Are you considering updating your space with IKEA furniture but worried that “some assembly required” could be more than you bargained for? Don’t let a complicated set of instructions stand between you and the home or business space of your dreams. Contact Fix It!^® to learn about our IKEA Assembly Services. We’ll send one of our skilled professionals to your home or office to assemble your IKEA furniture.

Fix It!^® IKEA Assembly Services Include:

• IKEA bed frame assembly
  • IKEA MALM bed
  • IKEA BRIMNES bed
  • IKEA BRUSALI bed
• IKEA desk assembly
  • IKEA EXPEDIT desk
  • IKEA MALM desk
  • IKEA MICKE desk
• IKEA chair assembly
  • IKEA PÖANG chair
  • IKEA EKTORP armchair
  • IKEA PELLO armchair
• IKEA cabinet assembly & installation
  • IKEA ALEX drawer unit
  • IKEA SEKTION cabinets
  • IKEA PAX wardrobe
• And more … Just ask!

IKEA Assembly – A Complement to Your Overall Improvement Plan

Your new furniture deserves a striking stage. Looking to install or repair a light fixture? Planning a painting project? Considering kitchen or bathroom repairs? Contact Fix It!^® to see what other repair services our professionals can provide for your home or business in tandem with the assembly and installation of your IKEA purchase.

Fix It!^® – Trustworthy. Locally Owned. Experienced.

When you call Fix It!^®, you can be confident you’re hiring a true expert. We arrive on time in a clearly marked, fully equipped van and perform workmanship that is guaranteed. Our professional handymen have an average of 10 years’ experience and are skilled at a variety of trades. You can relax knowing we back every job we do with our “2 Year Warranty”

Contact Fix It!^® Near Me Handyman to Assemble your Ikea Furniture

If assembly is required, Fix It!^® Near Me Handyman can do it. Our home improvement professionals are experts at assembling all types of furniture, toys and equipment. So, if you don’t have the time to do it yourself or want to make sure it’s assembled correctly, request service with Fix It!^® Near Me Handyman.

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One of the areas that see a lot of action during summer is the deck or patio. Such spots are the perfect place for family and friends to gather, especially while grilling some food. Yet decks and patios can become weathered over time and require maintenance. The wood in a deck can become rotten or warped, not to mention the possibility of handrails becoming loose or support posts weakening. Before using the deck as the neighborhood party spot, it behooves the responsible homeowner to contact the licensed professionals of Fix It!® – Handyman to fully check out the deck or patio and affect any needed repairs. Perhaps all a deck needs is some minor work to smooth out the wood and re-finish it, while a patio may only need some power washing or some minor repairs. Our main goal is always to get your deck or patio ready for the summer season and ensure that every party and gathering will be safe and fun.

Another summer project that is great for a handyman to do is to tackle a home’s ventilation. The season is known for days of glorious sunshine and less-than-glorious heat. Having a home’s screens cleaned will ensure proper airflow, helping the house to stay nice and cool. Perhaps you have long desired to install screen doors in order to take advantage of cooling, natural breezes. The idyllic summer season is the perfect time to hire a handyman to check that project off the list. A comprehensive check on attic fans and whole house fans can be undertaken as well, or such features can be installed if desired. Whole house fans and attic fans help cut down on air conditioning costs while maintaining a pleasant temperature within the home. Why suffer in a sweltering attic, figuring out how to install such ventilation, when you can call the licensed pros at Fix It!® – Handyman to do the job for you?

A couple of summer projects that impact the exterior of a house are gutter cleaning. The warm climate of summer is the perfect time to get such troublesome chores out of the way. The experienced personnel at Fix It!® – Handyman are old hands with such tasks. Cleaning gutters is necessary to ensure that excess rainwater continues to be safely moved away from your home, but it can be a hassle. Even worse, quite a few people injure themselves every year by falling off their ladder while attempting to remove debris from their gutters. We are often called to do this job for older homeowners who are now physically unable to perform the task.

