Why do I care if you are licensed?

First of all, it is an Oregon State law that mandates that anyone and everyone that does any kind of construction repair for hire is to be licensed with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board. You can see their information provided under the question “Do you need a license?”. There are zero exceptions for any type of Handyman services. Unfortunately, when services like Chatgpt, Co-pilot, and other AI services are asked about licensee needs in Oregon, they tend to site laws in California and other states. It doesn’t matter how much money the work costs, it doesn’t matter how long the job takes, or even the total money collected from a client in the course of a calendar year. The process of getting licensed by the state of Oregon is fairly simple, but can be time consuming initially as there are 16 hours of classroom required. But, the final test is an open book test, so basically, anyone should be able to pass the test.

In the end, if your unlicensed contractor is willing to work illegally for your money, what else are they willing to do illegally, non-code compliant, and shifty for your project? If the #1 concern of project owners is “can they trust their contractor?”, then having or not having an active Oregon CCB license should be the first qualifier of trust. All of our digital estimates have links that you can follow to see our current insurance policies and license information that can be easily verified.

Why do I care you are insured?

You should know that anytime someone enters your property, you are now at risk for an insurance claim, regardless of the reason they are there for. They could be relatives, guests, friends, contractors, etc. Anyone can make a medical or injury claim against you. If you hire contractors that do not have active general liability coverage, and if they become injured on your property, and they have a choice of paying for the medical bills out of their own pocket or filing a claim against your insurance policy, I think it is safe to assume that most will choose the latter.

Mandate that your contractors provide proof of insurance coverage. All of our digital estimates have links that you can follow to see our current insurance policies and license information that can be easily verified.

Why do I care if you are Bonded?

As stated in the first question, that the #1 concern from project owners is “can they trust their contractor?”. The #2 concern is “will the contractor finish the project or run off with my money?”. Working with contractors that have active bond insurance policies removes this concern. To have an active Oregon CCB license, proof of current general liability insurance and bond insurance coverage is required. “Bonded” simply means that there is an insurance policy that the project owner can access in the event the contractor does not finish the project. The insurance carrier will find or assist in finding a new contractor to finish the work, up to the amount covered by the policy.

Mandate that your contractors provide proof of insurance coverage. All of our digital estimates have links that you can follow to see our current insurance policies and license information that can be easily verified.

Do you provide free estimates?

Generally, yes we do. However, some complicated ones may require a small fee, but you will be informed up front in those situations.

Why should I go with you, I found someone at a lower price?

One of the rules of running any business, is there is always someone cheaper than you. And, that is ok with us. This is what we know here at Forest Creek Household Solutions, “great customers expect great service”. If as a business owner, you don’t operate your business correctly and profitably, you simply can’t offer great service. A poorly run business just doesn’t have the money to offer great service. They can’t afford warranty work, customer follow up, and simple tasks at no charge.

If you want a contractor to ignore your calls, refuse to perform warranty work, and perform mediocre work, then always choose the cheaper guy.

Another reason that some contractors are cheaper is by tactical design. They lure you in with the lower upfront costs with the pre-planned intentions of requesting more money throughout the project. They are prepared with successful excuses of why the need more money, and why it wasn’t included in the original estimate.

How can I pay?

We accept most major credit cards, check, and cash at this time. Upon completion of work, an invoice will be emailed/texted to you with information how to pay.

How much does a handyman cost?

Prices vary from handyman to handyman. Forest Creek Household Solutions has the following:

• $195 minimum for any job that covers approximately 2 hours.

  • If we finish early, lets find some more items to fix around the house.

• We prefer to bid by the job and not by the hour. If you want to pay us or any other handyman by the hour, then on behalf of all handymen/women, we appreciate your generosity as we will “spend a lot of time working to get the job done”.

  • Paying by the hour only encourages the unethical to take longer to do a job and punishes the experienced and efficient who can do the job right the first time.

• The best relationship for both the customer and the contractor is to bid the job, have open communication, and realistic expectations.

What handyman work is allowed in Oregon?

This is a great question. Being a licensed handyman does not take place of any of the other licensed trades such as plumber, electrician, landscaper, etc. Those types of work need those specific licensed trades. We can arrange for representatives of those trades to work on your project.

Do I need a licensed handyman even for small repairs?

Legally and technically, yes.

Do you do property maintenance for rentals?

Yes we do. Short term, mid term, and long term rentals are our speciality.

What areas do you serve?

We are located in the McKenzie River valley and work from McKenzie Bridge to Eugene. This includes Springfield, Walterville, Leaburg, Vida, Blue River, Thurston, Cottage Grove, and more.

Best handyman for landlords in Springfield OR?

Forest Creek Household Solutions of course.

How quickly can a handyman respond to repairs?

Forest Creek Household Solutions focuses on small projects rather than long remodels and rebuilds. This allows us to act quickly and promptly for your repair.

Is a handyman cheaper than a contractor??

There is no easy or right answer for this question. It all depends on how the business is run. Just like any other business, if the business is overburden with high overhead then their rates tend to be higher than those that have lower overhead costs. On the other hand, too good to be true rates tend to come from unlicensed, uninsured, and unbonded contractors. These types of contractors can put your project and home at risk for unplanned expenses. So, do your research and find the right contractor for you.