"The Handy Husband" Handy Man Service

The year was 1994, I had just graduated high school and decided to move to Wisconsin on whim. The plan: none. What I ended up doing: 10 months of farming and hunting for fun, and working for a general contractor for money. During that summer, fall, and winter I learned how to do everything from setting foundation footings, to framing,to concrete "flat work", sheet rock, siding, landscaping, roofing, remodeling, and a whole lot more. Some of these skills came in handy years later when I put them to use finishing out my basement in our first home in Utah. Thanks to the internet, some good friends, and some Home Depot books, I picked up a few more skills like laying tile, running electric cabling, and some minor plumbing. I can't put into words how thankful I am for all those experiences, all those people who took the time to teach me, and for the determination which drove me to continue learning something new.

Well, fast forward a few years and I've recently found myself using all those cool skills to earn some cash during a rough time. Some friends of ours here in Texas found out I was kinda handy and asked me to come help convert their garage into a fitness room. After that job was done the retired mother of those friends asked me to help her hang some shelves and do some other odd jobs around her new home. She then thought it would be nice to screen in her covered porch off the back of her house, so I humbly obliged. Now I've never screened in a porch or "bid" a project as I was asked to do, but there's nothing like the ol' internet to help fill in those gaps.

Below is the before and after of the screen porch project. The newly enclosed space comes complete with watershield lumber, super solar screen for extra shade, trim, a screen door, and an outdoor ceiling fan. It took me about 5, 6 hour days to complete. I enjoyed the work; however, spending all day in the west-facing backyard, with no shade, in the Texas August heat made me sweat off about 5 pounds. And I have to give mention to my little helper, Lawson, who manged to net a small percentage of the proceeds (which I'm told will go towards the purchase of Madden 2011).

Here is the before...





And the after...

I've since been referred to all this clients other retired single lady's who would like me to hang fans, build pergola's, etc.

P.S. - How about the company name? It might not be that original, but if you steal it, I'll come looking for you.