Where to turn for a handyman, gardener, cleaner or contractor
Finding a reliable, reasonably priced handyman, contractor or any home service for that matter can be a minefield, especially if you’ve just moved to Singapore.
A new kind of company called Wizard aims to take the stress out of hunting for help, by providing a vetted selection of services through an online platform. The list of available services has grown from contractors to many other house-call services – everything from plumbers to beauty services!
But there’s a twist. This home services company helps both customers and contractors. The idea was born after one of the company’s founders, Janet, called on the help of a handyman friend to correct some work carried out during her home renovation. Janet found out that this handyman – now one of Wizard’s service providers – was in a bad financial state; he was finding it difficult to get jobs given his limited resources.
Keen to support these small service providers who were struggling to support their families, she joined forces with two other friends to found the business. The company was created to provide a comprehensive range of house-call services, and to help the community at the same time.
What’s on offer?
There are currently 12 services listed, including handymen, plumbers, electricians and gardeners, as well as massage and beauty therapists. Wizard interviews all service providers and assesses their skills prior to accepting them, and feedback is encouraged from both the customers (via a job sheet, follow-up call and email), as well as the providers themselves.
The company’s preference is to work with individuals and family-run businesses who have limited resources compared to the big names in the market. These smaller businesses often face difficulties in terms of operating costs and having a limited reach of customers, or inadequate advertising.
Wizard hopes to eliminate these issues through its online platform. Although it makes a point of assigning more jobs to those who are more in need, the providers also must have the competent skills to match, and near zero complaints in their particular service.
How much does it cost?
To maintain transparency of costs, for straightforward services such as home cleaning, home massage, regular air-con servicing and simple handyman work, fixed prices are clearly stated on the website. For more complicated work, customers can send photos, or the service providers can carry out a physical assessment first and provide a quote (with a small sum levied to cover transport, if needed); this is particularly useful when you need to obtain approval from your landlord before engaging a service, whether you’re paying or they are.
To find out more about the kind of help you can get around the home, visit wizard.com.sg.
For more helpful tips head to our living in Singapore section.
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This article first appeared in the August 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
