Realty Home Improvement

Realty Home Improvement, known locally as RHI, is a Clinton, Massachusetts crew built around one specific niche: getting houses ready for sale. Its own site describes sending multi-trade handyman teams to run through a whole punch list — demolition, dumpster drop-off, cleanouts, painting, kitchen and bath work — for realtors and homeowners trying to maximize what a property sells for. The company says it's been doing this since 2005 under the Smalanskas family, whom a Thumbtack review names as owner Rick (Richard Smalanskas); exactly how long is unclear, since HomeAdvisor lists 19 years in business and Thumbtack lists 10, both at odds with the 2005 date on the company's own site. The one detailed customer account is a rough one. In a September 2025 Thumbtack review, a customer describes a basement renovation meant to run 7-10 days: on day 7 the job wasn't finished, work was rushed at the last minute, and asking for one more day got an attitude from Rick instead of a straightforward yes. The company posted a public reply disputing that framing, saying the signed scope was detailed up front and that flooring, extra light fixtures and wall paneling were included at no additional charge. Separately, a Harvard, MA neighbor named RHI by phone number on Nextdoor when someone asked for a contractor referral, with no further detail either way. Its HomeAdvisor FAQ states plainly that it doesn't offer free estimates, warranties, eco-friendly accreditations or emergency service. Given that account centers on a timeline and communication dispute, it's worth pinning down the schedule and scope in writing before work starts.