KST HandymanFourteen questions, answered straight.
These are the ones I get asked on the phone, in the order they usually come up. If yours is not here, ring me and it will be by next week.
Do you charge to come and look?
No. There is no trip charge, no call-out fee and no charge for a quote. Most small jobs do not need a visit to price at all — photos do it.
How does the price actually work?
Most jobs get a flat price agreed in writing before I start. A short list of small tasks, and anything photos cannot settle, runs hourly at $150 for the first hour and $100 for each hour after.
Either way you know the number before I arrive.
What if you find something worse once you open it up?
You hear about it there and then, with a photo and a new number, and I wait for your go-ahead before carrying on. I do not keep working and present it at the end.
Do you buy the parts?
Usually you buy the fixture you want, because you are the one who has to look at it. Send me the model before you order and I will tell you whether it fits what is in your wall. I carry the small consumables — wax rings, supply lines, washers, anchors, silicone.
Are you licensed?
We are not licensed under the California Contractors State License Law.
That is why the job list on this site stops where it does: small repairs and installations, nothing that needs a building permit, no remodelling. Work that needs a licence needs a licensed contractor, and I will say so rather than take it.
Are you insured?
Yes. KASATKIN LLC carries general liability insurance. Ask and I will send the certificate before the visit.
Will you take on a bathroom remodel?
No. A bathroom taken back to the studs needs a permit, a licensed contractor and a crew. I have run that kind of work before and it is not what KST does.
How soon can you come?
It depends on the week, and I will tell you the truth about it on the phone. What I will not do is promise a day I cannot hold. Once the price is agreed I give you a day from the ones I actually have open, and a time rather than a window.
Do you work weekends?
Saturday morning and early afternoon, yes. Sunday, no.
How do I pay?
Zelle, a check made out to KASATKIN LLC, cash, or Venmo — after the work is done and you have seen it working. No credit or debit cards.
Can you do several small things in one visit?
That is the best way to use me, and it is cheaper per job. Write the list out when you call. A visit that fixes four doors, a running toilet and a loose towel rail costs far less than four separate visits.
What do you not do?
Anything needing a permit. New electrical circuits and panel work. Re-piping and water heaters. Gas lines. Roofs. Moving walls. Full remodels. Tree work. If your job is on that list you need a licensed trade, and I will name the one you need.
Do you guarantee the work?
If something I installed fails because of how I installed it, I come back and put it right at no charge. If the part itself fails, that is the manufacturer's warranty and I will help you claim it.
Which cities do you cover?
San Jose, Campbell, Los Gatos and Saratoga. Just outside those, call and ask — the answer will be a straight yes or no. See the service area.
Still want to ask something?
Call (650) 780-6722 or email office@ksthandyman.com. A question is not a commitment.