Handyman for a few jobs around the house

Anyone know an experienced handyman who could do a few jobs around the house like replace our front door, replace some ceiling sheet rock in the kitchen ceiling (and anything found once its opened up) and install a ceiling fan? We live in El Cerrito. Cleaning up after a day's work is preferable since we have a toddler. Thanks! Beth

Handyman who works hard and doesn't charge too much

I am interested in finding a really good handyman. Ideally he's good at hanging things, solving problems creatively, speaks english well, works hard, doesn't charge too much and is, all-around, a good guy. We have a gardener we love and would recommend to anyone, but he doesn't really do handyman stuff. So, we're looking for a recommendation for someone you think is terrific! (If you could mention what you pay per hour, that would be helpful too!). We live in North Berkeley. K.S.

Carpenter/handyman to put up crown molding

Can anyone recommend a carpenter or good handyman that can put crown molding up in a fairly small bedroom at a reasonable price?? This might be considered too small job for most carpenters. Help!! Thanks, Anon anon

Need a handyman to install 2 child safety gates

Call Nate - 510-665-4775 Specializes in Furniture Assembly, but can also install your saftey Gates. Comes highly recommended!!! Hannah

Very skilled handyman for framing, windows, and sheet rocking

We are looking for a contractor or very skilled handyman for basic framing, help with window/door installation, and experience doing sheet rocking for a small house project. Please email me directly if you know someone who is good and affordable! Thanks in advance. layla

For a contractor, I had excellent experience with MGO Construction, headed by a young up-and-coming Matt Gober. He's very personable, understood my tight budgeting and timeline needs in building out my kitchen within 2 months, and worked hard to help me keep costs down while providing the seismic upgrades my home needed. His number: 510-847-5950. Tell 'em Verna sent you!

Contractor/handyman for various home-improvement tasks

Has anyone ever hired someone to supervise a number of repairs/home improvements ranging from small, one-day tasks to larger tasks. How did it work out? What was the financial arrangement? Please, no self-referrals. old house in berkeley flats -- needs work

Reasonable handyman for odd jobs

Does anyone have any current information on a good, reasonably skilled and priced handyman to do some odd jobs (i.e. fix screen door, paint bench, install attic insulation, etc.). Must be reliable and have good communication skills. Thanks.

Handyman for various small jobs

We have a number of small but nagging problems that arose while we were out of the area and renting our home: serious recaulking of kitchen and bathroom areas, some replacing of tiles in various places, possibly minor plumbing work because the kitchen hot water makes horrible noises when on, re-assembling a shed in the yard etc. We need recommendations for a good fixer-upper for things we see and use all the time(as opposed to a plumber or electrician who works on things you never see). Any ideas? Thanks Lee

We live in an older home in Piedmont/Oakland area. We're looking for a reliable carpenter/handyman for a few small projects in our home ie: old wooden window repair, re-hang a door, fix a broken hinge on kitchen cabinet, etc... Any recommendations? Thanks! -DM

He helped me paint a kitchen plus assorted other home repairs. I have nothing but good things to say. He arrived on time, initially established work spaces that would not interfere with my use of the home, and cleaned up after our work each day. He did not mind my helping him to save money (I did the easy stuff) and instructed me as we worked.

Because of his long history in home renovation, he made multiple suggestions about things I could do at various levels of cost. More importantly, he because he was a part of a renovation company, he understands how a house works, so is able to ?see? things I would not think of. He was meticulous in his work, and his rates were appreciably below other estimates that I got.

And finally, since he was an undergraduate English major, he recommended a couple of authors that I haven?t read. carol

Various things in my condo home are now in need or repair or replacement - triple electric switch in bathroom, interior door lock/handles, recaulking the bathtub, towel rack loose, painting trim on frame etc... it seems to be IMPOSSIBLE to get a handyman with so few jobs!! I have tried rounding up some more but really that is all there is - except for future patio tiling etc when I have more $$! I have called various handyman from UC parents network also yelp and google generally but either they don't call back when I say what the jobs are or want to charge $100's or are min 4 hours! It's at least 2+ hours of work. Can anyone please help me with the name and contact information for a handyman willing to come to Alameda and do some small jobs in my home? I will contact them as soon as this appears in my email. Thank you so much!! Mary

Any one of these could be a 5 minute job or a 2 day job ... it depends on what's wrong and how well you'd like the repair done.

Example: Bathtub recaulking. Maybe you just need some caulk on top of the old stuff? Or do you want the old caulk removed first? Or do you just need cleaning of some black mold growing on the existing caulk. Is the tub separating from the wall, such that it needs tile repairs as well? Might there be a caulking opening around the faucets which, in turn, has allowed water to leak into the framing of the wall behind the tile ... this means a great deal of work if the framing is gotten rotten.

