Before a handyman touches the route, you need the work in writing and the answers on paper. The point is not to catch anyone out. It is to make sure the person who comes into the bedroom knows exactly which stops are theirs, and that you know who answers if something moves later.

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Write the job list first

Walk the six stops from bed to toilet, and write each job that needs a person's hands: the fixture to add, the switch to replace, the item to move, the spot that needs repair. Each line should name a stop. A vague request like 'make the bathroom safer' will produce a vague bid. With the list in hand, you can compare two or three bids on the same lines.

Ask for the scope in writing

Ask each person to write the scope against your list. The scope should name each stop and each item, and say whether the old item is removed and the wall patched. Ask whether the work includes a test with weight, and how they will do it. A bid that leaves out removal or testing is not finished, even if the rest looks complete.

Ask about insurance and licensing

Ask whether they carry liability insurance and whether they can show a current certificate. Ask what licenses apply to the work they will do, and whether those are current. Rules differ by type of work and by local office, so the city or county building office is the place to confirm what a given job needs. Keep the certificate in the folder with the bids.

Ask what happens when something moves

Ask what the warranty covers, how long it lasts, and whether it comes from the person doing the work or from the maker of the item. Ask who comes back if a fixture loosens in a month, how long that takes, and who pays for the return visit. Get the answers on paper. A promise made at the door is hard to hold later.

Check who will be in the house

Ask whether they will need a key, a door code, or access during the night. Ask who else will be in the house while they work, and where their tools will go. Tools left in a hallway become the next trip, so agree on a spot that stays off the route.

Compare the scopes side by side

Put the written scopes next to each other, line by line against your six-stop list. Look for the lines one bid leaves out. A lower total is not a better scope if it skips a stop. Choose the scope that covers every stop you wrote down.

Write this down

Keep the job list, the scopes, the insurance certificate, the warranty terms, the call-back number, and the visit day in one folder. Write the name of the person who will answer if something moves, and the name of the family member who will check the work after the first week.