Home Improvements
Brent Poole
Hi there! My name is Brent Poole and I own a company called Handy Hands Construction. We’ve been in the construction business for over 20 years.
When people are hiring contractors to do any work within their house, be it a roof or anything in between to the very foundation, you should feel comfortable and have trust with the contractor in your property.
Always look at completing your due diligence on who it is you are hiring. In this business there are the good, the bad and the ugly!
• The good: the contractors that treat the business like a profession. For instance; I went to school to become a carpenter. I learnt my trade, then after several years in the business I learnt other trades, allowing me to become a general contractor. Having garnered a vast understanding of what skills and knowledge people must have to work in this business, it was only then that I made the decision to start my own company.
• The bad: these companies have been purchased by business people who have never worked in the business. They do not have an understanding of the systems and knowledge that must be required to perform properly as a professional. These are the companies that have lots of flyers, lots of ads and lots of flash, but not much substance. It’s all about the money! You can quite often find out just how bad they are by how many times they’ve been taken to court! Or just go online and read reviews on what people think. If you are hiring a carpenter who doesn’t want to use a hammer or screwdriver or has no idea which-one-is-which-and-what, you probably hired the wrong person!
• The ugly: the companies that make Mike Holmes rich, the ones that show up, pretend they know what they’re doing, do a very poor job in your house, leaving you with doors that do not open, windows that will not close, hot water tanks that will not heat up and plumbing that leaks. These are the companies in the business that are the uglies, and there are plenty of them! Be careful.
Ultimately, it is up to you as a consumer to be aware, be on guard and complete your due diligence on the companies that you hire as a contractor to do work in your house.
Never rush into something that needs special consideration, always have the correct permits completed, and always get a second opinion. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Brent Poole is the owner operator of Handy Hands Construction, which he has run with his father Jim since 1997. A carpenter by trade, Brent enjoys all types of projects. “We’re not happy until you are happy!”