Seldom can a good worker give a reasonable estimate until they've spent at least a few minutes (and often longer!) thinking through what needs to be done and discussing it with you. Now, think about how long it takes to drive from my place in Berkeley to your house in Alameda. (I guess it's half an hour each way ... so just to visit you will cost an hour of my day)

Naturally, you want to spend as little as possible - especially since these jobs address annoyances, not severe problems. Realize that while one person may want the absolute minimum cost on a job; another may want to spend more so as to minimize dust from lead paint or to have the smoothest caulking job or the most assurance that nothing else is wrong.

Suggestion: Learn how to do minor jobs around the house. Tell schools that we need to teach basic handiwork skills (like how to use a screwdriver, how to measure voltage, how to organize a kitchen, and how to cook a meal) Respect those who have spent time honing these skills. A guy that fixes things

For a Handyman, and all those repairs and projects that pile up, call Glen Larsen. He will make your home work well and save you money in the process.

Here's my very recent experience: I just prepared my house to rent out. There were innumerable tasks ranging from small to large, e.g.: * replace the bathroom overhead fixture * touch-up all the chipped paint in the entire house (matching old paint colors) * build a wall in the garage for a storage space * clean/paint the kitchen (a big job!)

Glen has a crew of wonderful guys whom I enjoyed having around (very pleasant and helpful). Clearing out and preparing my house to rent was stressful enough for me. If there had been problems with workers and the repairs, I would have been a basket case.

What was very much appreciated by me were Glen's suggestions, e.g., I would say ''We need to paint this.'' and Glen said, ''No, we can clean this and touch up here.'' And Glen designed a much better way to configure the storage area than the one I presented, giving me much more space. Do I sound satisfied? What a relief! Glen Larsen 510-253-9851 glenlarsen@lmi.net
-jessica

We need to get a bunch of stuff within our old berkeley house fixed up. A lot of minor (painting interior)/some stuff is a bit more complicated (redoing hardwood floors etc). I need some one who can handle alot of this themselves and if need be get a sub in here. Any recommendations. I think a good carpenter/handyman might do. anon

I need a handyman to do small jobs around my house. I have an older home, built in the 1920s, and I always seem to need small repairs done (e.g. facet or doorbell replaced, light fixture changed, etc.) Kim

I am looking for someone who can lay bricks. It is a job that will require someone to flatten a small area of land (4 x 5 feet), pour some cement, lay bricks, and build a small step with the bricks. Many thanks! keren

2007 - 2008 Recommendations

Hello, We are having trouble with our kitchen sink (leeking), outside lights are not working, some light fixures need to be replaced/and or removed, toilet needs fixing, and the list goes on...would you please recommend someone to help us! Thank you Mouna

hi, we are looking for someone to install a cat door inside our house. i imagine that it would involve cutting the door and just popping it in. we just don't have the tools or the skills for accurate measurements. thanks! mazu

I have a very large TV antenna on my roof that belonged to the previous owner that I want to remove. Can anyone recommend a handyman or anyone else who can do this for me? Jenny

Hello, I am looking for an affordable and trustworth handyman to help mount our flatscreen tv to the wall and a few other odd jobs. We are located in Oakland. Thank you for your recommendations! kelley

I'd like to engage a handyman to perform small jobs around the house, including carpentry, plumbing, painting, and electrical work. Jason

We have used Glen and his crew for many years. He has done extensive work on our house at affordable fees - all of the things you mention plus more. I can get specific and picky about what I want too, and he will aim to please. I have recommended Glen a number of times with happy results.
Jessica B

I need to modify an existing kitchen cabinet to install a dishwasher. The person should be capable in carpentry and minor electrical work. If you could recommend someone who does work in Albany, is reliable and charges reasonable rates, I'd appreciate it. Thanks. Phi

I am looking for someone who is above the handyman level and below the contractor level - someone who could do some home projects with pretty high level skills - carpentry, plumbing, electrical - and who is excellent at what s/he does. Fixer-Upper

I'm writing to recommend Sergio Roriz as a handyman who might be able to help you. He does all types of work, including plumbing, bathroom remodels, painting, general fixing. He even cleans windows, seals decks. He's really versitile, extremely honest & reliable. We have used him for years. He has a partner who is a general contractor. His wife Misako also does housecleaning - spring cleaning & cleaning after moving. Sergio can be reached at (415) 407-6728. rogray

Seeking someone who can help with general maintenance around the house. We need assistance with services including power washing our outdoor brick/cement terrace, interior painting, grout work and sealing of bathroom tile, etc. Hoping for someone honest, dependable and reasonably priced. Thank you! fk

I'm looking for a handyman who can do basic maintenance but would also be able to rebuild or repair fencing. If you know of anyone that you just loved, who you'd highly recommend, I'd love it if you'd share names and numbers. My landlady is looking for someone new to take care of her properties. mitsue

I have a used washer and dryer (side-by-side) that I would like to install outside on the back wall of my house. I need someone to do two things; one, is to build an enclosure, including a platform (made of pre-treated wood) for the washer dryer and second, is to do the plumbing and wiring (the location is near the drain and the water heater but there is no outside wiring). Please write me if you can come out and give an estimate. Thanks. michelle

