Straight answers on home repairs, before you hire anyone.
These are the guides I point my own customers to: what actually drives cost, what fails in Lower Mainland homes, and what is worth hiring out.
- $200 minimum per job
- Written scope before work starts
- Insured. Registered BC business # 79853 7957
The index
Every guide here answers a question I get asked on real jobs. Start with the one you are carrying.
- Hiring a handyman10 guides
- Owning the fix list32 guides
- For property managers3 guides
- Selling the house2 guides
47 guides · 312 min of reading · Updated September 2026
Hiring a handyman
10 guidesWhat drives cost, what a straight quote looks like, and when paying me beats burning your own weekend.
7 min read
Hiring a Handyman in BC: Do You Need a WorkSafeBC Clearance Letter?
What a WorkSafeBC clearance letter is, why a homeowner should get one before hiring, how to pull it online, and what it does not prove.
- Repair or Replace a Deck in BC? Check the Ledger, Joists and Posts First9 min read
- Fence Repair vs Replacement: What Drives the Cost10 min read
- What a Handyman Can Legally Do in BC (and What Needs a Licensed Trade)10 min read
- Handyman vs General Contractor: When to Call Which5 min read
- How Much Does a Handyman Cost in BC? The $200 Minimum and What Sets the Price7 min read
- Is Premium Paint Worth It? What Makes a Paint Job Last5 min read
- Red Flags in a Handyman Quote: 7 Things BC Homeowners Should Check7 min read
- When to DIY vs Hire a Handyman: A Lower Mainland Homeowner's Guide6 min read
- Drywall Repair Cost: What a Small Hole, a Crack and Water Damage Each TakeLangley7 min read
The other 4 guides
- Is Premium Paint Worth It? What Makes a Paint Job Last5 min read
- Red Flags in a Handyman Quote: 7 Things BC Homeowners Should Check7 min read
- When to DIY vs Hire a Handyman: A Lower Mainland Homeowner's Guide6 min read
- Drywall Repair Cost: What a Small Hole, a Crack and Water Damage Each TakeLangley7 min read
Owning the fix list
32 guidesI keep watching the same small repair turn into a big one. These are the ones worth doing early.
7 min read
BC's 2-5-10 Home Warranty: What Your Builder Fixes and What Falls to You
What BC's 2-5-10 new home warranty covers in each period, what a warranty provider can exclude, how to file a claim in writing, and which repairs stay with you.
- Does Your Drywall Have Asbestos? What BC Homeowners Check Before a Repair6 min read
- Can the BC RAHA Rebate Pay for Grab Bars and Handrails?6 min read
- Is It Too Late or Too Wet to Paint Outside in the Fall?6 min read
- How High Can a Fence Be in Langley, Surrey and Abbotsford?6 min read
- Can You Install Grab Bars in a Fibreglass Shower?6 min read
- Soft Floors in a Mobile Home: Causes and Repairs in Langley and Aldergrove ParksAldergrove6 min read
- Cracked Shower Grout: Regrout or Retile?6 min read
- Siding Rotting at the Bottom? Why It Happens and How It Is Repaired6 min read
- Spring Home Maintenance Checklist for the Lower Mainland6 min read
- Strata Renovation Rules in BC: What Needs Council Approval Before Work Starts7 min read
- Mounting a TV on Steel Studs in a Lower Mainland Townhouse or Condo6 min read
- Vinyl Plank or Laminate for a Lower Mainland Basement or Condo?6 min read
- Vinyl Sundeck Leaking? What a Handyman Fixes and What Needs the Membrane Installer6 min read
- Why Your Windows Drip All Winter, and When the Sill Starts to Rot6 min read
- Doors That Stick and Locks That Jam: Common Fixes6 min read
- When to Pressure Wash on the Wet Coast (and How Often)6 min read
- Repair or Replace? A Homeowner's Decision Guide7 min read
- Summer Home Maintenance Checklist for the Lower Mainland6 min read
- Water-Damage Warning Signs in Lower Mainland Homes10 min read
- Why Your Drywall Cracks Keep Coming Back6 min read
- Grab Bars and Bathroom Safety for Aging in Place: What Actually Helps6 min read
- How to Adjust Cabinet Doors That Sag, Gap or Won't Close6 min read
- Caulking Tubs and Showers in BC: When to DIY and When to Call5 min read
