Quotes are free and there's no obligation. The aim is that you know the cost before anything starts, and nothing surprising shows up on the invoice.
1. Get in touch
Email sales@lincolnchen.net or ring 02 6626 3819. There's no booking form or portal. You'll deal with the person doing the job.
2. Tell us the basics
- What the job is. Type of work, roughly how big, and what state it's in now.
- Where. Your suburb or address, so we can check it's on our patch.
- A photo. For a garden, a gutter, a wall, a deck, anything physical. It saves a lot of back and forth.
- Timing. If there's a deadline, such as a sale, an inspection or a party, say so.
A rough description is fine. We can ask follow-up questions.
3. We reply the same business day
Sometimes that's a price from the photos. For anything bigger, or anything that depends on what we find on site, we'll arrange a time to have a look. Either way, you get a reply the same day, Monday to Saturday.
4. You decide
No pressure. If the price isn't right or the timing doesn't suit, say so. If it is, we book a date.
If the job changes
Sometimes once we're into it, the scope changes. A fence turns out to be rotten behind the paint, or the gutter has a bracket that has failed. If that happens, we stop, tell you, and agree what to do before carrying on. The price doesn't quietly grow.
Batching saves money
Several small jobs in one visit cost less than separate trips. A list in one email is perfect. See the handyman repairs page for the sort of thing that gets bundled.
What makes a good photo
Stand back far enough to show the whole job, then take one or two close-ups of the worst bits. For a garden, a shot from the doorway and one of the overgrown corner is perfect. For a gutter, show the section that overflows. For a wall or door, include something for scale, like a light switch or a handle. Daylight beats flash.
What affects the price
- Size and condition. A neglected garden takes longer than one that was trimmed last month.
- Access. Steep blocks, narrow side passages, locked gates and no outdoor tap all add time.
- Green waste or rubbish. More material to remove means more time and more trips.
- Height. Work on a ladder or a second storey takes longer and is done more carefully.
- Materials. If something has to be bought, such as mulch, a bracket or sealant, the quote says so.
Being home, or not
For most outdoor jobs you don't need to be there, as long as we can get in and there's a tap if we need water. Inside the house, it's usually easier if someone is home at the start to point out what needs doing. Tell us what suits you and we'll work around it.
Properties you don't live at
If you own a place in the area but live elsewhere, say so in your first email. Explain how access works (key, lockbox, tenant, agent) and who we should speak to on the day. A few photos after the job is a reasonable thing to ask for.
More answers are on the questions page.
Related: How to choose a handyman.