Looking for recommendations from families who have used a great handyman. Need help for odd jobs around the home. Brandon

I'm looking for a carpenter to build some garage shelves, install doggie door, and other light work. I also need a handy man for minor household repairs. I need someone quickly and all referrals are greatly appreciated. michelle

Re: Someone to install light fixture
We have a great Handyman who could do this for you. He does anything you need. I've had him install light fixtures, build a closet, put up sheet-rock, tile my kitchen, and paint my house. He's always got a good price and always finishes really fast. His name is Robert and his number is 510.712.4783 -L

We had a new wood, double casement window installed in our kitchen and need a quality handy-person or finishing carpenter to finish the inside wall?plaster around opening edge and repair and re-install wood trim. We also need a wood step built for an outside door. Do you know anyone that complete small jobs quickly and does a good job? We don't want to chase someone for weeks to get the work done. thanks!

Hello - I wanted to recommend a fantastic house painter and all-around handyperson for jobs big and little: Aldo Valle. Aldo has done so much work for me at my house, and he is fastidious, reliable, 100 percent trustworthy, and just a great person who has become like family. Whether you need sheetrocking, painting, a room gutted, garden work, whatever - he can do it, and at a reasonable price. Feel free to email me for his number. lguttman

We've known Juan Cordova-Marchena's family for several years. He is currently in between jobs and needs work. His wife and sister-in-law were our nannies for the past three years. Theirs is an incredible family -- extremely hardworking, smart, honest, reliable, responsible, etc...in short, salt-of-the- earth people. If you need anything done in your garden or home, Juan can do/fix it in half the time. Seriously! This man is awesome! His English is limited, but he and I communicate fine and I don't speak Spanish. Please call him directly at (510)923- 0435. q2rg

I'm looking for a handyman for a number of small jobs - recaulking two tubs and around a window, replacing all or part of a garbage disposal, etc. All of the handyman recos are at least two years old, so I'm wondering if anyone has a current reco. I thank you, and my overworked husband thanks you! Paige

Mike Grafton did quite a bit of work on my Oakland bungalow to prepare it for sale. This involved a variety of types of jobs and a very quick schedule. He and his crew laid a new kitchen floor, refinished and patched hardwood floors, created a new enclosure for a water heater, fixed a roof leak, and did a number of patch and repaint jobs to smooth out the walls. Most impressive is the the finishing and interior painting work which really dressed up an 80 year old house. Previously, his crew did a wonderful job scraping and repainting the entire home. His number is 415 515-9700
Kyrsten

Handy Woman Extraordinaire
I have recommended Tiffany for particular tasks, but I think she deserves more recognition, she's that good. Tiffany Skau has been doing amazing work for us and she can truly do just about anything. She has fixed our old plumbing (I do mean rusy old....) underneath our sink, installed a new dishwasher, rewiring it in the process. She is doing electrical work for us as well.

She has been in the contracting business for 15 years and is now striking out on her own. Her prices are more than reasonable, she is a truly honest and great person. I'm so glad we found her. Finally, someone who can help me with anything! Including putting up a towal rack.(She is training other female assistants too!). Call the Women's Construction Collaborative and Tiffany will give you a great estimate and do an honestly good job. 415-369-2704
Molly G

Hello- I would like to recommend a great handyman! ''Mighty'' Mike Grafton has been amazing to work with. He is a seasoned professional who has experience building houses from the ground up, so he is qualified in many areas - electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. His rates are very reasonable, and best of all, he is a man of his word, meaning if he commits to a timeframe, he sticks to it. We have used Mike for a number of small projects and plan to work with him on bigger projects in the future. Feel free to e-mail Mike directly at: mwgrafton[at]earthlink.net You can also e-mail me if you have any questions.
Jennifer

I would like to recommend Ziv Peleg as an excellent handyman. He is knowledgeable about fixing anything around the house and completes jobs in a timely manner. Ziv recently finished a bath remodeling project in our home where he redid the floor & tile work in the shower, replaced the plumbing and installed a new shower stall and bath fixtures. He did an excellent job keeping the place tidy while working and the bathroom remodel turned out even better than we thought! Give Ziv a call to discuss any jobs you are considering and I'm sure you will be satisfied with his results! Ziv Peleg (510) 566-5635
aschumer

Re: Excellent handyman/machinist/ metal sculptor/carpenter
Michael Steffe restored our ''unrestorable'' redwood hot tub. His carpentry work is beautiful, precise, and well-planned. He is reliable, honest and easy to work with. His background is in special effects and has worked on over 35 movies in the flim industry. Extremely creative and resourceful. 415 517 2072 email: cinematrix[at]comcast.net
natbaba

Our neighbor currently works as a handyman and has helped us out with a lot of small jobs. He's honest, skilled and reliable. He could do many of the jobs listed in the newsletter this month. His name is Oren Leiman 415-577-9050
ngp

