Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes DIY Doesn't always work
If you have questions about us or home maintenance that isn't covered here give us a call!
Do it yourself or don't do it yourself? That is the question. If you encountered a repair that your home needs you likely asked yourself this question. There are many things to take into consideration like time, cost, and difficulty of the repair. Check out this help guide.
Estimates are free. We will make an appointment with you and take pictures and measure out the project. You will have an estimate returned to you within one week. All estimates are good for 30 days.
No, there is no service call charge. We only charge for the labor. Labor is billed at an hourly rate. It is a one hour minimum and then can move to 30 minute increments after.
Yes, we do! We act as a General Contractor and will coordinate your remodel or renovation project. We will handle all aspects of your project and get it done right the first time.
No need to try and figure out what parts you need, we will come prepared with the right parts. Our part prices are also fair market prices. What you would pay at a big box store is the same price we sell them for. We also come prepared with shoe covers and our own clean up supplies. We will even take your old parts and hardware with us for a small disposal fee.
Labor costs are per home only and cannot be shared.
At this time we only accept debit or credit cards at the time of service. We will run your card and email or mail you a receipt.
Garage doors can be opened manually when garage door openers break or power goes out. This is an easy DIY fix. To open it the trolley needs to be detached from the rail. There will be a red string with a handle that when pulled, will detach the garage door so that it can be lifted manually. Here's a video detailing the procedure. Do not disconnect the trolley if the garage door is in the up position, as this can be dangerous.
If you aren't getting power to a single outlet it is likely a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). These GFCI outlets protect against electric shock by tripping an internal circuit breaker if it senses an irregular flow of current from hot to neutral. These types of outlets are usually found in kitchens, bathrooms, and garages. To reset them, simply press the center reset button. If it is not a GFCI outlet with buttons in the middle of the two outlets call an electrician or handyman. It could be a lose wire behind the outlet.
Yes, we suggest that you winterize your home. Vancouver, Washington isn't the coldest place in the world but it is cold enough to require winterization during the winter months. Winterization is simple and is an easy DIY project to do and mostly involves preventing pipes from bursting. Foam covers should be placed over exterior faucets and sprinkler systems should be shut off and drained.
If your power goes out in a single room, it is likely due to a tripped circuit breaker. Your circuit breaker will likely be in the garage or laundry room. It typically looks like a tan or grey panel. Never cover or obstruct this panel with furniture. To reset it simply open the panel and flip the switch that is in a different position from the rest back and forth to line it up with the others. To prevent it from happening again unplug power hungry appliances like space heaters that are located in the same room or area. Visit our videos page to learn more. If it is not a tripped circuit breaker and your neighbors have power give us or Clark Public Utilities a call.
If you have one or multiple smoke detectors chirping it is likely due to a dying battery. Smoke detectors take a 9-volt battery that can be easily replaced with a ladder and a new battery. To prevent this, a simple DIY weekend project can be replacing the all the batteries as soon you hear the first beep. Visit our videos page to learn how to replace the batteries. If the new battery does not stop the chirping remove the detector from the ceiling, remove the battery, hold the test button for 15-20 seconds, then reinstall the battery and detector.
If your garbage disposal is not working it likely isn't broken and is a simple DIY fix. First unplug it from under the sink before working on it. Then check the circuit breaker for a tripped circuit. If the breaker isn't tripped try pressing the red reset button located on the bottom of the garbage disposal unit. The unit is located under your sink. If it does not work after this try putting an Allen wrench in the center hole on the bottom and give it a few turns to dislodge any obstructions. Remember to always unplug the garbage disposal unit from the outlet under the sink before working on it. Check out our videos page for more information.