Your home’s major appliances, like the stove, the water heater, and the refrigerator, are protected by a manufacturer’s warranty. That offers a lot of peace of mind when it comes to problems you might experience in the future. However, one thing that often surprises consumers is that when they need repairs, the home warranty company often sends a handyman to handle things.
That can raise some vital questions that must be answered.
Should You Trust a Handyman?
It’s easy to trust a company employee who shows up at your home in a uniform, ready to fix your appliance. It’s less easy to trust someone who shows up in street clothes, an unmarked vehicle, and expect you to let them in the door of your home. Should you trust these people? The answer is “maybe”. Some handymen can be professionals, but others may not be trustworthy. Because you’re not the one choosing the professional who comes to your home, you have no control over this.
How Much Supervision Is Provided?
Sadly, there is very little in the way of supervision or accountability when it comes to home warranty companies sending out handymen. It’s sort of the same situation as having your car repaired after an accident through an insurance company. The insurance company pays for the parts and labor, but they don’t observe the work. In many cases, you’re on your own when it comes to the quality of work from a warranty company’s hired handyman.
The Truth about Contractor Horror Stories
Chances are good that you’ve heard some ugly rumors about handymen in the past. Contractors might show up late, or not at all. Their work might be slipshod. These stories are often true, and there are more of them out there than you might imagine. Too often, home warranty companies fail to do any sort of due diligence when choosing a handyman for your repairs. Often, it boils down to whoever is in the area and willing to work for the lowest rate. That sort of situation certainly does not lend itself well to peace of mind or an accurate repair.
Should You Find a Repair Specialist Yourself?
Should you go it alone here, or should you let your home warranty company supply you with a handyman? Really, it’s better to hire a contractor yourself. This gives you complete control over the situation. Yes, it’s a bit more work to vet each contractor, but would you really trust anything less when the security of your home and the safety of your family are at stake?
Of course, few of us actually have the time to find the right repair specialist. Where do you even start? Google might be of help, but chances are good that you’ll find few options right away. Once you find names and contact numbers, you’re faced with the arduous task of contacting each contractor, interviewing them, comparing quotes, and more. The better choice might actually be to work with a different home warranty company entirely. For instance, American Home Shield works with customers across the country, and has a network of tens of thousands of contractors who are all fully vetted for professionalism, quality, safety, and security.
In Conclusion
Ultimately, warranty protection is only as good as the person handling the repairs. Too many home warranty companies auction your repairs off to the lowest bidder in your local area, meaning that you may or may not get a trustworthy handyman. However, some home warranty companies go the extra mile to ensure not only a complete, accurate, timely repair, but the peace of mind that you and your family need and deserve.