Handyman Bob Antonelli (cell 415-724-4301) installed our dishwasher last year and did a great job. It involved reconfiguring some cabinets, and he did the carpentry, plumbing and electrical all himself. I get compliments all the time on how well the dishwasher and the cabinet work blend in. He's flexible, good at problem-solving and pretty reasonably priced.
No more dishpan hands

I'd like to re-recommend Barry Stone for handywork. He does everything from light plumbing to fine woodwork. He's extremely reasonable and personable. His number is (510) 530-8980.
Steve C

I'd like to recomend my handyman Warren. He is very reliable and pleasant to work with. He charges $50/hr and works efficiently. He does minor electrical work & plumbing, tiling, carpentary, painting and deckwork. His phone number is 510-530-1805.
Jennie

I'd like to recommend Juan as a handyman. He's been doing some things around our house (painting a fence, replacing a broken window and doing some yard work). He's very honest and reliable, and always comes on time. If you want to talk to me, you can email me. Otherwise, this is his cell phone number: 510.776-6142
Anna

I contacted Mike Grafton after his name was posted here as a good contractor. He completely refabricated my wooden front porch, and did so maximizing existing materials and structure when it would not comprise the new work. He is now preparing to paint the exterior of the house while renovating all the broken and bad clapboard siding on my vintage bungalow. He has already come up with great ideas to do a quality job while keeping an eye to the budget. A very creative thinker! I would recommend him for any home work you need. His phone number is 415 515-9700.
Kyrsten

Our house has needed a variety of repairs over the last year, and I wanted to write a recommendation for a great handyman who has done a lot of the work. Alberto Martinez (510-393 2541) has helped us paint several rooms, tile a floor, fix bathroom fixtures, and earthquake proof some furniture. On each job, the work has been completed quickly and very well, and his prices have been quite reasonable. Alberto's a really great guy - very easy to communicate with and pleasant to have around the house. You can contact him directly at the number listed above. nerissw

Handyman Edwin B is honest, reliable, thorough, very skilled and experienced. For us, he's done as small-scale a job as child-proofing the house -- to a larger-scale job like our backyard fence or furniture pieces. Contact him: ready2servehandyman[at]gmail.com
--sam

Mike Grafton, ''Mighty Mike'' of Baltic to Boardwalk. (c)415-515-9700, email MWGrafton@earthlink.net is reliable, experienced and creative. He can do anything, minor to major, to improve a house. He asks $60/hr for his time and $20/hr for his apprentice. I found that he's well worth it because he really knows what he's doing and wastes no time. Mike's been in the house business - handiman, realtor, and property mgr - for over 25 years. He did a big kitchen job for a friend, removed a wall, installed all new appliances (even an INSTANT HOT WATER HEATER!), laid a new floor, did a custom tile job on the counters, refinished their diningroom floors. It's beautiful work. He also transformed a closet into a half-bath that looks as though it's always been in Friend of ''Mighty Mike''!

I would like to post a hearty recommendation for my handyman, George Matthews. He recently installed cable track lighting in my 1920's Bungalow, as well as fixing an extremely difficult clog in my kitchen sink (my plumbing is a nightmare). George was timely, responsive to my calls, very reasonable at 35.00 an hr. and perhaps best of all very clean. I think my living room was cleaner when he left than when he started, and any of you who have had work done in a plaster and lath house know what a nightmare it can be. I would recommend George to anyone looking for a general handyman. I believe he does carpentry, electrical and smaller remodeling jobs. His number is 510-523-4416
leslie.m

Hi, just some feedback about Cody Wilson, a handyman contact I got from these boards...I got him on the phone long enough to hire him, but he never responded to my follow-up calls (to set up the work agenda) and failed to show up. Kate

Good handy man
I would like to recommend a handy man for some of your household needs, he came recommended to me from a friend. A former tile setter and apartment manager who is now in the plumbers union!!!! He has a full schedule at times, but he is worth the wait. reasonable prices and he will be honest and tell you if he is not the man for the job. Call Nathan at 510-388-4546
satisfied customer

Great contractor handyman small/large projects!
I want to recommend Dan Emmel who did an excellent job for us by installing a dishwasher and a microwave vent in a very old kitchen that previously had no dishwasher or microwave vent.

He was creative and efficient, using the existing when possible and adding new when necessary. He cut off a cabinet for the dishwasher, installed the plumbing, electricity, exhaust, microwave cabinet, etc. He was very professional, finished the job in the time he had told us, just two days. He was neat, amicable and charged us a very reasonable price. He went above and beyond by moving our stove gas line a few inches so that the stove could be pushed all the way to the wall to maximize space and for the vent to work at its best, and he did it for free.

His email is ddemmel[at]earthlink.net and you can tell him that Hokulani recommended him.

