The Family Handyman – June 2020
English | 85 pages | pdf | 90.81 MB
Tip from The Family Handyman Magazine Before you call a proI’ve spent almost 30 years interviewing people who make their living fixing stuff. Every single one of them has stressed this: A lot of service calls aren’t necessary(my own estimate is 25%). Instead, they’re for minor items that a homeowner could handle in 10 minutes or—often—10 seconds.
That’s unfortunate, since a minimum service charge is usually about $100. In The Family Handyman magazine June 2020 issue, we’ll show you dozens of those instant fixes you can do yourself.
That’s unfortunate, since a minimum service charge is usually about $100. In The Family Handyman magazine June 2020 issue, we’ll show you dozens of those instant fixes you can do yourself.
If you must call
After you’ve ruled out the instant fixes and you find yourself stumped, there are still a few things you can do to trim the repair bill by making the job faster and easier for the pro:
- PROVIDE LOTS OF INFO. When you’re setting up the service call, be ready with the make and model of the item. Also offer to send photos of the unit or the problem. If the HVAC unit or appliance is displaying an error code, tell them about it (see pp. 31 and 38 for more on this). Armed with clues, the service tech knows what to expect. They may even show up with the correct replacement parts and avoid a trip to the supplier.
- CLEAR THE WORKSPACE. If you leave dirty dishes in a broken dishwasher or a stack of boxes around a leaky water heater, you’re essentially paying the repair tech to move them. But if you provide easy access, you’ll save them some time and yourself some money.
- AND FINALLY, BE NICE. Technicians often make judgment calls while doing repairs and tallying the bill. Having done repair work, I guarantee that considerate customers get treated well in return: better service, extra attention and sometimes even a little break on the bill.
ROM GARY WENTZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Download from:
