in one visit between tenants.

My fence blew over. Can you fix it?

Repairing panels, pickets, rails and gates on an existing fence is fine. If the posts snapped off in concrete and it needs new footings, that crosses into permit territory in Pasco and needs a different conversation.

Can you help me get the house ready to list?

That is one of the better uses of a handyman. A day or two of patch, paint, caulk, door adjustment and hardware makes a house photograph and show noticeably better, and it shortens the inspection report the buyer’s agent waves at you later.