2005 - 2006 Recommendations

I am looking for a carpenter or a handyman with good carpentry skills, reasonably priced and reliable to work on various small projects around our home. We need someone to replace window framing which has dry rot and help us with maintenance issues. We also need someone to help us with gardening, garden design and irrigation. Karen

Any reccomendations for a handyman or woman in the Albany/El Cerrito area? I need someone who is willing to do small jobs and who pays attention to detail. Leigh

We just had a slew of small things done by Vernon Hixson, who can do just about anything--carpentry, plumbing, electrical--and we liked him a lot. He charges $30 per hour, and his phone number is 510/919-2368
Brad and Nenelle

A very nice and very meticulous handyman is Peter Carpenteri, at 658-6485. He is working for an advanced degree, and supports himself by doing this kind of work. Helpful homeowner

Handyman Honest, Inexpensive, Available

Arturo has been working on my home and on the homes of my neighbors. I recommend him for his brick and concrete work, tile work, and painting. He recently did some emergency plumbing for the neighbor across the street. He is inexpensive and has completed work in a timely fashion. His Cell number is 847 8663
James M. K

Thomas Banks is a carpenter who is great as a handyman. He's done plastering, painting, door hanging, and building for me. 510 978 5679
doctorsydney

I highly recommend Michael Guillory who worked a number of miracles around my house. He fixed a pocket door which now works better than when it was first installed more than 12 years ago. He sanded, filled and painted so that the repair matches the original. He repaired an outside light, caulked (to match existing caulking) the shower/tub, repaired the sprinkler system, and re-wired and mounted two troublesome ceiling fixtures which now work perfectly. Michael is quite personable, reliable, efficient and has tackled many varied jobs. Michael Guillory may be reached at (510) 508-4915

Contractor/Handyman recommendation: We just had a great re-model of a utility room turned into a playroom (hiding the washer/dryer and water heater in a small closet) done by Brian Bartsch. Brian's number is (510) 693-3947. Brian was very flexible, affordable and creative. He was very helpful suggesting ways to save money. He was able to do lots of things including painting and carpentry. We would highly recommend Brian and use him again in the future. Zak and Julie

I have a friend to recommend for most interior work. He has been a handyman for a property management company, a landscaper, and a professional tile setter- he's looking for some extra work this summer- he has a truck and every tool you can imagine He's also very honest if he thinks he is not the right person for the job you need done. Nathan Hicks 510-388-4546
happy with my remodel

For those looking for fences, decks and general handyman recommendations, I recommend DD's Fences and Decks. Don works by himself, so smaller jobs are his specialty. He does beautiful work, and is very reasonably priced. He can be reached at (510)207-2087. kiki

I would highly recommend a handyman/carpenter named Chris. He is reasonable, resonsible and never leaves a job until he feels it has been done correctly. Chris has never NOT returned my phone calls. (a major plus in my books!) He lives in SF but does alot of his work in the East Bay. phone: 415-516-9661 email opacribe[at]yahoo.com
labgrg

My husband and I recently moved to Oakland and our new, old house needed a lot of immediate attention. We hired a crew from Handyman Matters and were totally thrilled with their work. We had electrical and plumbing work done, windows planed, child safety gates installed and more. They were very professional, knowledgeable and pleasant. We will absolutely use Handyman Matters again. Just thought I'd pass the name along. You can reach them at 510-531-4300. Stephanie W

If you are in need of a knowledgeable handyman/carpenter, I will refer you to our 'painter' an all around home repair expert. He has over 20 years of home construction in San Francisco experienced. Extremely helpful with waterproofing and deck coating. Will work on carpentry and plumbing. You can best reach Bob Antonelli on his cell 415-724-4301. He has 100's of referrals. sue

friendly and efficient handyman
Barry Stone helped us with a plumbing problem in a jiffy. He's friendly, efficient and has a fair rate. We recommend him. If you have any questions, please feel free to email. Jill L

The last issue had requests for Interior Painting, Caulking and Bathroom Remodel referr3als.

Everytime I see a request for Household Help & Maintenance recommendations I mean to send in the name of the person we use all the time - Glen Larsen, 510-253-9851.

Glen *does it all* and really well. He and his crew have painted the interior and exterior of my house (and helped me narrow in the colors), put in new bathroom fixtures, rewired and installed new electrical work, installed new windows, built my deck, flagstone patio, designed and built the portico and fence, chose the plantings with me and planted them all, installed the irrigation system...egad, when I start to write it out, I realize how much lucky I feel that I found him. To top it off, I enjoy having his workers around.

He's the only one I ever call. I have nothing to gain from this post. You can call me if you want to verify or drive by my house to see the exterior work (still looking great and 3 years old). Jessica B

2003 - 2004 Recommendations

Re: New front door help
To the person looking for someone to help install a new front door -- We have a carpenter helpng with some remodeling at our house who does terrific work. He specializes in making and installing doors. His name is John Hunt, and his number is 510-547-8116. A minor problem with our front door took him about 5 minutes to fix. John just moved here from New Mexico and is a really nice guy. catha

