By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
Marlborough—“It’s hard to find someone to do the to-do list,” said Harry Dow, owner of Handyman Matters. “We can provide the resources to get the small to medium-sized projects completed.”
Dow started his business two years ago, after a career working for home builders and commercial construction firms, then managing benefit funds for the New England Carpenters. “I looked at different types of businesses, and liked that the founder of Handyman Matters is still involved, and the parent company is down-to-earth and honest.”
The Marlborough company offers a wide variety of services, “anything from changing a faucet and replacing screens to remodeling a bathroom or installing new windows or hardwood floors,” Dow said. He does a lot of work for homeowners getting ready to put their houses on the market or making repairs after a home inspection and for new homeowners wanting to make repairs before they move in.
The people who work for Handyman Matters are all direct employees, not subcontractors, with a core competency in carpentry but a variety of skills including hanging drywall, laying tiles and some painting.
“We have insurance and pay taxes, and our people are licensed and bonded. All have passed background checks so we can work in preschools and day care centers. Our people have anywhere from 15 to 40 years of experience in carpentry and related fields. Our most recent hire has a background in cabinet making, installing countertops and architectural millwork.”
For projects such as a bathroom remodel, Dow will bring in a licensed plumber or electrician he has a long-term working relationship with to assist.
He encourages homeowners to make a list of the projects they would like completed and call the office. “We’ll provide an idea of how long the job will take over the phone, then when our craftsman comes, he will look over the job and determine what materials are needed” for a closer estimate. Smaller jobs are billed on a time and materials basis.
The Handyman Matters craftsman will get any needed materials or the homeowner can purchase them in advance. The labor on all jobs carries a one-year warranty, which also applies to any materials that Handyman Matters provides.
“If customers make a list before they call, we can more accurately budget our time, and we will try to take care of any additional projects that come up while we are there or make arrangements to come back,” Dow said.
“We focus on half-day and full-day jobs, but also take on projects that can last a week or more,” such as a new deck or a recent job building a pergola.
Now is a good time to get a home ready for cold weather, he noted. Handyman Matters can check doors and windows for a tight fit, do weather stripping, make sure a home’s siding is in good condition and repair or install gutters. And if it turns out to be a severe winter, the firm can repair ice dam damage.
Handyman Matters works anywhere in the greater Metrowest area, from I-495 out to Worcester, and from Route 2 south to the Milford and Grafton area.
Handyman Matters is located at 40 Mechanic St. in Marlborough. For a list of the types of projects the company can take on see the website, www.handymanmatters.com/495-Metro-West. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 508-481-1715.