By Mi-Ling Stone Poole

DEAR MI-LING:I’m an HGTV junkie and over the years I have tackled some of the projects featured on the different shows.

One thing that I’ve noticed is it takes me a whole lot longer to do these projects and I usually end up having to seek out a professional to help me finish the job. Would it be more cost effective to hire a handyman and how much should I pay per hour? I’m getting a little frustrated by my own limitations and my budget constraints.

Janice

DEAR JANICE: I must confess that I love my HGTV too. I used to watch  it so much that my husband once threatened to cut off the cable because I was  always coming up with a new project, which meant tearing up something to make  the improvements I wanted.

Recently, Kim  Myles from HGTV’s “Myles  of Style” was on my radio show and I asked her how many people it took to  complete her room makeovers on the show.

Kim, an outstanding designer, assured me that all of her design concepts come  from her but she does have a professional team that consists of about 20 people  or more who take over the space and help her create those beautiful makeovers  within a five-day time frame.

So, before you hire anyone to help with your projects be sure to get  references and if possible stop by and look at some of their work. You don’t  want to hire someone who is not qualified in a specific area and end up having  to pay more to get it done right.

Ask for bids from more than one person to get an idea of the price range.

Handyman service companies are popping up around the country. Check for a  listing for one in your area and always get references.

My daddy used to say, “Do it right the first time.”
Share your handyman stories!