So, you’ve just found the perfect home for you. All that’s left now is some home repair and maintenance services before you move in. As with most people, buying a home is a key milestone in life. Not only is it a great investment but also the place that will host many of the memories you and your friends and even children will reminisce about years from now.
Or maybe you’ve been in your home a while now and just want to hand over the repairs to someone else. Even if you’re a handy guy or gal, routine maintenance and repairs takes time away from doing things you love to do. As such, most homeowners find help for common repairs.
It can be a pain in the back side to constantly source skilled people, wait for them to show up, and cross your fingers they did a good job. You’re letting strangers into your home and rarely get the same person twice.
What if there’s another solution that can eliminate this? One that ensures all your repair and maintenance needs are taken care of by the same person while your privacy and safety are preserved?
Read on to find out. But first, see why you don’t want to go the traditional route.
Challenges With Unstructured Home Repair and Maintenance Services
Every homeowner knows that no matter what home you’re in, you’ll most likely need to do some repairs from time to time. Some of the most common move-in home improvement areas include:
- Plumbing
- Floors
- Locks
- Paint
- Structural issues
- Wiring
As you can see, these are tasks that require a wide range of skills. This is why in most cases, you’ll likely need to bring in two or more people to fix them. Unfortunately, this method comes with several drawbacks such as:
- Many people inside your house
- Contractors upselling and upcharging on parts
- You can’t be sure of the quality of service until after the job is done
More importantly, this method often results in higher maintenance and repair costs. Therefore, as a prudent home buyer, you should consider another home repair and maintenance services option.
Related: After the freeze: Your home checklist
Home Repair and Maintenance Services on a Membership Basis
If having strangers inside your house and paying high prices for unreliable services is not appealing to you, know you have options. This isn’t your parent’s generation, where you were stuck asking for referrals, had to deal with long service windows, and then hope that the stranger you let into your home is legit and has your best interest at heart.
Today, even home repairs and maintenance can be on a membership basis. What does that mean?
With the membership method, it’s significantly different. You’ll choose a home repair and maintenance services company that operates with such a model, and you pay a monthly subscription fee to have access to your own personal home expert. They do it all – preventative maintenance and repairs. Same person, dedicated to keeping your home in top shape to minimize costly repairs.
Why a Home Maintenance Membership?
In fairness, repair and maintenance needs arise sporadically. So, why would you pay for a home repair and maintenance service subscription? Well, there’s a number of reasons to do so:
- The same experienced handyman each time
If you are a first time home buyer, you should acknowledge that performing repairs is a regular part of homeownership. For those of you experienced home owners, you know the hassles. Either way, a good handyman you can trust with most repairs is a great asset to have on call. On the other hand, a bad or incompetent one can leave you with many regrets.
Some of the risks that come with hiring an unreliable handyman include:
- Scams
- Poor quality work
- Long wait times
- Unpredictable schedules
- Overpriced services and parts
- Theft
If it’s substandard service, you’ll have to hire someone else for the same job. With theft and scams, you may lose money for no service at all. This is why hiring a competent, professional, and reliable handyman is essential.
In essence, subscriptions are a long-term agreement between you and the service provider. In exchange for your subscription fee, they provide continuous home maintenance services. To deliver high-quality services, the company:
- Only vets, hires, and trains the best handymen
- Conducts ongoing training to ensure handypersons can tackle any repair job
- Maintains high levels of customer service through reliable support
With this, you’ll have a reliable handyman only a call away at all times. Moreover, only one handyman will be assigned to your home. This means you won’t have to worry about inviting strangers into your home.
Keep in mind this type of membership service is vastly different from a home warranty service that you may get when you close on a new home. Home warranty services will not send the same person for each repair or service call. In fact, they subcontract services to local providers, most of which are the cheapest in town so they can save money. They are also notorious for telling you whatever you needed fixing is not covered under your plan.
- Bi-Annual preventive maintenance
The best way to address a home repair concern is to prevent it. Significant issues rarely arise overnight; they likely took time to develop. However, it’s hard to notice things like leaking pipes since they are mostly out of sight.
The best part of subscribing to home repair and maintenance services is preventive maintenance. Instead of waiting for pipes to burst or your HVAC to fail, your handyman will conduct preventative maintenance twice a year.
They can identify and address problems early on, then take action to prevent costly repairs later. This significantly reduces the risk of sudden damage that may leave you without a critical utility such as water or air conditioning.