I would like to recommend someone who has been doing a lot of varied work on my house, David Ruiz. He is very knowledgeable and charges a moderate price, $15 - 20 per hour, depending on the work. He knows how to do plumbing, electrical, general construction stuff in bathrooms and kitchens. I know he has done remodeling and additions on other jobs. My house is really old and has lots of little irritating things to fix, and he seems to know how to fix them all with a minimum of fuss. He is responsible and honest, shows up when he says he will and undercharges me, if anything! You can reach him at 510-499-3196. He doesn't speak English very well, but if you need translation (in Spanish) I would be happy to help. He is a wonderful guy and is looking for more work. linda
[phone number updated 2/2005]

I recommend Paul Lashley (510-243-6640) to anyone looking for a general handyman with plumbing and electrical experience. We had him install a ceiling fan in our bathroom - it was a relatively small job for him, but he was willing to squeeze it into his schedule. He did a great job, and was very efficient - he knew just what needed to be done, and asked the right questions. He's friendly, and has a list of good references - I talked to some of them, and they all liked his work. His hourly rate was also very reasonable, and definitely less than other people who we considered for the job. The only problem is, he seems to be getting popular because he gets a lot of requests for work. He did a good job of juggling his schedule for us, and seemed to really want the work, but he might be hard to schedule from now on. -Tim

I would like to recommend our handyman, Scott Haggerty. Scott, and his brother Gary, have been working at our house for the past 3 years. Scott recently refinished our old wooden windows, and has done lots of other small jobs at our house. He also has experence putting home music/theatre systems together. He is very responsive and responsible. Karen

Editor Note As of May 2006, Scott Haggerty is reportedly no longer living in the area.

Curtis Wong is excellent and charges on the mid-to-low side. He is very honest and would not do or charge you for things that you don't need. (I even have to remind him to charge us for ALL the work he does and not just the big stuff.) He has a strong Chinese accent, but I don't mind asking him to repeat himself and he doesn't mind answering me. We rely on him and trust him a lot! Curtis Wong 510-917-1455. Needyperson

I thought I would write a recommendation for a handyman who has been in my employ (on and off) for the past few months. We have had some work done around the home and he has proven himself to be a reliable, professional, hard working person who I think would prove useful to others. He is, as it happens, the husband of the nanny for my daughter. If you need some form of repair or gardening done around the house, you will not find a better person than Vidal. Vidal paints, undertakes small carpentry jobs, will work in the garden tidying up, and when asked, cleans the car. Not sure if there are other jobs he would be able to do, as I have not asked him. He is perfectly fluent in English or Spanish and will be only too happy to answer your questions. He really is a nice guy. Thanks Susanne

I would recommend Dilshad as a handyman.He did a good job at my Daycare.He is reliable and non smoker. You can contact him at 510 258 7096 zurika

I'd like to recommend Paul Lashley, who a lot more than a ''Handyman'' but not a licensed contractor. Paul did a complete remodel of our kitchen. He demolished our old kitchen, redid all of the electrical, installed our cabinets and the new appliances, and did some finish carpentry. Paul knows his limits; so he brought in a plumber for that part of the project. He also kept our budget in mind and had us hire someone else to do the plaster repairs in order to save some money. Paul charged us by the hour, which worked out very very well. He is a very hard worker, enthusiastic, and helped us get through this complete kitchen redo in 6 or 7 weeks. We became good friends and missed having him around when it was all over. How many people can say that after living through a kitchen remodel? Paul Lashley's numbers are 510-243-6640 or cell 510-910-1028 Dan

I'd like to recommend Joseph Doherty as carpenter/handyman. He did exterior painting, repaired wood siding, added new exterior window trim, and did general handyman work such as repairing gate latches, for my house in Berkeley. He's honest and hardworking and does careful, meticulous work, and really cares about doing a good job. (510) 681-5592 is his phone number. Lea

Excellent painter and handyman! Ramiro painted the entire outside of our house (after several hours of preparing it first), painted our gate, painted several rooms on the inside of our house, organized our garage and installed cupboards and shelves and then painted it, replaced part of a ceiling rotted with water, repaired and painted another deteriorating wall, blew out our rain drains and pipes (without me even asking), installed cupboards and shelves in our attic, cleaned and sealed our outdoor tile deck, and tiled our front porch. He works to please and has a great attitude even after we changed our minds about the color of a huge interior wall (he painted it three times), changed our minds about adding stone steps to our front porch (after he already went and got the stones and then had to return them) (we decided to go with tiles instead), and changed our minds about the kind of shelves to install in the attic (he returned those too and bought ones we liked better). He charges $20.00 an hour and $15.00 for other workers he may use (his main partner has his contractorms license). Contact Ramiro Magana at 510-501-8472

A painter who worked on the interior of my house a few years ago is looking for additional work. In addition to painting, he can do small repairs and hauling. Guillermo is very conscientious and charges a fair price for his work. You can reach him at 925-754- 9713 (home) or 925-212-6798 (cell). Maria

