Option Period Repairs

Texas has relaxed it's social distancing guidelines in an effort to get Texans back to work.  It will take a little time for you to fill their pipeline and consider what you are going to do when the tidal wave of business crashes down upon you.

Are you going to spend too much time sweating deadlines, chasing paperwork, and getting contractor bids for your option period repairs?

As you know, the listing - make ready and option period can be a very stressful time. Inspection reports can reveal an overwhelming number of flagged or non-compliant items. If you want to meet these challenging demands and create a smoother workflow, partnering with One Call to turn inspection reports into figures you can use to negotiate your deals is key to your success!

One Call's answer! Don't deal with multiple contractors!

Instead, One Call can provide a single repair estimate for most service areas out to Grand Parkway on the west and northwest, and Hwy 6 on the south. We will also perform the work if the project is inside Beltway 8. 

We charge a nominal fee of $105 for our standard 48-hour turn around inspection service or $150 for expedited 24-hour service.

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site at http://www.onecallhomehandyman.com/option.html and follow the instructions.

You call also call us at 832-800-4441. 

Federal Pacific Electrical Panels

One Call is a general contractor and carries $1M/$2M general liability insurance to protect our customers and ourselves from unforeseen problems. So, every time we bid a job, this insurance cost is included in the price we charge for our services. In addition, if the job we are bidding requires a license, we only hire licensed sub-contractors to perform that work.

On many occasions, we are competing with workmen that are not licensed, have no insurance, and are not qualified to perform the job at hand. Customers assume everyone is "required" to be licensed and have insurance, but the truth is, there are licensing laws, but there is no law requiring insurance. In fact, when a customer hires an unlicensed and/or uninsured contractor to perform work on their home, they are taking the risk of damage to their home, and more importantly, the risk of injury to the contractor and his/her workers. They also take the risk of damage these contractors may do to their property and the property of others.

Since we perform Option Period Repair Quotations and see many properties that have Federal Pacific Electrical Panels installed, you should know that these type of panels have been identified as inferior.  If you get an option period inspection you will usually see:

The main electric panel is a Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panel. This product is described to be inferior and has several known problems. There are significant risks of breaker and branch wiring malfunction to include electrical fires. Multiple tests done on this type of panels shows that it is very likely these breakers are defective and will not properly trip when overloaded which represents a risk of fire.

If you use an unlicensed or uninsured contractor you are subject to the following:

Hazards of Hiring an Unlicensed and/or Uninsured Contractor

While licensing isn't necessarily a measure of competence, it does imply a certain level of professionalism and suggests that the contractor is committed to his or her job. More significantly, licensing and insurance can protect you from a number of potential problems, such as the following:

• Unlicensed means - uninsured. If you use a contractor who is unlicensed and/or uninsured, it means the contractor has no way of reimbursing you for any property damage he or she may cause. This means you end up paying the price. Likewise, if contractor carelessness leads to injury or damage to someone else's property, the problem is likely to become yours.

• No coverage under the homeowner's policy. THIS IS A BIG ONE!!! Most homeowners believe it is safe to use an unlicensed and uninsured contractor, assuming that any damages incurred would be covered under their own insurance policies. However, this isn't the case. Most homeowner policies require that any work to the property be done by licensed and insured contractors; coverage is often specifically excluded for damages caused by "bootleg" contractors.

• Noncompliance with building codes. Most building projects, even minor ones, usually require permits and inspections. Unlicensed contractors are often unfamiliar with the applicable building codes and are unable to obtain permits. If your project isn't permitted or doesn't comply with building and zoning codes, you may - and probably will - be ordered to remove or repair the job. Even if a building inspector doesn't "catch" your code violation right away, you will almost certainly have to correct it if and when you try to sell your house.

• Con artists. Scams in the construction industry especially in the home improvement business have become almost legendary in the last few decades. Con artists posing as qualified contractors, and often targeting the elderly, have made national news any number of times. Even so, unwary homeowners continue to be taken in by these pseudo contractors, who often promise unrealistically low prices or use scare tactics to close the deal. In these cases, the homeowner typically ends up with either an incomplete or low quality.

