As you go through the ramp up to sell your home, you most likely will need to make a number of repairs and updates... and in many cases you can do them yourself. However, there will be some that will require a little bit more skill, time and effort... and they may also be well beyond your capabilities.
In such cases, you may want to consider hiring a good handyman that can handle these jobs. A handyman is usually less expensive then a contractor since the handyman will only charge you for hours worked plus materials and has generally a much lower overhead because he typically works alone.
However, if you're going to do more extensive and involved work, you should hire a contractor instead. A general contractor (GC) differs from a handyman by being able to take on much larger jobs where he hires, coordinates and supervises specialized tradespeople such as excavators, masons, tile layers, carpenters, plasterers, painters, roofers, plumbers, electricians, and other craftsmen.
Either way, before you hire a handyman or a contractor, make sure to make a list of the jobs at hand. If your list ends up containing mostly small repairs and some simple updating like painting, a handyman should be just fine.
Try this to find and hire the right person for the jobs at hand:
1. Get recommendations from family, friends, neighboors, your home inspector or real estate professional. They all may know an individual that specializes in repairs, touch-ups and fix-ups. You can also go online and research sites such as Angie's List.com to find, compare and hire workmen.
2. Make sure to interview several handymen and get pricing from them. You need to establish that the handyman you hire has the knowledge, experience and equipment to do the jobs you need done and is also standing behind his work.
3. Hire only individuals that are properly licensed, bonded, insured and are willing to give you garantees.
4. In addition, you want someone you'll feel comfortable having around your family and in your home.
5. Always inspect the work while it's in progress and when it's finished as well. Most handyman are eager to do a good job out of pride and since they are relying heavily on referrals... so if you're happy and satisfied, you'll recommend the handyman to your family and friends.
In summary, what you don't want to do is to leave small repairs undone. Potential home buyers will notice if maintenance has been neglegted or ignored, and come very quickly to the conclusion that your home is in need of much more repairs than it actually needs.
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