A perfect summer project for you to contact Fix It!® – Handyman about is replacing outside faucets (also known as silcocks). Your outdoor faucets will see a ton of use during summer as the kids’ pool will need to be filled up or to set up a sprinkler for the children to run through. These outdoor faucets can take a lot of abuse, either from things banging into them or the harsh Boston winter. It’s always worthwhile to have our licensed professionals ascertain the condition of your outdoor faucet so as to nip in the bud any possible problems that may arise from a leaking pipe or joint. We’ll make sure that your outdoor spigots are ready for all the watery fun that the summer season requires.

As you can see, there are a lot of summer projects that are perfect for a handyman to tackle. From fixing the deck to maintaining/upgrading the home’s ventilation, the fully licensed and insured professionals at Fix It!® Handyman can help make your summer something truly memorable. Why attempt such tiresome projects yourself? The summer is meant for relaxation, so call us to make sure your home is ready for everything summer has to offer.

Get Help

Call or Text Fix It!® Handyman at (508) 305-2055 if You need help. You may also use our online form to let us know specifically what you need and even request special projects in the notes section.

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While the expression may go: “It’s a poor craftsman that blames his tools,” we tend to disagree. Really, it means that being an expert handyman means having the right equipment and knowing how to use it. No matter how skilled you are at home renovation, you wouldn’t attempt to build a bench or fix a hole in the wall without having the necessary set of tools, right?

Don’t be intimidated by the hundreds, if not thousands, of tools you find at your local department store. Really, just a few basic tools will get almost any job done. Here are the top five tools every homeowner needs in their toolbox.

A hammer: A quality hammer can be used for everything from hanging a picture to small demolition projects. And while your grandfather may have sworn by his wooden handle hammer, they can actually break pretty easily. Instead, opt for one made out of something a bit stronger, like steel or iron.

A Phillips-head screwdriver: Phillips screwdrivers quickly replaced flat-head screwdrivers because its four-star point lets a user apply more pressure and torque. This is also one of the few tools that you want to have in various sizes.

A tape measure: Whether you’re building a birdhouse with your kids or putting a pool in the backyard, a good tape measure is a must. A quality, 25’ tape measure will prevent you from ever hearing those dreaded words: “it’s off by an inch.”

Needle nose pliers: If you frequently work with electrical equipment, needle nose pliers are a must-have. Their thin design makes them great for getting into those hard-to-reach spots or getting a hold of a thin wire.

A level: When you’re hanging a 60-inch plasma screen TV, you pretty much only have one chance to get it right – so while there are electronic levels and apps that claim to get the job done, a traditional level is still the most accurate.

If you don’t have the right tools for a project, have no fear! At Fix It!®, we work with top-notch products and will install, repair almost anything in your home. Each project we undertake is unique and requires special attention. By working closely with you, we gain a complete understanding of your goals and expectations and then not only meet them but exceed them! For more information on the services we offer, give us a call at 508-305-2055 or contact us online!!!

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These are well intended resolutions, but they often fall by the wayside.  So much of our lives have an established pattern for when we rise, leave for work, where we eat lunch and who we spend time with.  It’s hard to become the ‘new you’ while continuing the patterned daily routine of the ‘old you’.  You need to change your old routine and behaviors for your New Year resolutions to succeed.

So, this is where I want to discuss your ‘to do’ list.  Maybe you used to do your own home maintenance and repair work, and even some home improvement projects. But then your home got older and required more frequent attention, your life got busier and you had less and less time to give. Adding things to your ‘to do’ list was easy, but crossing them off became harder.  Now, the list is overwhelming and you don’t know where to start.

As with any of your resolutions, the place to start is with help.  An ally in your corner, somebody that can help you get caught up, and somebody that can keep you caught up.  Once caught up you can take care of those items that you want to, but also have a trusted service partner that can deal with anything else and keep your list current and your home in great shape.

If you, or your service partner, resolve the little problems before they become big problems they are both simpler and cheaper to deal with. So, procrastination allows your list to grow, but delay also causes the cumulative costs to increase. You want to avoid this. Don’t add to a list, get it done.

