The shelf in our ad has been hanging crooked for a year. That shelf is made up. The requests below are not. Since 1 September Amsterdam asked for a handyman 84 times, and ツamsterdam gave a name 124 times. Often it was about one job, not a renovation.
What does Amsterdam want a handyman for?
Most often simply for "general repairs and odd jobs". After that it gets more specific. All of this really came in:
- mounting light fixtures
- touching up plaster and repairing a wall
- a painter
- putting together a new wardrobe
- restoring an oak dining table
- a freestanding walk-through closet for an event, inspired by the closet in the Barbie film
That last one is not a joke. Someone was looking for a maker to build a closet you can walk through, finished on both sides.
Is my job too small?
No. The small job is the normal request. One lamp, one shelf, one wardrobe. You do not need to ask five companies for a quote, and you do not need to pretend the job is bigger than it is. You write what needs doing and you get one name.
Who does ツamsterdam name?
In total 31 different people since 1 September. These four most often.
| Name | Named | Said yes |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin | 27 times | 11 times |
| Thawany | 11 times | 9 times |
| Kadir | 10 times | 8 times |
| Conor | 8 times | 3 times |
"Said yes" is how often an asker accepted the name. It is not a rating. Look at Thawany and Kadir: named less often, and nearly always a yes.
This order is not for sale. Sorry.
Where in the city?
The neighbourhoods askers mentioned themselves: Zuid 9 times, IJburg 6 times, Oost 4 times, Amstelveen 3 times and the Jordaan 2 times. Far from everyone names a neighbourhood. Do it anyway. It saves a question coming back.
What does a handyman cost?
That is for the two of you to agree. ツamsterdam has no price list and does not see what you pay in the end. What we do see are the amounts askers mention themselves. €60 and €30 each came up four times. Those are their words, about their job. They say very little about yours.
Asking costs nothing. You pay the handyman directly and ツamsterdam adds nothing on top.
What do you put in your message?
A handyman wants to know three things.
- What needs doing. "Hang a lamp from a concrete ceiling" beats "small job".
- Where. The neighbourhood and the floor. Fourth floor, no lift, is information too. Amsterdam staircases have opinions.
- When. This week, or it can wait.
You can send a photo to the handyman afterwards. For the request, one sentence is enough.
A message that works: "Hi ツamsterdam, I'm looking for a handyman in Zuid for two lamps and a curtain rail, this week if possible."
You usually have a name within the hour.
Why only one name?
Because choosing from a list is work. Ten names means ten messages, ten waits and nine times saying no. ツamsterdam does that part for you and names one person. If that person does not suit you, you say so.
And if I say no?
Then another name follows. You are not tied to anything. No account, nothing to download. It all happens in the chat app you already have, which is where you were going to complain about the shelf anyway.
I am new here. Does that matter?
No. You can ask in English, and you do not need to know the Dutch word for a wall plug or which shop sells the right drill bit. You also do not need to own a drill, which in a rented flat is often the real problem. Describe the job the way you would to a friend. If the handyman needs more detail, the handyman will ask.
In short
Since 1 September Amsterdam asked for a handyman 84 times, mostly for one small job. ツamsterdam named someone 124 times, 31 different people. Your crooked shelf is welcome too.
Read on: Handyman in Amsterdam and 709 requests since September: what Amsterdam asked for.