Do you provide written quotes?

Yes, itemised, with the scope written out room by room so there is no argument later about what was included.

What happens if you find something unexpected?

It goes in writing as a change order with its own price before we do it, not as a surprise on the final invoice.

Do you handle permits?

For work that needs them we will tell you plainly that it does, and what that adds. We will not quietly do permit-required work without one.

How long is a quote good for?

Typically thirty days, stated on the document.

Do you charge for the estimate?

No. There is no fee to come out, look and write it up, and no trip charge — on a deck that needs a ledger inspection that matters, because looking properly takes a while.

Handyman in Okemos, MI | Decks, Carpentry & Remodels

Handyman & Renovation Services in Okemos, Michigan

The work we do in Okemos looks different from the work five miles west. Houses are larger and newer, more of them have decks and finished basements, and the jobs tend to be finish-quality rather than make-it-work. People here are usually improving a house they intend to stay in.

What kind of projects do you take on in Okemos?

Deck restoration and rebuilds, finish carpentry and trim, built-in storage, bathroom and kitchen work, flooring, and the exterior maintenance that larger houses generate — soffit and fascia, gutter work, and the return trips that come with more roofline than a small ranch has.

We also do a steady amount of what we would call punch-list work: a homeowner has ten small things that have never quite been finished, and would rather have one crew close them all out in two days than chase five trades.

How much does a deck rebuild cost around here?

It depends almost entirely on whether the structure is sound. If the posts, beams and joists are good and the problem is the walking surface and rails, you are in restoration territory and the number is modest. If the framing has rot at the ledger or the post bases, it is a rebuild and the price roughly doubles.

We will not quote a deck from photographs for that reason. We come out, get under it where we can, and tell you which of the two jobs you actually have. That conversation is free and it is worth having before you budget.

Do you do finish carpentry rather than just repairs?

Yes, and it is some of our favourite work. Trim and casing, crown, built-in shelving and benches, stair parts, and closet systems that use the full height of the space. Finish work is where the difference between a handyman and a carpenter shows, and it is worth asking any contractor for photographs of trim they have actually cut and installed.

Can you work on a finished basement?

Regularly. The common calls are egress and lighting, a bathroom addition, storage build-outs, and water — a basement that has taken water once will take it again, and paint over a stain is not a repair. We would rather find the source than sell you a coat of paint that fails next spring.

Which areas of Okemos do you cover?

The whole township, including the subdivisions off Okemos Road, Jolly, Hamilton and Marsh, and out toward Meridian and the Cornell corridor. We are based minutes away in Haslett, so Okemos is effectively a home call for us.

What should I ask before hiring anyone for a deck?

Three questions. Did you look at the ledger, where the deck attaches to the house? Did you check the post bases at ground level? And is this quote a restoration or a rebuild? A contractor who cannot answer the first two has priced what they could see from standing on it.

The ledger is where decks fail dangerously, because it is hidden and it is the connection carrying the load into the building. It is also the cheapest thing to inspect.

Do you do smaller jobs in Okemos too?

Yes. Not everything needs to be a project. Door adjustments, hardware, a failed disposal, hanging heavy mirrors and shelving properly into blocking rather than into drywall anchors, weatherstripping, and the annual list of things that never quite got done. We would rather do those well than only chase large jobs.

Book an Okemos project

Call 517-505-7135. For anything structural or exterior, we would rather walk it than quote it blind.

Deck restoration and skirting — clean, repair, seal — and the ledger nobody looks at
Garage cleanup in Okemos
Built-in storage that adds usable room