As a reliable and trusted one-call solution for most home maintenance and repair needs, Fix It!® can be your home service partner.  We can get you caught up, and we can keep you caught up.  By resolving to call Fix It!® Near Me Handyman whenever a need arises you will remove the stress of a growing list.  Dealing with issues early means costs are minimized, and you can rest easy knowing your home is in good hands.  This allows you to focus on other resolutions and the lifestyle changes required to achieve success with them.

And, as an incentive to make that resolution to get caught up on your ‘To do’ list, and to start now while your motivation is strong, Fix It!® is offering $25 OFF off our dispatch call fee (The dispatch fee is always credit with any work approval, or reimburse if we can’t perform the repairs).  This is our best rate of the year and your opportunity to tackle your ‘to do’ list economically with Boston & MetroWest’s most trusted name in home repairs.

Happy New Year, and we look forward to serving your needs in 2019!!!

Call or Text Fix It!® at (508) 305-2055. You may also use our online form to let us know specifically what you need and even request special projects in the notes section.

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The Differences between a Handyman a Contractor and a General Contractor

A handyman is a person who generally does not have a trade license but has a lot of experience working with and repairing houses. He will have all his own tools and equipment. Keep in mind that not every handyman is made the same. Because there is no licensing process, there can be a huge amount of variability in the quality of service provided by one handyman compared to another. It is good practice to make sure that anyone you hire has positive online reviews, and comes recommended from someone who has hired him in the past. A handyman may or may not be required to have a city business license and he may be qualified in a particular trade.

A contractor is licensed in a particular trade like plumbing or electrical.

A general contractor is a licensed business that can hire sub-trades to get a major project done. He may have gone through an apprenticeship in some of the trades but not necessarily since he should be hiring qualified tradespeople. I said should because there are regulations about how many helpers he can have per trades person he hires and it might be a helper that he sends to your house. At the end of the day, it is the contractor who is responsible that everything is done to code with permits and inspections.

An advantage of handymen is their flexibility. If you need a paint touch-up on your property, minor plumbing repair, and doors replaced, a good handyman can do all three of these things, and you won’t have to hire and coordinate three separate contractors. Additionally, the hourly rate will be much lower since a handyman will have less overhead. Hiring a general contractor can be expensive because the contractor generally is not doing the work himself and has an office staff that needs to be paid. While a handyman may not have the expertise and training of a contractor, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t get the job done. It all depends on the complexity and scale of the project you have in mind and whether or not you want to do the work of the general contractor and manage your project yourself.
You have to make sure the people you hire get the required permits and get it inspected if it is new construction. One can not work on someone else’s permit. A handyman cannot do new plumbing, heating and ventilation or any electrical work and cannot take out a permit to do such work.

Know Your Project

Decide whether you should hire a handyman or a contractor before you decide to pick up the phone and start calling people to ask for help with your projects. It’s a good idea to figure out exactly what you need to be done. Write down a list of all repairs, modifications, and projects you want, and assess the amount of work you need to be done.

A good rule of thumb when deciding between hiring an independent contractor or a handyman is based on the size of the job. If you only need minor repairs or some small modifications to a property that could be handled in a day or two, a handyman paid by the hour might be sufficient, and will certainly be the most cost-effective option. If you have a large scale project that will require extensive changes and plan such as an addition to a room, or remodeling of an entire existing room then you will need to hire a contractor. Also, different jurisdictions have different limits on the size of jobs a handyman can do.

Pay For What You Need

For small home repairs, a handyman can be a much more cost-effective, practical choice, since their hourly rates will be much lower than a contractor’s. Great projects to have handymen do include patching holes in walls, replacing weather-stripping, and caulking windows. When you hire a contractor, you’re paying for expertise and licensing, and it’s an inefficient use of money to pay for that when you don’t need it.

On the other hand, if you need electrical work done, you need to make sure it’s up to code. That’s when it really matters to have someone trained in safe electrical work. Make sure whoever you hire will leave the electrical work in your property safe and up to code.

Also if you need your roof repaired, call a roofer. You don’t want someone who thinks they know what he is doing trying to fix your roof. If you have water damage it can be expensive.

