The questions below come up most often when people contact us for the first time. If your question isn't covered here, please drop us a quick message and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Do you charge for a quote?
No. Quotes are always free, whether by email (for small jobs we can quote from photographs) or in person (for anything larger). There is no obligation to go ahead, and we don't follow up with sales calls.
Do you take phone calls?
We are usually working — on a ladder, under a sink, behind a workbench — so we don't routinely take phone calls during the working day. The fastest way to reach us is the contact form on this site. We respond within 24 hours on working days, almost always sooner, with a written quote you can keep.
Are you Gas Safe?
No — we are not Gas Safe registered, so we don't do gas-related work. For boiler installs, gas hob fitting, gas cooker fitting and any other gas work, you will need a Gas Safe registered engineer. We are happy to recommend trusted Gas Safe engineers we have worked with.
Do you do electrical work?
We do all minor (non-notifiable) electrical work — replacing sockets, switches, light fittings, outdoor lights, extractor fans, smoke alarms and the like. For notifiable Part-P work (new circuits, full rewires, consumer-unit changes, bathroom electrics under certain circumstances) you will need a Part-P registered electrician. We can recommend one if you don't already have one.
How quickly can you come out?
For genuinely urgent issues (a leak, a broken lock, a smashed window) we can usually be on site the same day if you message us before lunchtime. For non-urgent work we typically book one to two weeks ahead in the busy summer months, and a few days ahead in quieter months. Tell us your timeframe in your enquiry and we'll be straight about what we can do.
How do you charge?
We use three pricing models depending on job size. Very small individual jobs (under an hour) are charged at a flat call-out rate that we quote upfront. Medium jobs are best booked as half-days or full-days, which works out better value than per-job pricing. Larger jobs (over half a day) are quoted as a written fixed price after a free site visit. Whichever model fits your job, you will know the total cost before any work starts.
Do you take deposits?
Not for normal jobs. For any job under £500 the full payment is on completion, when you are happy with the work. For larger jobs (£500+) we may ask for a small deposit to cover materials, but we will always agree this with you in writing in advance.
How do I pay?
Card (we carry a portable card reader), bank transfer (sent at the end of the job) or cash. We can issue a VAT-style receipt if you need one for a landlord, employer or insurer.
Can you supply materials?
Yes. For most jobs we pick up the materials on the way and charge them at cost — no mark-up. For some jobs (kitchens, bathrooms, specific paints) you may prefer to choose and buy them yourself, which is fine. We are happy with either approach.
Do you do work for landlords and letting agents?
Yes — we work with several local landlords and a few letting agents on a regular maintenance basis. We can attend properties between tenancies, deal with reported tenant issues, and provide simple condition reports with photographs. We can be set up on the agent or landlord's books for routine billing if that's helpful.
Can you give a fixed price before starting?
Yes — for any job that isn't a simple call-out, we provide a written, fixed-price quote by email before any work starts. The price on the quote is the price you pay. The only time the price changes is if you change the job, or if we find something genuinely unexpected when we open up a wall or lift a floorboard — in which case we stop and tell you before going any further.
What areas do you cover?
The whole of Sunderland and the surrounding Tyne and Wear postcodes — from Boldon and East Boldon in the north, down through Hebburn, Jarrow, South Shields and the city centre, to Washington, Houghton-le-Spring and Seaham in the south. See our full list of areas for more detail.
Do you charge a travel surcharge?
No. Anywhere within our normal service area is included in the quoted price — no hidden travel costs.
Do you work weekends?
We can usually fit weekend work in by arrangement, but Saturday/Sunday call-outs are charged at a slightly higher rate to reflect the unsocial hours. We are closed on bank holidays.
My job isn't on your service list — do you still do it?
Probably — yes. The service pages on this site are just the most common things we are booked for. We do far more than is listed. Send us a quick message describing what you need and we'll come back with an honest answer.
Still Have a Question?
If anything above wasn't clear, or you have a more specific question about a job you have in mind, send us a quick note. We'd rather answer your question properly by email than guess at it on a phone call.