A Bit of Help – San Diego Handyman

I called to get a quote, as this company’s website looked decent. When I called, a lady answered the phone and said, «hello,» not «A Bit of Help Handyman Services» or something of the like. I was confused for a second and thought maybe I dialed the wrong number. I asked her if this was the handyman company, and in broken English she said, «hold on.» She was short and rude. She started speaking in another language and about 15 seconds later a man gets on the phone. Based on previous reviews, it must have been Vlad. After a handful of“hellos” (the guy couldn’t seem to hear me), I finally asked if this was the handyman company, to which he replied «yes.» I told him that I had a large frame that needed to go up on my wall, but wasn’t sure if the stud was in the area it needed it to be, so I needed someone to put up the frame securely. He asked how high the ceiling was, and I said 8 – 9 feet, standard space. He them proceeded to quote me 125 dollars. WHAT THE HELL? $ 125 to put a frame up?! Ridiculous. This place/​guy is unprofessional and totally overcharges. Will not be moving forward with the quote.

We all know that a call back is the fruit of your business, I called and left a message for this handyman’s service and I didnt get a call back not even to tell me he couldn’t help me. Very disappointed in how people conduct business.

I hired A Bit of Help through a LivingSocial coupon, which was two hours of handyman work for $ 99 dollars. I called the number, and a man named Vlad answered. I was able to schedule an appointment for the work, and I gave him directions by a text message to his number. On the scheduled day, Vlad arrived at the house about 20 minutes early. I had him reinforce two chain link fences in our backyard. I also had him fix a door latch/​lock that had become loosened. It took him about an hour and fifteen or twenty minutes for everything to be done. I was satisfied with his work and and he was easy to work with.

I wish I could put a zero. Worst experience in my life. Do NOT hire this Handyman. You will ferret it. He his fraud. Scheduled a service call last week for tomorrow and he cancels the night before. I checked my zip code with livingsocial when i purchased the voucher. Unbelievable. He cannot even speak English. I am reporting him to the better business bureau.

Amazing handyman! Worked full two hrs and taught me a few tricks on how to do things in the future! Kind and respectful! Didn’t mind the dog or the cat! So glad I went with this company! Make sure to buy the supplies ahead of time!

Vlad answered my call and we discussed work I needed done. Within 5 minutes we had scheduled for the following morning. Honest, fair, and really handy, a lot of help! Each of the three times we’ve called Vlad have been for very different issues with my old 1922 craftsman home and he was knowledgeable about each one.

Poor communication. Vlad left for the hardware store without saying anything. We had to pay over 100.00 dollars for the gas he used to go to the hardware store (4.1 miles) and for a half hour of overtime past the prepaid two hour service. I would have been happy to pick up the part and he could have kept working. To top it off — the items he repaired failed and needs repair again. So basically plan on 200.00 dollars an hour if you go over your pre-​paid service.
I have never left an online review previously but feel inclined to spare others the time and money.