Anytime you need large modification done to a property, complying with housing code becomes a priority, and you want to make sure you hire someone who has the training and licensing to conform to code.

So Should You Hire A Handyman Or A Contractor?

If possible hire a handyman it will save you money. Hire someone who is established and will be around all year. Not a seasonal worker who is trying to make some extra money in his off-season. Someone like this might be cheap but will not be available to be your regular handyman in times of need. We are a strong believers in hiring and shopping locally.

Get Help with your Handyman projects

Call or Text Fix It!® Handyman at (508) 305-2055. You may also use our online form to let us know specifically what you need and even request special projects in the notes section.

The post Differences Between Handyman, Contractor and General Contractor appeared first on Fix It!® - Near Me Handyman - MetroWest & Boston MA.

Get a jump-start by prepping your home and garden for warm weather, setting up the perfect drip-dry spot for beach towels, reorganizing the kitchen (hello, smoothie bar), and more. These handyman home checklist to-dos cover all the bases, so you can enjoy your month to the fullest.

Keep an eye on irrigation systems.

A faulty sprinkler or irrigation hose that goes unnoticed can quickly cause big problems for your lawn and garden. Make a habit of checking each component once a week, especially in summer.

Install screen doors.

If you use them, now is the time to take down the storm doors and put up screen doors to let the summer breezes pour in. Be sure to inspect screens carefully, patching holes as needed – even a tiny hole can be enough to let in a mosquito.

Reorganize your kitchen.

The change in seasons is a good time to rethink how you have things arranged in the kitchen. If there are small appliances you use more in the warmer months (a blender for smoothies, perhaps, or an ice cream maker), move them to a more accessible spot, and you will be more likely to use them. Stations devoted to a certain purpose can also do wonders. If you have children on summer vacation, create a self-help station stocked with healthy snacks. Or create an iced-coffee bar or smoothie-making station for yourself with all needed supplies within reach.

Update first-aid kits and emergency supplies.

Be prepared for everything from minor snafus to natural disasters with well-stocked first-aid kits in the house and car, plus emergency supplies for your family and pets. Not sure what to include? The American Red Cross has a helpful checklist.

Make space for summer crafts.

A dedicated space for arts and crafts can provide screen-free entertainment and a creative outlet – and it’s not just for kids! Even if you must work all summer, having a space to devote to a hobby can re-energize and inspire you.

Organize and put away school papers.

If you do have kids, at the end of the school year, it can be tempting to jump right into summer. But taking the time to sort through each child’s school things will help prevent clutter from piling up, and you can start the summer fresh. Sort through the papers, artwork and projects from the year, and choose the best representative pieces (and those that most pull at your heartstrings) to save in a portfolio or document box, then recycle the rest. If you want to preserve more than you can keep, consider scanning the artwork into your computer and creating a photo book with the pictures.

Set up a spot to dry beach towels and bathing suits.

Soggy, sandy beach towels getting dragged through the house is a mess waiting to happen – but you can easily prevent this with a bit of planning. Choose a dedicated spot, either just outside the door (a covered porch works well) or in the mudroom, as shown here, and hang a row of sturdy hooks for wet towels and bathing suits. Once dry, sand can be easily shaken off outdoors, so it doesn’t end up in your washing machine!

Lighten up decor.

Roll up heavy rugs, put crisp percale or cooling linen sheets on the beds, and bring in accents in lighter hues for the warmer months ahead. Breezy white curtains look delightfully cool in summer, but if the weather gets quite hot where you live, you may want to leave heavy window coverings up. Closing the shades during the heat of the day can actually help keep your house cooler.

Keep cooling systems running smoothly.

Take the time before hot weather sets in to dust ceiling fans, install window air-conditioning units, and schedule maintenance for a whole-house cooling system.

Refresh your bathroom.

Shower curtain liner looking a little dingy? Bath towels seen better days? Give your bathroom a mini spa makeover, and swap out your tired old bath linens for fresh, fluffy new towels and a new curtain liner. Use a woven basket to corral rolled towels. And contain toiletries on a tray or in zippered containers.

Schedule major outdoor projects.

