I'm In the Wrong Business

Wifey and I had a few odd chores around the house, and Wifey asked some neighbors for a good handy man. Our neighbor recommended Tom, who owns a company with a cute, double entendre name. He came today. He removed our old satellite dish, and patched the mounting holes, and switched out two of our French door locks -- one is now permanently locked, and the one we use most of the time works. And then he patched some stucco on an outside gate post. I also asked him for an estimate to replace a garage door -- not the main one, but an exit door whose jamb has rotted out. He measured and said he'd use a fiberglass impact door -- it will never rot again. He was at our house for 1.5 hours, used no materials, and charged $295. Wow --$200 per hour! I joked that I ought to quit my law practice, and become his assistant. As we chatted, he told me where he lived -- a huge house only a few blocks south of me. He recently installed a "fence" of coral rock boulders -- I know the house -- the fence looks like Stonehenge. He called later and said the door would cost $925 -- installed. Hmmm... Wifey and I visited Home Depot tonight -- after a sushi dinner. They had the door -- $320. It costs $625 installed. Good for Tom: an extra $300, if he gets the job. He won't, of course -- at least not with me. We're blessed to live in a very nice 'hood, and I guess the contractors see the houses and charge accordingly. All I know is -- $200 an hour, with no real overhead sounds pretty good for this 28 year lawyer. And Tom is constantly busy. He told me his son and nephew work for his business -- and it typically takes him a week to get to a job. I wish I were more handy. The joke about my Dad was that he could fix anything that could be fixed with scotch tape. I'm a tad better than that --I have replace electric switches, and know how to hang heavy pictures, and even once in awhile figure out why the dishwasher or a/c isn't working. Just a few months ago, I replaced the timer on our pond pump -- the part cost $12, and an electrician would have cost over $100. But I WON'T go up on a roof anymore -- too many tales of lawyers and doctors ending up in the spinal cord rehab clinic. I know a hand surgeon who decided to removed all his trees after Hurrican Andrew. He stopped being a surgeon after he sliced his own fingers off... So our search for a good handyman will continue... And if Tom ever needs my legal services -- well, he shall pay FULL PRICE.