• Poor quality work. Not all unlicensed contractors do poor quality work. And not all poor quality work is done by unlicensed contractors. However, as a rule, if there's shoddy work to be done, it's usually done by unlicensed contractors. Because unlicensed contractors aren't subject to meeting specific standards, they are often untrained, less experienced, and unqualified to do certain types of work.
  

• Limited recourse for broken contracts. If you have a dispute with a licensed contractor, you can call his or her licensing agency. Some licensing agencies offer mediation services or maintain a guaranty fund to help consumers recover their losses. At the very least, the licensing agency has the authority to suspend or revoke a dishonest contractor's license. While this doesn't necessarily ensure a contractor will play fair, it gives him or her considerably more incentive to do so.  If the contractor is uninsured, it usually indicates they are not financially able to cover problems is the arise.

In most cities, a contractor must provide the city with a certificate of insurance showing the city as a certificate holder in order to pull building permits in that city. The problem is that most contractors who are not licensed and do not carry General Liability insurance will not pull a permit anyway. In addition, there are many small jobs that do not require a permit, and even if they do, an unlicensed/uninsured contractor will "SCAB" the job and not worry about permits.

The problem here is that you are responsible to ensure that the work performed was done in accordance with city code and requirements.  If the city finds out work was performed on your home without a permit, they can require you to remove walls, sheetrock, cabinets and any other impediment to inspecting the work to ensure it was performed according to code. If you sell your home, this can become a hidden defect and could get you in heavy legal issues with any buyer of your home.

In short, protect yourself and your family by only hiring licensed and insured contractors... Make sure anyone who works on your home is licensed and carries enough insurance coverage to protect you, your family, and more importantly, your home.

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site athttp://www.onecallhomehandyman.com for more information. You can also contact us by phone at (832) 800-4441.

Using Unlicensed Vendors

As a general contractor, we carry $1M/$2M general liability insurance to protect our customers and ourselves from unforeseen problems. So, every time we bid a job, this insurance cost is included in the price we charge for our services. In addition, if the job we are bidding requires a State of Texas license, we only hire licensed sub-contractors to perform that work.

On many occasions, we are competing with workmen and companies that are not licensed, have no insurance and are not qualified to perform the job at hand. Customers assume everyone is "required" to be licensed and have insurance, but the truth is, there are licensing laws, but there is no law requiring insurance. In fact, when a customer hires an unlicensed and/or uninsured contractor to perform work on their home, they are taking the risk of damage to their home, and more importantly, the risk of injury to the contractor and his/her workers. They also take the risk of damage these contractors may do to their property and the property of others.

Hazards of Hiring an Unlicensed and/or Uninsured Contractor

While licensing isn't necessarily a measure of competence, it does imply a certain level of professionalism and suggests that the contractor is committed to his or her job. More significantly, licensing and insurance can protect you from a number of potential problems, such as the following:

• Unlicensed means - uninsured. If you use a contractor who is unlicensed and/or uninsured, it means the contractor has no way of reimbursing you for any property damage he or she may cause. This means you end up paying the price. Likewise, if contractor carelessness leads to injury or damage to someone else's property, the problem is likely to become yours.

• No coverage under the homeowner's policy. THIS IS A BIG ONE!!! Most homeowners believe it is safe to use an unlicensed and uninsured contractor, assuming that any damages incurred would be covered under their own insurance policies. However, this isn't the case. Most homeowner policies require that any work to the property be done by licensed and insured contractors; coverage is often specifically excluded for damages caused by "bootleg" contractors.

• Noncompliance with building codes. Most building projects, even minor ones, usually require permits and inspections. Unlicensed and sometimes licensed contractors are often either unfamiliar with the applicable building codes and are unable to obtain permits or do not want to get a permit because of cost or their inability to do so. If your project isn't permitted or doesn't comply with building and/or zoning codes, you may - and probably will - be ordered to remove or repair the job. Even if a building inspector doesn't "catch" your code violation right away, you will almost certainly have to correct it if and when you try to sell your house.  Building inspectors are trained to look for these types of repairs and will call it out when you do your option period inspections.