- Fall and Pre-Winter Home Maintenance Checklist for the Lower Mainland6 min read
- New Home Maintenance Checklist: What to Fix First in a Lower Mainland Home7 min read
- How Long Does a Kitchen Backsplash Take and What Drives the Cost?7 min read
- Popcorn Ceiling Removal in BC: Test for Asbestos, Then Scrape or Skim7 min read
- Will a Smart Lock Fit My Door? Choosing and Installing One in a BC Home7 min read
- Mounting a TV Above a Fireplace: Heat, Height and a Clean Install6 min read
- Smart Home Setup for BC Homes: Detectors, Locks & Lighting7 min read
- When to Stain or Refinish a Deck in the Lower Mainland5 min read
The other 26 guides
- Soft Floors in a Mobile Home: Causes and Repairs in Langley and Aldergrove ParksAldergrove6 min read
- Cracked Shower Grout: Regrout or Retile?6 min read
- Siding Rotting at the Bottom? Why It Happens and How It Is Repaired6 min read
- Spring Home Maintenance Checklist for the Lower Mainland6 min read
- Strata Renovation Rules in BC: What Needs Council Approval Before Work Starts7 min read
- Mounting a TV on Steel Studs in a Lower Mainland Townhouse or Condo6 min read
- Vinyl Plank or Laminate for a Lower Mainland Basement or Condo?6 min read
- Vinyl Sundeck Leaking? What a Handyman Fixes and What Needs the Membrane Installer6 min read
- Why Your Windows Drip All Winter, and When the Sill Starts to Rot6 min read
- Doors That Stick and Locks That Jam: Common Fixes6 min read
- When to Pressure Wash on the Wet Coast (and How Often)6 min read
- Repair or Replace? A Homeowner's Decision Guide7 min read
- Summer Home Maintenance Checklist for the Lower Mainland6 min read
- Water-Damage Warning Signs in Lower Mainland Homes10 min read
- Why Your Drywall Cracks Keep Coming Back6 min read
- Grab Bars and Bathroom Safety for Aging in Place: What Actually Helps6 min read
- How to Adjust Cabinet Doors That Sag, Gap or Won't Close6 min read
- Caulking Tubs and Showers in BC: When to DIY and When to Call5 min read
- Fall and Pre-Winter Home Maintenance Checklist for the Lower Mainland6 min read
- New Home Maintenance Checklist: What to Fix First in a Lower Mainland Home7 min read
- How Long Does a Kitchen Backsplash Take and What Drives the Cost?7 min read
- Popcorn Ceiling Removal in BC: Test for Asbestos, Then Scrape or Skim7 min read
- Will a Smart Lock Fit My Door? Choosing and Installing One in a BC Home7 min read
- Mounting a TV Above a Fireplace: Heat, Height and a Clean Install6 min read
- Smart Home Setup for BC Homes: Detectors, Locks & Lighting7 min read
- When to Stain or Refinish a Deck in the Lower Mainland5 min read
For property managers
3 guidesTurnovers, tenant requests, punch lists. Here is how I run them and what your owners get in writing.
7 min read
What a Handyman Invoice Needs for Strata and Property Accounting
The itemization, GST line and photo proof a property manager or strata council needs on a handyman invoice, with a line-by-line example you can hand to your accounting contact.
- Landlord vs Tenant Repair Responsibilities in BC: Who Fixes What9 min read
- Tenant Turnover Checklist: The Punch List I Run on BC Rentals7 min read
Selling the house
2 guidesBuyers look at finish work first. These cover the pre-listing repairs that come back in the price.
7 min read
Buyer's Inspection Came Back With a List? A BC Seller's Guide
How BC sellers can handle home inspection repair requests: how the inspection subject works, how to sort the list, when to fix or lower the price, and how to prove the work.
- The Pre-Listing Repair Checklist for Lower Mainland Sellers7 min read
Done reading? Tell me what your place is actually doing.
A guide can tell you what a repair depends on. It cannot see the stain spreading across your ceiling, the age of the building, or what the last person did to it. Photos, your city and your list get you a written estimate with the number on it before I pick up a tool.
$200 minimum per job · Written reply within 24 hours.