The primary objective of preventive maintenance is to ensure you come home to a home that works. It involves:
- Replacing the batteries in smoke and CO2 detectors
- Flushing sediment from water heaters
- Replacing AC filters
- Inspection of faucets, fixtures, toilets, and sinks for leaks
- Inspection and insulation of exterior plumbing
- Inspect and replace appliance lights as needed
- Provide and replace AC filters
- Wholesale prices on parts
A significant portion of repair costs comes from the replacement parts. This is one of the areas where subscribing to home maintenance services is beneficial.
Ordinarily, the repair technician will give you the list of parts necessary for you to purchase. You’re not only trusting they’re being honest, but you likely have no idea how much they are marking up parts costs. Most homeowners just sign on the dotted line.
Should you choose a repair and maintenance services subscription, on the other hand, you may incur significantly lower costs on replacement parts as the most reputable providers will offer you at wholesale prices. With no markups, you can trust they aren’t just trying to sell you something you may not have needed. Depending on the parts necessary, this may save you tens to hundreds of dollars.
- Lower repair and maintenance costs
As a homeowner, you should take home maintenance seriously. To begin with, you should always be alert to spot anything that may be damaged or not functioning optimally. Even if the damage seems minor, take remedial measures as soon as possible.
On top of this, thorough assessment and maintenance should be done at least once a year. While you may plan to do this yourself or call a handyperson every time, it may not suffice. Many homeowners do not have the necessary training and skills to effectively assess key areas, and you may forget to make the appointment when the time comes.
By subscribing to home repair and maintenance services, you eliminate such risks. You’ll have a qualified and experienced professional performing all maintenance. Moreover, since they’ve been assigned to your house, they’ll schedule maintenance appointments so you don’t have to think about it. All you need to do is enjoy your fully functioning home.
Related: An ounce of prevention, a pound of cure
- On-Demand basic repair services
Bi-annual maintenance checks go a long way in preventing severe repair needs. However, you may still need some repairs done between maintenance checks. If so, you do not need to worry about it. Just contact the company, and the handyman assigned to your home will fix it, usually for a low hourly rate.
This approach to repairs and maintenance work can save you a lot of money and a heck of a lot of time. You won’t have to figure out how to repair something or purchase supplies to do the work. You also know an expert is keeping an eye on things for you.
- No emergency fees
When it comes to emergency home repairs, there are three things that you should know; they happen to everyone, they’re often costly, and they can occur at the worst possible times. This is why HVAC systems fail when it’s 102 degrees outside and pipes burst at 3 am.
While you may not always have much control over when emergencies strike, you can take action to make the costs manageable. Ordinarily, repair and maintenance work is scheduled. Since you can’t do this for emergencies, handypersons may not always be available. Sure, some providers offer after-hours service calls, but be prepared to pay if you decide to use it.
This is why emergency repairs are so expensive. The repair technician will either come to your aid during off-time hours, or they may have to reschedule another appointment to address your emergency. The situation can even worsen if it’s an emergency affecting a big area, meaning more people will need repair services.
If you subscribe to home repair services, you won’t have to worry about waiting for help or high emergency service fees. Your handyman is the only person you likely have to call, and they will be able to tend to you much faster than most service companies.
How to Choose the Right Repair and Maintenance Company
When it comes to handyman service companies, there’s no shortage of options; however, only a few offer a membership option that comes with your personal home manager who prioritizes your home.
Some of the critical factors to consider include:
- Years in operation
While most repair work may seem basic, it’s often because of the tremendous skill and experience of the handyman. Otherwise, you can just as easily find yourself with questionable work that needs to be redone.
A handyman is required to handle a wide range of repair tasks. These range from plumbing works to HVAC maintenance. Becoming highly proficient in all areas takes a lot of time and experience.
This is one of the reasons that you should consider a company that hires only trained and experienced people.
- Professionalism
Skills and experience are vital factors when choosing a handyperson. However, they should be accompanied by professionalism.
You can gauge a company’s professionalism by how they communicate with you and address your concerns. Communication should be prompt, polite, and honest.
- Customer reviews
Beyond personal interaction with the company, it’s also important to find out what their current customers think of their service. Ask the company to provide referrals that you can contact. Also, go to their website and social media pages and check for reviews.
- Licenses and insurance
Even with the best companies, accidents or mistakes can occur But who bears the cost and liability? As such, you should ensure that you only work with a company that has all the necessary licenses and insurance.
Get the Best Handyman Services
Home repair and maintenance services don’t have to be expensive or a hassle. Whether you are new to home ownership or been at it for decades, a membership will save you time and money while giving you peace of mind that your home is taken care of so you can enjoy it more.
PreFix Inc can help you achieve this with our home repairs and maintenance subscription service. Get started today to enjoy the peace of mind that your home is in peak condition at all times.