• Con artists. Scams in the construction industry especially in the home improvement business have become almost legendary in the last few decades. Con artists posing as qualified contractors, and often targeting the elderly, have made national news any number of times. Even so, unwary homeowners continue to be taken in by these pseudo contractors, who often promise unrealistically low prices or use scare tactics to close the deal. In these cases, the homeowner typically ends up with either an incomplete or low quality.

• Poor quality work. Not all unlicensed contractors do poor quality work. And not all poor quality work is done by unlicensed contractors. However, as a rule, if there's shoddy work to be done, it's usually done by unlicensed contractors. Because unlicensed contractors aren't subject to meeting specific standards, they are often untrained, less experienced, and unqualified to do certain types of work.
  
  Sloppy work by an unlicensed and uninsured contractor could have serious ramifications. "Basically, it's a safety hazard if your work isn't done improvement project - and several hundred, or even thousands of dollars less.

• Limited recourse for broken contracts. If you have a dispute with a licensed contractor, you can call his or her licensing agency. Some licensing agencies offer mediation services or maintain a guaranty fund to help consumers recover their losses. At the very least, the licensing agency has the authority to suspend or revoke a dishonest contractor's license. While this doesn't necessarily ensure a contractor will play fair, it gives him or her considerably more incentive to do so.  If the contractor is uninsured, it usually indicates they are not financially able to cover problems is the arise.

In most cities, a contractor must provide the city with a certificate of insurance showing the city as a certificate holder in order to pull building permits in that city. The problem is that most contractors who are not licensed and do not carry General Liability insurance will not pull a permit anyway. In addition, there are many small jobs that do not require a permit, and even if they do, an unlicensed/uninsured contractor will "SCAB" the job and not worry about permits.

The problem here is that you are responsible to ensure that the work performed was done in accordance with city code and requirements.  If the city finds out work was performed on your home without a permit, they can require you to remove walls, sheetrock, cabinets and any other impediment to inspecting the work to ensure it was performed according to code. If you sell your home, this can become a hidden defect and could get you in heavy legal issues with any buyer of your home.

In short, protect yourself and your family by only hiring licensed and insured contractors... Make sure anyone who works on your home is licensed and carries enough insurance coverage to protect you, your family, and more importantly, your home.

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site athttp://www.onecallhomehandyman.com for more information. You can also contact us by phone at (832) 800-4441.

Wood Window Sash Repairs

We have provided wood window sash repair and restoration for many years and get a lot of requests to evaluate old wood windows for customers in historical districts.  Since these historical districts require that the original wood windows stay intact and cannot be replaced with new windows, repair, and restoration of the windows is imperative.

Before we started offering this service, we did extensive research into the techniques and products necessary to accomplish this task and found that these type of repairs take extensive trade skills and know-how, and only the highest skilled and experienced craftsmen can accomplish this task.

That is why we only send our best crews to remove damaged sashes and have contracted with one of the oldest sash and window woodworking craftsmen in Houston to accomplish our wood window sash repair and restoration.

The process is very straight forward and requires the evaluation of the sashes and, if damaged or rotten, the removal of the window sashes and repair by our woodworking craftsmen.

The repair/restoration takes about 3 weeks to complete and once repairs are accomplished, the sashes are primed and painted prior to re-installation and then reinstalled into the original frame.

While the sashes are out of the frame, we request that our customers also replace the rope cord of their old rope cord counterbalance system and install weather stripping.  We utilize the ART Easy Stop weather-stripping system.

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site at http://www.onecallhomehandyman.com/woodwindow.html for more information.  You can also contact us by phone at (832) 800-4441.

Kitchen & Bath Remodeling

As a handyman general contractor, we do many types of restoration projects on an almost monthly basis. As a part of these restorations, the kitchen and/or restoration are challenging but, when done right, can be the most rewarding restoration(s) you can do.

Before we started offering these type services, we did extensive research into the techniques and products necessary to accomplish these tasks and found that these types of restorations take extensive skills and know-how, and only the highest skilled and experienced craftsmen can accomplish these jobs.

