Birch Builds

Most contractors won't come out for a single small repair. Birch Builds will — and will remodel the bathroom while it's there. It's a one-person Walpole operation covering bathrooms, kitchens, closets, built-ins and trim work alongside a long list of handywoman installations and repairs. The route in was unusual. Its founder spent 20 years in corporate marketing and finance at companies including adidas, Reebok, Hasbro and New Balance, then went full time into home improvement after friends and family kept asking her to take on their renovations and repairs. She writes the site herself, in the first person, describing herself as "a mom & wife" and the business as offering "General Handywoman" services — a woman-owned shop, in her own words. Two side lines round it out: pre-sale updates for realtors, and DIY classes for homeowners who would rather learn to do it themselves. Everything here is her own account of the business. Before booking, ask for a Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration number and a certificate of insurance, and — for anything past a small repair — a written scope with a price.