Ever since we bought a house in Kensington, we have been using Cody Wilson as our handyman, painter, drywall person, and finish carpenter. He's been excellent, so I wanted to pass along the recommendation! He's fairly busy, so you want to book him in advance, but he has done small to large jobs for us, everything from painting rooms, installing baseboards and crown moldings, putting in an attic ladder which required a complete reworking and cutting open of the ceiling, refiguring a closet to accommodate a cat door and shelf holes, redoing wood trim in our kitchen, etc. Cody charges $20/hour, and he is a perfectionist. After installing crown moldings in our kitchen - and nothing is simple in our house, because everything is crooked, requiring each molding to be custom sawed ever so well to look ''straight'' - he later decided that one of them could be improved, so he came back on his own time and replaced one of the moldings free. Cody will also tell you if something goes wrong or takes longer than anticipated. His father is a contractor, so not only are you getting the benefit of someone who grew up with building and can tap into that knowledge base, but he has friends who can help with larger projects. Both Cody and his friends are completely trustworthy and very nice people. I have felt perfectly comfortable giving him keys to our house and letting him come and go. He was great with our 10 year old daughter, who changed her mind about the paint color in her bedroom three times, which Cody bore with good nature and considerable patience. He's a great guy and completely honest. I wholeheartedly recommend him! His phone number is 510 302 7720. Feel free to contact me if you want a reference. Jenny
[editor: phone number updated 8/2006]

Re: Good Man for Carpentry / Remodeling / Handyman
If you are in need of any of these services, we highly recommend Ron Masters. We found his name through the Berkeley Parents Network a few months ago and hired him for a large deck restoration job. Ron was very reliable,conscientious, professional, and friendly. He helped us add a few modifications to the architectms plans that truly enhanced the end result. We have continued working with Ron on other projects around our home such as installing a new bathroom cabinet and sink and building a garage storage system. Ron is open and communicative, making him very easy to collaborate with. He is knowledgeable and value conscious and helps get the most out of ones budget. Also, he always returned our calls in a timely manner. Please feel free to contact us with any questions at (510) 528-4408 (evenings/weekends), or you can contact Ron Masters directly at (415) 398-8496 or (415) 377- 8400. Nancy and John

In the last newsletter several people were looking for handyman,electricians, and plumbers, so I thought I would post Javier Gonzonlez again. I have this fabulous handyman that does all of the above, including childproofing (installs gates and door guards, etc) and painting. He is extremely reliable, hard working, exacting in his work, affordable, honest and on time! He really does great work. My whole neighborhood uses (Claremont Hills) him and you can call me and I can pass you on to get other reccommendations for him. Or contact him directly: Javier Gonzolez (510) 599 0272 pkmdcm

Until recently, our babysitter's husband was employed more than full-time in construction. Work has slowed, and he is available for any sort of house-related construction or repair work, interior or exterior. He is very experienced and very personable, and his hourly rate would be very reasonable, but his English is limited, so knowing a little Spanish will help. We've never had occasion to hire him, but will the next time we need a handyman (now that my brother-in-law has moved away). His name is Andres, and he can be reached at 510-594-7761. eirik

We recently used Mark the Handyman to replace two ugly pocket doors as well as all of the blah door casings in our home with something a little nicer. Mark is honest and reliable, very easy to communicate with, and does quality work. He specializes in fixing and replacing doors and windows, but is capable of doing lots of handy work -- hanging drywall, adding crown moldings, building shelves, etc. I believe he charges $30 an hour and has a half-day minimum. You can reach him at 510/582-8632. Leah

Have any new year projects or Child Safety gear to install? I have a fabulous HANDYMAN!!! He is a fast, reliable, accurate, and an honest worker. He just told me his work looks slow for January but then he's booked. So if anyone is interested he is great!!!! He works on several houses in our neighborhood and we have all had great experiences with him. He does electrical, painting, plumbing, just about any type of carpentry. He installed all of our CHILD SAFETY gear, fixed our heater and caulked our shower in just 3 hours! Also does some landscape and hardscape work. Very inexpensive too...between $20-$30 p/hour! Call him Javier Gonzalez 510 599 0272. Feel free to call me for other referal names on him. patricia

2002 & Earlier

We have found a great contractor, Will Hoyt. We have only used him for small handyman type jobs around the house, but he's excellent and very nice and dependable. His phone: 524-8629 Toby

I wanted to offer the services of my brother-in-law, Marco Kakehashi, for both home or office cleaning and handyman jobs. Biases aside, Marco is an excellent, responsible worker who has just formed his own company to handle all types of cleaning and small construction projects. While not a licensed contractor yet, Marco has taken classes in a broad range of construction-related subjects and is available for big or small jobs. He just handled a roof repair and is currently building a yard fence. I can attest to the quality of his work and his reliability and honesty. Please feel free to contact him directly for information about his availability and rates at (510) 932 6221. Erin

Handyman recommended !! We have the best alternative to a licensed contractor to do almost any home improvement. Jason Simms has put 2 french doors in our home, built decks, removed old and rotting ones, convert a detached garage into a fabulous work studio complete with skylight and electricity. He is almost finished with our home, and can be reached at 415.710.4419!

