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The Anatomy of a home repair

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 17:46:57 GMT

Just like the human body, a home repair consists of various components working together to address and resolve issues within a residential property. It all begins with identifying the problem, much like diagnosing an ailment in the body. Understanding the issue is key, whether it's a leaky faucet, a broken electrical outlet, or a damaged wall.

Similar to planning for a medical procedure, the homeowner or a professional assesses the extent of the repair needed and determines the necessary materials, tools, and expertise required. This stage acts as the equivalent of creating a treatment plan, considering the best course of action for the repair. Something to keep in mind is that the first professional you contact has to be aware of their qualifications and limitations. A general medical practitioner isn't going to perform heart surgery on you if they discover a heart problem. They'll defer to a heart expert. A good handyman or general contractor or other home repair expert will do the same. An electrician shouldn't be trying to repair a broken waste pipe underneath your home or property. You get the point. More on that in our next section.

Once the plan is set, the repair process commences, much like performing surgery on the body. It involves carefully dismantling or removing damaged components, just as a surgeon would operate on a specific area. Then, faulty parts are fixed or replaced, akin to the repair or replacement of damaged organs or tissues during surgery. Reassembling or reinstalling the repaired elements corresponds to closing up the incisions and ensuring proper alignment. You can now breathe a sigh of relief. Your home is back to its former glory!

Since the title of this post is "The Anatomy of a home repair" let's break down the home into its various components, shall we?

The organs and systems of your home

Just as vital organs function within the human body, specific items in a home serve essential roles. The HVAC system can be compared to the home's lungs, responsible for regulating airflow and maintaining a comfortable living environment. It ensures the circulation of fresh air and regulates temperature, much like the lungs enable the exchange of oxygen and regulate breathing.

The electrical system can be likened to the home's nervous system, transmitting power and facilitating communication. It powers appliances and lighting fixtures, just as the nervous system enables communication and coordination throughout the body.

Plumbing and water supply lines act as the home's circulatory system, transporting water throughout the property. Like blood vessels deliver nutrients and oxygen to organs, plumbing ensures a steady flow of water to various fixtures and appliances.*

The roof and siding can be seen as the home's protective shield, akin to the body's skin. It shields the interior from external elements such as rain, wind, and sunlight, just as the skin protects the body from external hazards.

The foundation serves as the home's skeletal structure, providing stability and support. Just as bones provide structure to the body, the foundation supports the entire home, ensuring its stability and integrity. The same can be said of the wooden framing.

Each room within the home can be compared to individual organs, each with its specific function. The kitchen acts as the home's digestive system, where meals are prepared and nourishment takes place. Whereas the bathroom serves as the home's waste elimination system, akin to the body's excretory system.

Just as the body requires proper care and maintenance, home repairs involve identifying issues with these vital components, planning and executing repairs, and ensuring everything functions as intended. Each vital organ contributes to overall functionality and comfort, much like the organs in the human body work together to sustain life. Just as we wouldn't allow any part of our body to break down, we shouldn't allow repairs in our home to go so far into disrepair that other systems in the home are affected. For example, if you had a bad plumbing leak, it will affect not only your walls but the very framing itself. Before things get that bad, contact an expert to get those repairs underway. Just as you'd contact a doctor if you were sick. Let's start you off with a shameless plug right here www.dctileandpaintplus.com . Each of these systems often requires very specific expertise. Getting the right expert to work on them is worth the effort.

*Fun fact: The men responsible for the invention of the shunt used for the treatment of hydrocephalus and spina bifida were not in the medical field at all. One was John Holter, a machinist. The other was Roald Dahl (Yes the Author of Willie Wonka and the chocolate factory) who invented the Dahl Shunt valve with the help of a toy maker and expert on small hydraulic pumps Stanley Wade. ( https://answers.childrenshospital.org/shuntcheck-invention ). This shows that when broken down into its parts, the human body is a biological machine with systems that can be addressed and repaired similarly to a home.

What is a professional handyman?

Tue, 23 May 2023 17:51:36 GMT

At first glance, this question seems to be irrelevant. Even a bit comical. I mean there is no such thing as a "professional handyman" right? Isn't a handyman just a retiree looking for a few extra bucks? Or a guy on Craigslist working on a side hustle for beer money? Unfortunately, this stereotype has permeated so deeply into our psyche that it's hard to remove our common view of a home repair professional or what we call a handyman. Let's look at some commonly held views of what a handyman is, as well as what one looks like and what he or she drives shall we?

First of all, I'd like for you to examine the following pictures.

What you have pictured above is the stereotypical view of what people imagine handymen drive. Should I disagree with that? NO! Why? It's because the individuals who perform home repairs in vehicles like this are NOT professionals. That's right. For the longest time doing minor home repairs was simply a means of gaining a bit of extra income for people who already had regular jobs. This means they made and or make minimal investments in the vehicles they use to transport materials and any tools needed to perform the tasks at hand. This also applies to their clothing their overall appearance and most importantly to the customer, any insurance that will protect them from expensive disasters. This isn't to say that I don't respect these hardworking individuals. I admire their tenacity and bravery in going into someone's home to perform a repair that is often complicated. In fact, I started off as one of them. Only I didn't drive a truck it was a van that I remember fondly. For anyone starting out as a home repair professional, a van is a much better investment than a pickup truck. I did so for a year then realized that my business model wasn't sustainable for the long term and rebuilt everything from the ground up.

Essentially what that means is that there's a way for you to define what a professional handyman is. In just about every state in the U.S., a professional handyman is a kind of building or remodeling contractor. In San Antonio Texas, you are required to obtain a contractor's license with the designation HR, which stands for home remodeler as opposed to HB which stands for a home builder. The HR limits the contractor to 400 sq ft or less. Of course that won't apply to small jobs like a ceiling fan installation or garbage disposal installation. In fact, there's no license needed for those. There is however one huge safety benefit to the customer for hiring a licensed handyman that we'll get to shortly. For now, the HR license is one way to identify a professional from a fly-by-night handyman. What's another?

At a minimum, a liability insurance policy is held by the professional. I can't over-emphasize the importance of this detail. This completely sets a professional apart from the weekend warrior types because it protects your assets. So if you're wondering why the well-dressed guy with the logo on his shirt and truck charges more for his services, it's because he pays more to offer you and your property protection, as well as himself, in case the worst happens. The opposite is true of hiring a handyman without insurance. Speaking of logos and matching trucks, does that matter?

In the grand scheme of home repairs and professional handyman services? Only if the person wants to succeed as a handyman. To the homeowner, the primary emphasis is on getting the job done correctly and efficiently. However, the homeowner can mitigate risk by looking for someone who has obviously poured effort into making themselves stand out and is willing to bring that same value to whoever hires them. Things like a website (EX. www.dctileandpaintplus.com ) a uniform, being willing to accept various forms of payment and not just cash, Yelp pages a presence on Google with reviews, are all clues that you're on the right track to hiring a professional handyman. If you live in the San Antonio area, here's another. In San Antonio, if you want a contractor's license you are required to receive not just a police background check, but an FBI background check in addition to that. This is the safety benefit that I mentioned earlier. Who would you rather have in your home? Look at the pictures above again. Now look at the one down here.

I hope that I provided some value to you in your search for a professional handyman. There is plenty more to write about regarding this subject but I will save that for another post.