Whether you are dreaming of a new patio or need to replace a deck, don’t delay booking a pro for your projects. Their schedules tend to fill up quickly in the summer.

Clean gutters and downspouts.

If you did not get your gutters cleaned in spring, be sure to get this essential task checked off your list as soon as possible. Leaf- and debris-clogged gutters can lead to leaks and siding damage with summer storms.

Catch up on projects and maintenance.

No one is perfect, and chances are there are a few home-maintenance projects you have been meaning tackle. Why not make June the month to get caught up?

Get seasonal gear ready.

From camping to beach trips, summertime activities come with a lot of gear. Get it cleaned up and ready now so that you’re not surprised by a leaky tent or blown-out beach umbrella when it’s too late to replace them.

Make your summer must-do list.

Beach days, lemonade on the porch, pick-your-own fruit farms – with so much to look forward to in summer, don’t let it zip by in the blink of an eye! Be sure you are making the most of your season by creating a list of your personal must-dos, and posting it where you can see it. A big chalkboard or family bulletin board would be ideal.

Call or Text Fix It!® Handyman at (508) 305-2055 if you need Help with your Summer Handyman Home Checklist. You may also use our online form to let us know specifically what you need and even request special projects in the notes section.

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Why Choose a Handyman for Your Summer Projects?

There are lots of reasons to consider going with a handyman. One of the most important is that you’re busy! We know your summer schedule (or your schedule throughout the year) is difficult, so we find time for the projects you just can’t.

Another good reason to hire a handyman, though, is that you can rest assured that we’ll be there on time and get the job done right the first time. There isn’t a project around that we can’t tackle, whether it’s huge or quite small. We are the first-choice provider of people just like you for maintenance and repair tasks, as well as those little home improvement tasks you’ve been meaning to tackle.

If you’re trying to sell your home, we can even help increase your curb appeal to ensure you get the price you want the first time! We can even walk through your house with you to help you spot those most important tasks that need to be dealt with.

We’ve always been here for all of your pest control needs, but we can be your partner for so many other things. To learn more about our handyman services, give us a call today and learn what we can take off your to-do list now.

Call or Text Fix It!® Near Me Handyman at (508) 305-2055 if you need Help with your Summer Projects. You may also use our online form to let us know specifically what you need and even request special projects in the notes section.

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Windows and Doors are an extremely important part of your home or commercial building. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to see the sunshine or feel breezes when the weather is nice. Most windows have both a glass pane and a screen to provide extra protection. These screens on your doors and windows are very important and should be maintained to protect your building and the windows themselves.

If your screen is ripped or damaged, you shouldn’t delay in getting it fixed or replaced! There are many benefits to maintaining your screens and keeping up with window replacement in MetroWest & Boston MA. We offer screen repair services to keep your windows in top shape! Don’t hesitate to call us if you need a window screen repaired or replaced.

Here are some of the reasons you should keep your window screens well maintained and repair them if they are damaged:

• Aesthetics: People inside and outside of your home or commercial building are bound to look at your windows, and if they see broken screens, they’ll probably think you don’t take good care of your property. Windows add a beautiful touch to your building, so you should have damaged screens repaired so that your property looks as good as possible. This is particularly important if you’re trying to sell your property; buyers will be more likely to turn down a home that doesn’t have good curb appeal.
• Pest prevention: If you enjoy keeping your windows open to allow fresh air to circulate your building, you’ll need to rely on a screen to keep animals and bugs out. Nobody wants pests to invade their home or business, so repairing ripped screens is essential. Pesky intruders like squirrels can cause a lot of costly damage!
• Keeps windows cleaner: If you keep your window screens clean and well maintained, they can help keep your glass exterior window panes cleaner, too! Dirt or debris is less likely to build up on the glass since the screen is there to protect it and allows water to sprinkle down the pane, giving it a cleansing rinse.
• Prevents water damage and mold: Screens help to deflect water and prevent it from pooling at the base of your windows. Woodwork and glass can be damaged by excessive water because mold can easily build up, causing the need for window replacement in MetroWest & Boston MA.
• Reduces heat transfer: Some screens have special coatings that can help prevent heat transfer into and out of your building. The glass pane in your window will do most of the work preventing heat transfer because of the glass’s special coatings, but screens can provide an additional layer of heat protection.

