Homeowner Agency

You own your home - a huge investment that is built to last a long time. But, homes need maintenance as things wear or break, the house settles, or to adapt to your changing needs. Sometimes you call a skilled professional, sometimes you call a handyman and sometimes you can do the work yourself. One of my goals handyguy goals is to help homeowners to help themselves by doing more of the work themselves. Of course, some of my clients are able to do the work themselves but have no time for it, they already have the agency I wish to spread to more of my clients who lack it.

Most of what I do requires tools. I can’t do those things without them, regardless of my experience or imagination. Without tools you can’t do them either. And, lacking the tools for any job makes it seem daunting and can sometimes be dangerous! My Home Toolkit page lists many common tools you might need over time. If you have no toolkit, this is a good starting point. If you do have a toolkit, compare it’s contents to what is on that page to see if there are some useful tools you are missing. Tools are an investment because they generally last a long time and can be used many times. Each tool you buy increases your Homeowner Agency to some degree because it adds to your repertoire of repairs and improvements you can make. So, the first step in increasing your own Homeowner Agency is to acquire some tools. If your tools are broken or damaged, get better ones.

You can learn a lot from videos on youtube.com. Want to know how to caulk like a pro? Fix a broken sash cord for a counterbalanced window? There are plenty of videos. But, not everyone likes to learn that way or learns effectively that way. Sometimes it isn’t as easy as the video makes it seem. One of my handyguy goals is to show you how to do whatever I am doing. I’ll be happy to teach you how to do it. For example, if you planned to replace six light fixtures, I might do the first while you watch, and you might do the second while I watch, and then you’d do the rest without my help. Not only does it cost you less, you can then replace any of your light fixtures from then on because you’ll know how to do it. From that point forward in time light fixtures are something you can change whenever you want. Your Homeowner Agency would have increased and yet another system in your house would be something you can control without paying anyone.

Increasing your Homeowner Agency might feel difficult at first because each new system you encounter has its mysteries. One of my handyguy goals is to de-mystify household systems for my clients. I’ll tell you a secret: most household systems are quite simple and are not actually mysterious at all once you understand them. But, you’ll start to see that the same techniques get used over and over in different systems, and suddenly what you know about light switches helps a lot with electrical outlets. What you learn about hanging curtains helps when you need to hang a heavy picture. Some of what you learn about fences applies to gates too. Homeowner Agency doesn’t mean you won’t call professionals anymore, or even a handyman, but you might call them less often, and you might be interested to watch what they do to see if it is something you’d like to learn.

I teach power tool certification classes at Ace Monster Toys - you can see details on my Classes page. The major woodworking tools like the table saw and the drill press give people agency in the workshop. I can and do use them to build whatever I wish, including wood of any dimensions that might be needed for one of my own or my client’s projects. Teaching people how to use these tools is fun and easy. These tools were meant to be used. Similarly, many of the systems in your home were meant for you to be able to work on them. They were designed to be easily maintained or replaced. I have both the skill to do the work, and the skill to teach you how to do the work. I’m happy to do either or both and I invite my clients to participate to reduce costs and to learn how this repair or improvement is made. And, all projects involve choices and when my client is involved those choices are easier for them to make.

Your Homeowner Agency will increase over time. If I can help, I certainly will. My time is yours to spend. What matters most to me is that you feel the time was a good value for your money.