Some of you may use the East Bay Express for household services so I'd like to suggest that you don't use the following individual. He advertised as ''Home Repair Expert (descriptive text) - Rick 510 464-5934. I paid him to fix two toilets and one still doesn't work properly. I called him four times to return and correct the work, but he hasn't done so. Dorothy

I have previously recommended Brian Bourke for handyman jobs. I'd like to repeat that recommendation, and supply an updated phone number (he's moved). His new home number is: 510-655-0225. His cell phone remains the same: 510-703- 0402. Regarding the fence in particular, Brian has helped us repair a couple of sections of fence and shore up our patio cover. His work is good, and he's been very reliable, showing up when he said he would and getting everything completed on time (the job was not for pay, so I cannot comment on his rates). - Dawn

Re: electrician
We use a handyman who is also an electrician. His name is Barry Stone and his number is 530-8980. Shannon

Carlos Avalos has done several painting and small handyperson jobs, including power washing our decks, cleaning gutters, minor plumbing and so on. He is very good, honest and reliable and the other men on his crew have been equally impressive. The number I have for him is 510/568-0510, which may ring into his residence but he is good about returning calls. Cindy

I highly recommend Ravi and Pami Kalsi for general carpentry. They can also do some plumbing, sheetrock, and concrete work, etc. I have worked with them on an extensive remodeling job on a very old, fine house for many months and know them well. They are honest, intelligent and very careful with everything they do. They show up on time, they do not have any obvious vices such as smoking, drinking, or swearing. Their prices are reasonable. They are also very nice people. Kalsi Custom Home Creations 798-6218 kalsipami AT aol.com

My brother Nick Reilly does handyman work. He finds creative solutions to problems, and (in my opinion)charges very affordable rates. He is trained as a mechanical and an environmental engineer, and has some experience with civil engineering and HVAC. He does big, ambitious jobs (moves doors, puts in countertops, reconfigures pipes), and little ones, like kids' clubhouses and childproofing. His phone number is (510)658-4129, and his e-mail is n-reilly AT msn.com. Siobhan

We currently use Pete for all sorts of odd house/office handyman jobs. We're paying him ~$30/hour but have worked with others from $20-$45/hour - rates do not necessary reflect ability/quality. Pete Winch phone: 1 415 826 0925 email: peterwinch AT hotmail.com

We've just had a terrific experience with Tanvir ''Tom'' Hussain who has done some plumbing, carpentry, electrical work and general repairs for us. He is hardworking, reliable, polite and committed to providing satisfaction. His rates are amazingly reasonable and he is also a very nice man. Other handymen I've hired in the past have been disorganized, unreliable and charged twice as much. Tanvir has been a refreshing change. His phone numbers are 536-9690, 332-0982. Colleen

I got Gary Hegarty (also referred by someone from the network) to redo the bathroom prep work and was very happy with him. He has also built fences, installed kitchen cabinets and done general electrical, plumbing and plastering work for me. Mary

I have had good success with a different company called "Rick's Handyman" that advertises in the Montclarion every week. I would give you their number but I always just get it out of the paper.They have installed wall mount tv, fixed a toy box, repaired a fence, fixed our sprinklers, done minor electrical work, etc. over the last year. They always send 2 people so you need to have a list of stuff you want done so that no one is ever standing idly by. I think it is good they send 2 though because most jobs require a second person at some point. I think they charge around $50 an hour plus materials. They work hard and quickly and I have not had to call them back to "fix" their work. I would recommend them. -Shannon

I just had a crumbling wall removed and replaced by sheetrock by James Liu Painting. He did a nice job and also did some electrical, painting and other odds and ends. He was very nice, came when he said he would, was neat and was reasonably priced. James Liu Painting 638-8126. Dibsy

Looking for someone to do odd jobs:
Contact Berkeley High School Career Center. They will post listings for BHS students to review. Main School # is 644-6120. Sorry but don't know the career center's number.

Judith 9/99
A couple of postings ago, someone was looking for a handyman for seniors. I have been using Marcos Garcia for some time now and he is excellent. His rates are reasonable, he speaks fluent English and is very efficient. His wife also cleans houses, her name is Ana. Their phone number is 510-727-9644.

To discuss your home needs and to schedule a FREE estimate, I can be
reached from 9am to 6pm on my cell phone 510-703-0402. Or you can leave 
a message at any time at 510-832-6547.   I check e-mail less often, but 
you can also reach me that way, at brian.bourke at mciworld.com

* Workmanship Guaranteed
* References Available
* $30/hr
* 24 hr Message Center
* Cost Effective Analysis of Work
* Will travel to Marin, San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties
* Projects of all sizes accepted:
- small problems such as doors or windows opening or closing improperly
- large makeovers such as new floor tiling, new cabinets, upholstery, etc.

Try Vinny Ernano at 308-2420. It's his pager.

I was very happy with Joe Carson, the handyman I hired through the Classified Flea Market. I don't remember his phone number, but I bet his ad is still in the Classified Flea. He called back quickly, has a reasonable price, was very conscientious and trustworthy. Bit by bit, he basically renovated my entire bathroom for well under a thousand dollars