That is why we only send our best crews to renovate kitchens and/or baths and have contracted with the best craftsmen in Houston to accomplish the many tasks required to complete a successful kitchen and/or restoration.

As you probably know, the beauty and functionality of a kitchen or bath are very personal. From countertops to flooring, every kitchen or bath has its own requirements and each customer their individual tastes. Our job is to marry the two.

Although there are many choices of materials and layout, customers must decide what function they want and how that the kitchen or bath can satisfy that function.

In addition, you must take into account the level of knowledge and skill you have in the kitchen. Are you a chief, or just a casual cooker? Are you in the process of becoming an expert, or are you just wanting to cook for your family? The answer to these questions may determine what finishes, appliances and layout you need in your kitchen.

You also need to know what amenities you want to incorporate into your bath, i.e. finishes, tub/shower fixtures, tile, layout, etc...  The answer to these questions will dictate the style and functionality of your bathroom.

In today's kitchen and bath, natural stone has become the most often used floor and countertop surfaces. In addition to withstanding high heat and traffic, stone such as granite is naturally resilient to scratches.

Our granite countertops are per-fabricated at the manufacturer to save you both time and money. Our granite countertops come in standard countertop and island sizes that will minimize waste and cost. With the edges already finished, our fabricator only needs to cut the granite pieces to length and add a sink or cooktop cutouts prior to installation. These reduced fabrication and material costs ultimately save you money.

Our selection of granite includes 41 granite colors imported from countries such as Brazil, China, and India, which gives you a diverse selection to suit your every need.

If you want more information about countertop selections and colors, go to our site at http://www.onecallhomehandyman.com/countertops.html

As far as appliances are concerned, we have learned to use companies that sell, deliver and install the appliances they sell. In addition, we like the fact that they will price match any advertised price, including internet pricing. The main company we use for appliances is Sears at their Sears Home Appliance Centers. The staff has always treated us with the most care and assists us in getting the best price every time. We actually visit their store in person and recommend them to all of our clients. By visiting the store, the sales rep can compare prices on every Sears outlet, compare internet pricing and work our a deal that will best suit your needs.



In addition, we have also aligned ourselves with tile, fixture and finish companies that can supply you with any type of tile or finish you might need to accomplish the most demanding kitchen or bath restoration.


If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site at http://www.onecallhomehandyman.com for more information. You can also contact us by phone at (832) 800-4441.

Realtor Option Repair Services

The listing make-ready and option period after a contract is executed, can be a very stressful time, as inspection reports can reveal an overwhelming number of flagged or non-compliant items. A good Buyer's or Seller’s Agent should do everything in their power to keep the contract in good standing and help their client reach the ultimate goal - CLOSING. To do this, most Realtors® have a group of licensed and qualified contractors to provide the best, and hopefully lowest, estimates possible for the repairs to be made. However, many buyers and sellers are astonished to find that many contractors are not willing to bid inspection repairs.

Much to the buyer’s and seller’s dismay, most contractors do not see any chance of their bid being accepted and are hesitant to provide free estimates. Unfortunately for you, the buyer or seller has to pay those contractors a “trip charge”, regardless of whether an estimate is provided or not. In many cases, the contractor will not bid at all, thereby making your task of getting an estimate harder.

One Call has a better option! Instead of dealing with multiple contractors, hoping for several estimates that are reasonable, One Call, though it's many years of experience and an extensive list of highly qualified sub-contractors, can provide an inspection review, invaluable feedback and one estimate report that outlines the costs of all repairs requested. 

Realtor's® and customers who have the correct information and are in touch with the trends are the ones who list, sell and complete transactions swiftly.

We charge a nominal fee of $105 for our standard inspection service or $150 for expedited service, which is credited if the Realtor® or client utilizes us to repair their home.

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site at http://www.onecallhomehandyman.com/option.html and follow the instructions.

You call also call us at 832-800-4441.

On Payment... No Warranty!!

As a general contractor handyman, we work with a host of sub-contractors, and all expect to be paid weekly or according to their contract.  Why is it that customers think they can withhold large amounts of money from their contract and still receive warranty work without payment?

