Mr Handyman

Mr. Handyman of North Essex County works out of 60 Pine Street in Methuen, and it sits at the small-jobs end of the trade — the odd repair around the house rather than a renovation. Its own listing describes what it does simply as handyman jobs, with free estimates and card payment accepted. The public picture is thin and it pulls in two directions. On Google the company sits at 2.0 from four ratings. The most recent of those, this July, came from a homeowner who had a broken storm door handle replaced: on time, friendly, good job, and they said they would hire the company again. Its directory reviews are dated, reaching back to 2010 and 2011, and both of those customers recommended it too. Two things to settle on the phone. Ask exactly what a visit costs and what the first hour covers before anyone is scheduled. Then ask for licence and insurance details directly — the company describes itself as licensed and insured, but that is its own wording on a page that states such claims are self-reported and carries no number, and the same listing says it offers no warranties and no emergency service. One caution when comparing quotes: there are at least three separate Mr. Handyman franchises in this corner of the state, including one in Middleton with well over a thousand reviews and another in Tyngsboro. Ratings you find under the brand name may belong to a neighbouring territory rather than to the Methuen business. Worth a call for a small, well-defined repair — a door, a fixture, something you want done properly in an hour or two. For anything larger there is not much to go on yet, so line up a second quote.