Call or Text Fix It!® Handyman at (508) 305-2055 if You need Screen Repair Services. You may also use our online form to let us know specifically what you need and even request special projects in the notes section.

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Caulking can be a small job with big results.  Whether you need to replace old or install new caulking, call the experienced professionals at Fix It!^®.  We can help you with every space in your home including:

• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Windows
• Doors
• Concrete
• Outdoor faucets
• Attic hatches and doors
• And More

It’s important to inspect your caulking now and to make sure it’s still sealing the places that it was intended to seal. The right caulking can help keep your home more energy efficient and save you money. Fix It!^®  can replace or install caulking.

Fix It!^® can advise which type to use and where you should be using the caulking in your home.  Consider some of the benefits below.

Watertight Sealant
Caulk serves as a watertight sealant in the joints and creases for countertops and various fixtures, and prevents water from seeping in cracks and crevices, causing costly water damage to walls, cabinets, flooring and more.  To prevent water damage in your home make sure your faucets, counter tops, vanities, cabinets, toilets and sinks and more are properly sealed with.

Energy Savings
Several areas of the home can create drafts and let the cold or hot air out if they are not properly sealed with caulk.  The most susceptible areas of the home for energy loss are the windows and doors.  If the borders of these fixtures are not sealed correctly, the hot and cold air produced by your HVAC unit escapes, causing it to work harder and use more energy to maintain the temperature in your home.

Protection
When a home is properly caulked it provides protection from unwanted outdoor creatures and dirt from entering your living space.  These outdoor elements can range from dust, dirt and moisture from rain and snow to insects and small critters.  Prevent any weather related damage such as wood rot, mold and mildew by caulking your windows and doors on a regular basis.

Call or Text Fix It!® Near Me Handyman at (508) 305-2055 if You need Handyman Caulking services. You may also use our online form to let us know specifically what you need and even request special projects in the notes section.

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Even though siding is designed to last decades, no matter if it’s made of wood shingles or clapboard, stucco or brick, vinyl or aluminum, siding eventually gets old, wears out, and needs replacement.

There are also times when healthy siding needs important repairs to fix damage from severe winds, insects, fungus, extreme heat or cold, or impacts.

SIGNS THAT SIDING IS READY TO BE REPLACED:

• The color has faded. Siding is designed to hold its color for its rated period of performance life. Fading can be a sign of sun damage, but it can also be a sign that it is not protecting your home the way it used to.
• Your heating and cooling bills have gone up. If your energy bills have risen above utility company rate increases, then it’s time to scrutinize your siding.
• Loose wallpaper inside your home. Sadly, this can be a sign that wallboards have been absorbing moisture from humid outdoor air that has permeated your siding.

SIGNS THAT YOU NEED SIDING REPAIRS:

• A storm with heavy winds blew through the neighborhood and you discover holes punched in your stucco; tiles missing from your clapboard siding; cracks, chips or broken small sections in your vinyl or aluminum siding or sections that are loose or missing.
• Dry rot or insect/animal nest found in section of newer wood sidings.
• Section of fungus/mildew or rust on newer sidings.
• Water damage.
• Various structural faults, possibly caused by imperfect installation.

Even minor-seeming siding damage left unrepaired can hurt your home by allowing air, water, dirt and insects inside your home. To protect your largest investment from major repairs, make siding repair a “To-Do” list priority.

Fix It!^® isn’t just about repairing what’s broken, but to add value to what we do for each customer need, and assure them we are always there when they need us the most. We stand behind every job. We never walk away from a job; we look for solutions.

Each project we undertake is unique and requires special attention. By working closely with you, we gain a complete understanding of your goals and expectations and then not only meet them but exceed them!

Call or Text Fix It!® at (508) 305-2055 if You need Siding Repairs. You may also use our online form to let us know specifically what you need and even request special projects in the notes section.

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