Drywall and texture
Patch, tape, mud, and match the existing texture: knockdown, orange peel, or smooth. Painted back so you can’t find the seam.
Handyman and general construction, Moscow Idaho
The hard part is finding someone who shows up.
No crew, no call center, no app that texts you a four hour window. I answer my own phone, put the estimate in writing before anything starts, and do the work myself. Small jobs or big ones, both welcome.
Licensed and insured
Free written estimates
Moscow and the Palouse
What you get, every job
Four things I don’t skip
Hardly anyone complains about a contractor’s craftsmanship. They complain about silence, a number that moved, and a mess left in the driveway. So those are the four I put in writing. It’s a low bar. I’m clearing it anyway.
You hear back the same day
I answer my own phone. If I’m under a sink when you call, you get a callback that day, not next week. If I can’t take the job, I’ll tell you straight away, which apparently counts as a competitive advantage now.
The number is in writing
Scope, materials, and a price, on paper, before a tool comes out of the truck. You’re never guessing what’s included.
I do the work myself
No crew you’ve not met, no subcontractor handed the keys. The person who walks your job is the person who finishes it. Same guy, same truck.
You get your house back
Drop cloths down, floor swept at the end of every day, and my debris leaves in my truck. Not stacked by your garage until Friday.
Services
What I actually get called for
If it’s on a house and it’s broken, worn out, or was never finished, it’s probably on this list. If it’s not, ask anyway.
Doors and windows
Pre-hung and slab installs, sticking doors shimmed and re-hung square, new weatherstripping, and flashing that sheds water the right direction.
Decks and railing
Board replacement, railing brought to code height and spacing, ledger and joist inspection, then stain and seal before winter.
Finish carpentry
Base, case, crown, shelving, and built-ins, scribed to walls that aren’t square, because they never are.
Tile and flooring
Backsplashes, shower surrounds, LVP and laminate, plus subfloor leveling and soft spot repair before anything goes down.
Rot and water damage
Cut out what’s wet, fix whatever let the water in, and rebuild it so it drains next time. That second part is the one most people skip. Paint isn’t a structural material.
Swaps and installs
Faucets, toilets, vanities, light fixtures, ceiling fans, disposals, and the mounting that holds a TV to a wall permanently.
Punch lists
The list that’s been on the fridge since spring. Send the whole thing. One visit, one invoice, all of it crossed off.
Pricing
How the number gets made
I won’t put prices on a website. Anyone who does is guessing at your house sight unseen. What I can tell you is how I get to the number, so nothing in the estimate catches you out.
Hourly plus materials
For repairs where nobody can know the full scope until it’s open. One hour minimum, billed in quarter hours after that, and you get the materials receipts with the invoice.
Fixed bid
For jobs with a clear finish line, like a deck rebuild or a tile surround. We agree the number before I start and it doesn’t move unless you change the scope.
What actually moves the price
Rot behind the finish, bad access, disposal, and permits. If I find something once it’s open, the work stops and you hear about it before I keep going. Never after. Surprises are for birthdays.
How it works
Three steps, no surprises
01
Walk the job
You show me the problem. I look at what’s behind it, because the stain on the ceiling is rarely the actual job.
02
Written estimate
Scope, materials, and a number, in writing, before anything starts. If I find something hidden once I open it up, you hear about it before I keep going.
03
Do the work
Drop cloths down, cleanup at the end of every day, and my debris leaves in my truck. You get the final invoice when you’re satisfied.
Hiring anyone, not just me
Six questions worth asking
Ask me these. Ask whoever else you’re calling, too. A contractor worth hiring won’t mind, and the ones who dodge are telling you something.
01
Are you registered, and what’s the number?
You should get a number you can look up yourself, not just a yes.
02
Can I see your certificate of insurance?
It should come from the insurer and list current dates.
03
Is that a fixed price or an estimate?
Both are fine. Not knowing which one you got isn’t.
04
Who is actually doing the work?
Ask whether the person quoting is the person who shows up.
05
What happens if you find something behind the wall?
Listen for a process, not a shrug. It should start with a call to you.
06
How much do you want up front?
A materials deposit on a big job is normal. Half the total before anyone
picks up a hammer isn’t.
Who shows up
One person, start to finish
No rotating crew, no subcontractor you’ve never met, and nobody sent out to sell you something. You meet me at the estimate and I’m the one on the ladder the following week. That’s the whole business, and it’s why I’d rather do fifty jobs right than two hundred of them fast. That’s not a growth strategy. It’s just how I work.
Questions
Answered before you’ve to ask
Do you charge for estimates?
No. Estimates are free inside the service area, and you get the number in writing. If a job needs something opened up before anyone can price it honestly, I’ll tell you that instead of guessing.
Is there a minimum charge?
Yes, a one hour minimum plus materials. Driving out is the expensive part, not the screw. For a single small task it’s often cheaper to save up a few and have me do them in one visit.
Are you licensed and insured?
Both. I’ll send my registration number and the certificate of insurance before work starts. Ask for them, and ask every other bidder too.
Do you take small jobs?
Yes, and I take the big ones too. A sticking door, one rotten board, a toilet that won’t stop running. That’s a normal call, not an imposition. Nobody else wants to drive out for a sticking door. I’ll drive out for a sticking door.
Do you pull permits?
When a job needs one, yes, and it goes in the estimate. Structural changes, new electrical circuits, and most plumbing re-routes need one. I’d rather do the paperwork than have it turn up during your home sale. Nobody enjoys this part, me included.
How do you handle payment?
Nothing up front on standard jobs. Larger jobs take a materials deposit, with the balance due at completion. Check, card, or transfer.
Get in touch
Tell me what’s broken
Call for anything urgent. For everything else, the form opens an email with your details filled in. I answer same day, most days. If I haven’t, I’m probably under a house.
Call or text
(509) 595-3586
Hours
- Monday to Friday
- 7:00a to 5:00p
- Saturday
- By appointment
- Sunday
- Closed
- Emergencies
- Call anytime
Service area
Moscow and the Palouse, within about 30 miles. Anything further out I’ll still look at, but travel gets added to the estimate and I’ll say so upfront.
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