I can’t believe that anyone would be happy with Vlad’s service– perhaps it is a different experience if you purchase through Groupon, as I had a Groupon for 2 hours of handyman services for $ 89.00, and experienced nothing but rudeness, poor service, and a gross attempt at overcharging for services.
I just moved in to my new home in February this year so I had some pictures and a large mirror that needed hanging, new mold growing in my master bathroom, and a headboard that I wanted to have elevated in the guest bedroom, so that people would be able to see the beautiful artwork on the headboard (which would be buried under the decorative pillows I planned to put on the bed). I also asked about installing an outdoor surveillance system on the home. I texted A Bit of Help with the services I was interested in, & told them maybe when Vlad was able to come take a look he could tell me what could and couldn’t get done.
Vlad arrived at 8:50 in the morning, after I was told to expect him between 7 – 8 in the morning. Vlad was able to hang the large mirror in 20 minutes; so far, so good. He then told me he was unable to hang the other pictures, as they needed to be hung by wire I didn’t have. OK. So we we went ot explore the mold, which Vlad then told me was coming from «a leak» from the shower in another bathroom in the house. He offered to fix the problem for $ 300.00. This is what is really unacceptable: when I asked why it would cost $ 300.00 to fix the problem (what exactly the problem was), he replied «I had my heart fixed for $ 150,000 (lifted his shirt to show me a scar on his chest), and they never explained to me why it cost so much and what the problem was.» First off, I find that a little difficult to believe. Secondly, if I am to pay $ 300.00 to fix something, I would like to know what I am paying for exactly– is it labor, materials, what am I paying for??? I can’t understand how someone would expect me to pay $ 300.00 and not explain what the problem is! When I pursued it further, Vlad finally said, «Well, for this, you might just find someone else willing to do it for cheaper,» which to me, basically indicated that he was attempting to overcharge me.
At this point in time, I had Vlad look at the outdoor surveillance system. He told me had never installed one before. We stood outside for 20 – 30 minutes, examining the instructions and figuring out camera placement. I decided it was a wash, and I was better off just not installing the system at all, because I was standing outside with him the whole time and why am I still here if I am paying him to do this? At any rate, I decided to have him go for the headboard in the guest room.
There, I still had more than an hour worth of services left according to my Groupon. Vlad said he would elevate the headboard by adding wood to the bottom of the piece for $ 150.00 more. Mind you, I still had an hour worth of services left. He then told me he would go to Home Depot (2.8 miles from my home, per my GPS system), and would get the extra piece of wood and varnish supplies to color the wood the same color as the rest of my headboard. He initially stated he would do the whole job for $ 150 (even with the hour left on my Groupon), but then started saying he would charge for supplies and just show me the receipt. I was exasperated with this guy, as I had the feeling that I was being overcharged. He had offered to fix the shower problem for $ 250 rather than $ 300 while were trying to put up the camera surveillance system, and now was offering to do the shower job for $ 100.00. So now a job that had been initially quoted at $ 300.00 for unknown labor and materials cost was now suddenly worth $ 100.00?
To make a long story shorter, I called the A Bit of Help number to cancel the headboard job as Vlad had just left to go to the local Home Depot, 2.8 miles away. When Vlad returned to my home to pick up the tools he had left there and to return my GPS system, he demanded $ 30.00 for gasoline and time for his aborted trip to Home Depot. I pointed out to Vlad that it was 10:30, he had arrived to my home at 8:50, and there was still time on my Groupon. He would be leaving my home early, and there was no way I was going to pay $ 30.00 to him.
He left without saying anything, after I escorted him to the guest room to retrieve his tools.
My boyfriend later took at look at the heavy mirror hanging in the living room, and said it was hanging by 2 screws, and would need to be reinforced with brackets, as it might fall off the wall. My boyfriend also checked out the shower with the leak and said it was due to needing silicone placed there, which he thought would cost about $ 15.00 for materials.
So I paid $ 89.00 to hang a mirror that will need reinforcement, and to put up with Vlad’s attitude, get flashed the old scar on his chest, and be frustrated so much that I bothered to write a very long review about my horrible experience.
Don’t do it!!!

Everything was quick and easy, well done and no dirt was left behind. I love a tidy handyman. Great prices too!
I would definitely book them again!

Maybe you get a good deal if you negotiate work with Vlad outside of the Living Social deal, however with the Living Social deal you are not getting a deal.
The LivingSocial deal was 2 hours of Vlad’s time for $ 89 (which he valued at $ 330). However, Vlad doesn’t charge for a project by the hour, rather he charges per project. Which makes sense, because he is slow. He did a good job putting up a towel bar, a towel hook and two 18″ glass shelves, but this took him 2 hours. So for the price paid through LivingSocial I do not think this was worthwhile. Vlad’s work looks great, but we definitely feel like we should have gotten more for $ 89.