How to Choose a Handyman in Henderson: 9 Questions to Ask Before You Hire

After more than 15 years of fixing homes around Henderson, I have heard plenty of stories from customers who got burned by the last guy. Not because Henderson has bad handymen. Most are decent people. The problem is that homeowners rarely know what to ask before hiring, so they pick on price or a nice conversation and hope for the best.

You can do better than hope. Here are the nine questions I would ask anyone working on my own house, why each one matters, what a good answer sounds like, and where the red flags hide. And because it is only fair, I answer each one for my own business too.

1. Are You Insured?

Why it matters: If an uninsured worker cracks a water line behind your wall or drops a ladder through a window, the repair bill can land on you. Insurance exists so that a mistake stays the handyman's problem, not yours.

A good answer: A simple yes, followed by an offer to show you proof. Anyone carrying real coverage can produce a certificate of insurance without drama.

Red flags: Vague answers like “I've never had a problem” or “my buddy covers me.” Getting defensive when you ask. Changing the subject to how cheap they are.

My answer: Yes. Dave O's Fix-It Pros is insured, and I am glad when customers ask, because it means they are paying attention.

2. Who Actually Does the Work?

Why it matters: Some outfits send whoever is available that week. You meet a sharp estimator, then a stranger shows up to do the job. Skill and accountability get lost in the handoff.

A good answer: A clear name. Either the owner does the work, or the same employee handles your job start to finish, and they tell you who it will be up front.

Red flags: “One of our guys” with no name attached. A different face at every visit. Subcontractors you never agreed to.

My answer: I do the work myself. The person who gives you the estimate, shows up at your door, and stands behind the job is the same Dave. That has been the setup since 2009. You can read more about how I run the business here.

3. What Do You Do, and What Do You Refer Out?

Why it matters: Nobody does everything well. In Nevada, larger projects and specialty trades legally require a licensed contractor, and an honest handyman knows exactly where that line sits. The ones who claim they can do it all are the ones who get in over their heads on your dime.

A good answer: A specific list of what they handle, and just as important, a confident list of what they send to licensed pros. In my experience, the pros who name their limits without being pushed are the ones you can trust inside them.

Red flags: “I can do anything.” Offering to repipe your house, open your electrical panel, or move gas lines without a contractor license. For any contractor-scope work, verify the license yourself with the Nevada State Contractors Board before you sign anything.

My answer: I handle repair and fixture-level work: drywall, paint, doors, flooring, faucets, toilets, ceiling fans, TV mounting, and the rest of the honey-do list. You can see the full rundown on my services page. Pipe relocation, panel work, new circuits, sewer, gas, and structural changes go to licensed pros I trust, and I will tell you so on the spot.

4. How Do You Price Your Work?

Why it matters: Most handyman horror stories start with a fuzzy verbal quote. When nothing is written down, the final bill becomes a negotiation, and you lose.

A good answer: A written estimate before work starts, with labor and materials broken out so you can see what you are paying for. For bigger jobs, clarity on what happens if something unexpected turns up behind the wall.

Red flags: Refusing to put anything in writing. Big cash deposits before any work happens. A price that swells mid-job with no explanation. If you want to know what fair prices look like around the valley, read my handyman cost guide for Las Vegas.

My answer: Free written estimates, with the number agreed before I pick up a tool. If a job reveals a surprise, we talk before anything changes.

5. How Long Have You Worked in This Area?

Why it matters: Henderson homes have their own quirks: hard water that eats fixtures, sun that cooks anything facing west, soil movement that cracks drywall. Someone who has worked here for years has seen your problem before. And a business with local history has a reputation to protect.

A good answer: A specific number of years and neighborhoods they know by name. Green Valley, Anthem, MacDonald Ranch, whatever their territory is.

Red flags: Vague answers, out-of-state phone numbers with no local track record, or someone who just started working this market and prices like a veteran.

My answer: I have been serving Henderson and the surrounding valley since 2009, and my trade experience goes back to flooring work in the mid-1990s. That is 30 plus years of hands-on work, most of it in homes just like yours.

6. Can I See Recent Local Work or Reviews?

Why it matters: Talk is cheap. Photos of finished jobs and words from real local customers are not.

A good answer: Photos of recent projects, online reviews you can find yourself, or a past customer willing to take your call. Any of the three works.

Red flags: Nothing to show. Reviews that all appeared in the same week. Photos that look like stock images rather than real job sites.

My answer: Ask and I will show you recent local work and point you to reviews you can verify on your own. I would rather you check than take my word for it.

7. What Happens If Something Goes Wrong?

Why it matters: Even careful work occasionally needs a follow-up. A door swells, a faucet drips a week later. The difference between a pro and a problem is whether they come back.

A good answer: A plain-language callback policy: if the work fails because of the workmanship, they return and make it right at no charge.

Red flags: “All sales final” energy. Not answering the phone once the check clears. Blaming the materials, the house, or you.

My answer: If my workmanship is the problem, I come back and fix it. My name is on the truck and I live here. It is a short drive.

8. Do You Clean Up When You're Done?

Why it matters: It sounds small until you are sweeping drywall dust out of your carpet for a month. How someone treats your home during the job tells you how they treat the work itself.

A good answer: Drop cloths down before the work, debris hauled out after, and the room left the way they found it, minus the problem.

Red flags: “Cleanup costs extra.” Leaving old fixtures and packaging at your curb for you to deal with.

My answer: Cleanup is part of the job, not an add-on. You should not be able to tell I was there except that the thing works now.

9. How Do You Handle Scheduling and Communication?

Why it matters: The most common complaint about handymen is not bad work. It is silence. No-shows, unanswered texts, and four-hour windows that come and go.

A good answer: A firm appointment time, a heads-up call if anything shifts, and a straight answer about how booked out they are. Honest “I can get to you Thursday” beats a same-day promise that never happens.

Red flags: Taking days to return your first call. If they are slow to respond while they are trying to win your business, imagine how it goes afterward.

My answer: You get a real appointment, not a vague window, and if my schedule moves you hear it from me first. One person answers the phone, and it is the same person doing your work.

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