You may hear diagnoses from clients like ‘the dishwasher is acting up,’ ‘the fridge door won’t close,’ or ‘the cooker hood vent is noisy.’ Renter or homeowner, client or Tasker, it’s safe to say that we can all relate to the nuisance of an appliance that we rely on daily to suddenly break, clog, or simply need to be replaced. But if one of your superpowers includes knowledge of how to repair any of the below appliances, then brush off that cape!
Clients are often looking to hire Home Improvements Taskers to fix appliances like:
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- Vent
- Duct
- Dishwasher
- Leak
- Door closure
- Fridge
- Ice maker
- Water dispenser
- Filter
- Oven
- Handle
- Hob
- Hood vent
- Microwave
- Waste disposal
- Clog
- Replacement
- Install
- Thermostat
- Radiator
- BBQ
- Garage door
The scoping questions you ask will help you narrow down the possibilities, but with these types of tasks, the issue usually becomes obvious once you arrive. Plan your schedule accordingly in case you need to run to a shop to buy parts.
Scoping the task
- Can you send pictures of the old appliance to be removed, and the new one to be installed?
- Can you specify the issue (if not already done) – is there a leak? Does a part need to be repaired or replaced? Is the appliance making a weird sound?
- What is the make and model so I can do some research in advance?
- Do you have all parts, or do you anticipate that I’ll need to purchase what’s needed?
- Will there be any electrical wiring I’ll need to do?
- Do you need any old appliances disposed of?
- Is the appliance gas or electric?
- Has the water pressure changed?
Special tools for appliance repairs:
- Safety gear i.e. goggles, gloves
- Screwdrivers
- Nut drivers
- Spanner set
- Multimeter to test electrical issues
- Pliers
- Duct tape
- Snake
When it comes to appliances, sometimes the best fix is to recommend that the client contact a technician with expertise for that particular product or brand, or connecting them with a Tasker who you know has the expertise to do the task. The way one Tasker put this to a client was exemplary in its customer service orientation:
“I’ll be transparent–I don’t have experience with repairing major appliances. I could certainly learn online how to do each repair, but I don’t have a base of knowledge to allow me to improvise if needed. Lastly, I’m not willing to be held responsible if something goes wrong once I am off-site. All that being said, would you like to proceed? If not, I have one or two Taskers I could recommend that may have more experience with electronics. Thank you again.”
The client will still be grateful to you for helping them with what you know, and being honest about what you don’t (yet) know!