If you buy a car and do not pay the down payment and have your finance company pay the remaining balance to the car dealer, do you think the manufacturer will warranty the car?  NO, and in fact, you will never drive the car off the lot and if you do not pay the payments, the finance company will repossess it.

In our business, we provide labor and materials and the customer provides payment for that labor and materials.

The rub comes when the customer is completely unreasonable and thinks he or she can continue to request a warranty for work completed without full payment for that work...

We have a simple philosophy, No payment...; No work... No Warranty... No Exceptions!!!

In fact, we post our 180-day warranty on our web site at www.onecallcorp.com/warranty.html.

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site at http://www.onecallhomehandyman.com/woodwindow.html for more information.  You can also contact us by phone at (832) 800-4441.

Are Your Worker Insured?

As a handyman and remodeling general contractor, we carry $1M/$2M general liability insurance to protect our customers and ourselves from unforeseen problems. So, every time we bid a job, this insurance cost is included in the price we charge for our services. In addition, if the job we are bidding requires a license, we only hire licensed sub-contractors to perform that work.

On many occasions, we are competing with workmen that are not licensed, have no insurance and are not qualified to perform the job at hand. Customers assume everyone is "required" to be licensed and have insurance, but the truth is, there are licensing laws, but there is no law requiring insurance. In fact, when a customer hires an unlicensed and/or uninsured contractor to perform work on their home, they are taking the risk of damage to their home, and more importantly, the risk of injury to the contractor and his/her workers. They also take the risk of damage these contractors may do to their property and the property of others.

Hazards of Hiring an Unlicensed and/or Uninsured Contractor

While licensing isn't necessarily a measure of competence, it does imply a certain level of professionalism and suggests that the contractor is committed to his or her job. More significantly, licensing and insurance can protect you from a number of potential problems, such as the following:

• Unlicensed means - uninsured. If you use a contractor who is unlicensed and/or uninsured, it means the contractor has no way of reimbursing you for any property damage he or she may cause. This means you end up paying the price. Likewise, if contractor carelessness leads to injury or damage to someone else's property, the problem is likely to become yours.

• No coverage under the homeowner's policy. THIS IS A BIG ONE!!! Most homeowners believe it is safe to use an unlicensed and uninsured contractor, assuming that any damages incurred would be covered under their own insurance policies. However, this isn't the case. Most homeowner policies require that any work to the property be done by licensed and insured contractors; coverage is often specifically excluded for damages caused by "bootleg" contractors.

• Noncompliance with building codes. Most building projects, even minor ones, usually require permits and inspections. Unlicensed contractors are often unfamiliar with the applicable building codes and are unable to obtain permits. If your project isn't permitted or doesn't comply with building and zoning codes, you may - and probably will - be ordered to remove or repair the job. Even if a building inspector doesn't "catch" your code violation right away, you will almost certainly have to correct it if and when you try to sell your house.

• Con artists. Scams in the construction industry especially in the home improvement business have become almost legendary in the last few decades. Con artists posing as qualified contractors, and often targeting the elderly, have made national news any number of times. Even so, unwary homeowners continue to be taken in by these pseudo contractors, who often promise unrealistically low prices or use scare tactics to close the deal. In these cases, the homeowner typically ends up with either an incomplete or low quality.

• Poor quality work. Not all unlicensed contractors do poor quality work. And not all poor quality work is done by unlicensed contractors. However, as a rule, if there's shoddy work to be done, it's usually done by unlicensed contractors. Because unlicensed contractors aren't subject to meeting specific standards, they are often untrained, less experienced, and unqualified to do certain types of work.
  
  Sloppy work by an unlicensed and uninsured contractor could have serious ramifications. "Basically, it's a safety hazard if your work isn't done improvement project - and several hundred, or even thousands of dollars less.

• Limited recourse for broken contracts. If you have a dispute with a licensed contractor, you can call his or her licensing agency. Some licensing agencies offer mediation services or maintain a guaranty fund to help consumers recover their losses. At the very least, the licensing agency has the authority to suspend or revoke a dishonest contractor's license. While this doesn't necessarily ensure a contractor will play fair, it gives him or her considerably more incentive to do so.  If the contractor is uninsured, it usually indicates they are not financially able to cover problems is the arise.

