(WTXL)- With a home improvement store on every corner and do-it-yourself TV shows on 24-7, many people now try all kinds of complex projects around the house. But Angie's List has new data that shows a lot of us put our free time first and hire out some simple chores.
Long commutes and full family schedules are like music to the ears of companies that focus on yard work, house cleaning and handyman services.
Angie Hicks said "With people as busy as they are these days, especially with kids in so many activities, a lot of time you find they're hiring out more chores than we used to, whether it's cleaning the house, mowing the lawn or cleaning the gutters."
A survey of Angie's List members asked where their home service dollars go. Professional yard work topped the list. Another interesting statistic: Nearly 20 percent of homeowners will hand their chores list house cleaning, carpet cleaning and odd jobs over to a pro to increase free time.
"In our survey, we found 48 percent of the members plan to outsource yard work, while nearly a quarter of them plan to outsource housecleaning," said Hicks.
"They're fixing problems all day long with the kids, whatever it might be, with the job. They come home and now they've got to caulk windows or change out a faucet and that's the last thing they want to do, so they want someone else to solve their problems for them," said David Price.
Price does a lot of window caulking, faucet replacement and fence fixing that don't require a lot of expertise or a license, just the time and tools to get it done. He says it's common to charge a flat rate instead of by the hour, and that homeowners shouldn't feel shortchanged if the job is done well but fast.
"Although the technician was able to complete the task seemingly easily and with speed, does not mean as a homeowner that you would do it as easily and as quickly," said Price.
If you're a first-time handyman hire, Angie says you can save money by grouping small projects together to make the pro's time more efficient, thus eliminating repeat trips.
Also, you need to completely trust any service provider who comes to your house, so do a thorough background check and get at least three references before you hire.
