Men have a unique role in this society. We unfairly place a lot of responsibility on their ability to repair things around the house just because they're male. The fact is males aren't born with a toolbox in their hands! Just because there's a man in the house - that doesn't mean he knows (or should know) how to repair Plumbing patch a Roof, or install an automatic garage opener. These are the skills of a trained handy man. Of course we're being a little sexist here... no one (male or female) other than a handy man should be expected to know how to do these things.



Sometimes, we experience problems so unexpectedly that we panic, and reach out to the first person who might 'seem' to know 'something' about what's wrong. So we turn to them for help. We turn to our spouses, neighbors, friends, relatives - even the kid working at the corner grocery store in hopes that they can fix that leaky pipe and fix it fast! Although their intentions may be well meant, untrained volunteers could end up doing more harm than good.

A handy man on the other hand, has attended trade school to learn how to do these things and they are the only real solution to home faux pas. They have the training, the tools, and the resources to fix a problem without the worry of damage or further repairs.

Definition

A handy man is a person skilled in various odd jobs and other small tasks. Also referred to as a jack of all trades, maintenance man, repairman, service man, or odd-job man, the handy man can become a homeowners best friend. Anyone who has owned a home for a significant amount of time will tell you that they are far from 'goof-proof.' Roofsleak, pipes burst, walls crack, and Electrical systems suddenly quit. With problems like these, it's almost a shame that every home sold doesn't come with it's own handy man!

Application

You've heard the saying, 'You can attract more bees with honey than without.' Well that same saying applies to the performance and work quality of your handy man!

Aside from natural good manners, the following suggests three of the most important things that you can do to strengthen your relationship with your handy man and why they're important.

1.Your relationship with your handy man should foremost be based on respect. A handy man is not at your beck and call and if you can't get a hold of one when you need to, be smart and have a back up. Have a list of two or three if necessary so that you can get the repairs you need in a timely manner without stress.

2.When you make an appointment with your handy man, remember that your planning affects the schedule of your contractor as well as the schedule of others who depend on him or her as well. So if you need to cancel or you won't be home, make arrangements ahead of time to either keep the appointment or reschedule.

3.Be patient if you believe a project or repair is taking longer than you anticipated. You'll find that a little cooperation goes a long way. Otherwise you might risk creating an atmosphere that's non-appreciative and/or filled with distrust. And that's an atmosphere that no one wants to work in.