HOUSE CALLS Home Services

Ask about a handyman in Essex County and this name comes up with an origin story: founder Michael McDonagh — reviewers just call him Mike — started HOUSE CALLS after people kept asking him, while he was leading hikes around the area, where to find someone trustworthy to fix things. Fourteen Google reviews dated 2021 through last year are five stars each, and they back that up with specifics rather than just adjectives. In reviews from 2021 to 2024, the jobs described are wide and small: a faucet swapped out in a kitchen sink, a section of ceiling drywall repaired and texture-matched, loose entryway slate tiles re-cemented and re-grouted, old shutters replaced, a storm-damaged door fixed, and rotted back stairs repaired and repainted to add years of life rather than force a bigger replacement. A 2024 review describes him pointing a customer to a cheaper hardware-store part instead of doing the fix himself, and a 2022 review notes he "returned my call promptly" and fit a job into a busy schedule within days. Several customers turn out to be repeat callers: a 2025 review says the homeowner had "already thought about more things I want done" after one visit, and a 2022 review about hanging a heavy mirror ends the same way, planning to call again. Communication comes up often too — staying in touch while work is in progress, ordering materials as needed, and holding to the time he estimates. One thing worth asking about directly: the state registry shows the company's Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration (#151758) as expired, so confirm its current standing before booking. For the kind of house-call-sized jobs that don't need a full trade contractor — a faucet, a door, a section of trim, an afternoon of odd jobs — this is a one-person operation with a deep, consistent record behind it.