The Handyman Tradition

"Handyman" is defined by Wikipedia as follows:

"A handyman, also known as a fixer, handyperson, handyworker, maintenance worker, repair worker, or repair technician, is a person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically for keeping buildings, shops, or equipment around the home in good repair. These tasks include trade skills, repair work, and maintenance work, both interior and exterior, and are sometimes described as "side work", "odd jobs" or "fix-up tasks". Specifically, these jobs could be light plumbing jobs such as fixing a leaky toilet, or light electric jobs such as changing a light fixture or bulb."

Once a common part of American households, handyman services were diminished and somewhat replaced by the emergence of large corporate-run plumbing and electrical repair companies or general contractors. Dissatisfaction with impersonal service, corner-cutting, long wait times and inconvenient delays, and endless bureaucratic red tape has led to a resurgence in handyman services companies for homeowners looking for old-fashioned helpful, neighborly service, quality, and value.

Handyman History

Historically, handymen were considered less skilled or prestigious than "specialist" contractors such as plumbers, electricians, or carpenters. That was never necessarily true as most handymen were former or semi-retired contractors themselves and took the more spiritually rewarding path rather than the monetarily rewarding option of working for corporate America. The emergence of large national chains, and their profit-centered, impersonal approach led to a national longing for the good old days, and the changing of general consumer perception in favor of local, home-grown solutions and products. The professionalism of the trade has increased to exceed many of the corporate or franchise options, and local handyman service providers like Handy Halcomb Services, are honest and experienced technicians with multiple skills and a wide range of home repair, maintenance, and repair knowledge.

Handyman Culture

The handyman has been a positive and helpful figure that has popped up in art and culture throughout history. Handymen have been portrayed in books and films, generally positively, as do-gooder helpful types. James Taylor's song "Handyman" was a hit in 1977 and both Elvis and Del Shannon recorded previous handyman-related songs. From 1991 to 1999, Tim Allen played America's favorite handyman on the TV series "Home Improvement." and there's even a handyman character in kids' favorite "The Smurfs" called Handy Smurf, that wears the traditional handyman's garb of denim overalls, carpenter's pencil, and billed work cap.

Handyman services never left American culture and are making a comeback with savvy homeowners tired of uncaring service and unneeded modern specialization for increased monetization. The handyman tradition is alive, well, and thriving in the Bloomington area where Handy Halcomb Services proves everyday that homeowners don't have to settle for high-priced, corporate home service solutions; and that helpful, courteous, neighborly assistance for those who need it is not an extinct thing of the past.