In most cities, a contractor must provide the city with a certificate of insurance showing the city as a certificate holder in order to pull building permits in that city. The problem is that most contractors who are not licensed and do not carry General Liability insurance will not pull a permit anyway. In addition, there are many small jobs that do not require a permit, and even if they do, an unlicensed/uninsured contractor will "SCAB" the job and not worry about permits.

The problem here is that you are responsible to ensure that the work performed was done in accordance with city code and requirements.  If the city finds out work was performed on your home without a permit, they can require you to remove walls, sheetrock, cabinets and any other impediment to inspecting the work to ensure it was performed according to code. If you sell your home, this can become a hidden defect and could get you in heavy legal issues with any buyer of your home.

In short, protect yourself and your family by only hiring licensed and insured contractors... Make sure anyone who works on your home is licensed and carries enough insurance coverage to protect you, your family and, more importantly, your home.

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site athttp://www.onecallhomehandyman.com for more information. You can also contact us by phone at (832) 800-4441.

Quality At A Low Price?

We get a lot of calls from customers wanting us to provide service in their home and when we give them the price, they have a cat....  What is up?

Why do people think they can get high-quality service at discounted prices?  Do they think that just because we are a smaller independent handyman company, we can perform quality work at a lower price than the other larger companies?

The fact is, we carry the same insurance, have more experience and usually more qualified tradesmen than the large companies do,.  We also provide much better customer service and warranties....

The only thing I ask my customers is, do you want price or quality?  I also tell them, "It is almost impossible to get both!!"

We have over 50 years of combined construction experience and hire only the highest trained and experienced tradesmen.  Our business relies on repeat business and our customer testimonials tell the story,

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com , go to our site at http://www.onecallhomehandyman.com/ or call us at 832-800-4441.

Repair Disposal

We get many calls from customers telling us their garbage disposal won't turn on but makes a humming sound when you flip the switch. If you keep trying to turn it on, it won't do that for long because it will probably trip the breaker on the bottom of the disposal.

If you have this problem, it usually means you have a stuck flywheel and the reset button on the unit itself or the fuse or circuit breaker in your electrical service panel will trip and turn off very quickly. The flywheel is stuck because something is lodged between it or the impeller(s) and the shredder ring.

To repair this issue follow these easy steps:

1. Turn off power to the garbage disposal at the electrical switch or service panel.2. Reminder: Don't ever put your hand down into the garbage disposal hopper (grinding chamber) with the power attached.
3. Take the offset wrench that came with the disposal unit and insert the wrench into the flywheel turning hole in the bottom of the unit. If you don't have the wrench you can pick one up from the hardware store that sells your garbage disposal.
4. Once the wrench is inserted, turn it clockwise to dislodge the stuck impeller or flywheel. When it dislodges, you'll feel the flywheel turn freely.
5. Another approach is to try and use a wooden broom-handle or similar wooden object to free the stuck impeller and flywheel from the top of the unit through the drain.
6. Place the broom-handle into the hopper and against an impeller. Use leverage to try and free the stuck flywheel. As before, when it dislodges you'll feel the flywheel turn freely.
7. Once freed, turn the power back on at the panel but don't turn on the disposal yet.
8. Go back to the disposal and press the reset button.
9. Run some tap water into the disposal and quickly flip the switch on and off turning the disposal on for a short burst. Turn on and off again quickly. That should spin the flywheel and the dislodged obstruction should be washed down the drain.
10. If for some reason the obstruction is being caused by a metal screw or nail you will need to turn the power off again and use a flashlight to locate the item. Once located use a magnet or screw grabber to retrieve the item. Once removed turn the power back on and follow the instructions in number 9 above.

You can also watch this YouTube Video

If you are unable to free the obstruction call a professional to assist you.

If you have any questions please email us at sales@onecallhomehandyman.com or go to our site at http://www.onecallhomehandyman.com/