How often should Seattle homeowners schedule preventive handyman maintenance?

Annual schedule for a Seattle home: - Spring (April–May): Inspect and re-caulk exterior windows and doors where needed; clean gutters post-storm-season; inspect cedar deck for loose boards and cracked sealer; inspect weatherstripping on exterior doors - Summer (July–August): Deck cleaning and re-sealing with penetrating oil sealant (best weather window for deck sealant cure); exterior painting touch-ups while dry - Fall (September–October): Gutter cleaning after leaf drop; weatherstripping check and replacement before rain season; inspect roof flashing and chimney if used; re-caulk any failed exterior penetrations before wet season

Handyman Financing in Seattle, WA

Q: How much does a handyman cost in Seattle per hour?

Seattle handyman rates range from $100–$175/hr for general handyman services — significantly higher than the national average of $75–$125/hr. This premium reflects Seattle's high cost of living, demand for skilled tradespeople from the tech-sector-driven economy, and the specific technical expertise required for the city's aging Craftsman housing stock. Most Seattle handymen charge a minimum of $125–$250 for service calls that cover the first 1–2 hours. Half-day rates (4 hours) typically run $350–$600; full-day rates $650–$1,100. Hourly rates for specialized work (double-hung window sash cord replacement, seismic water heater strapping, historic wood window glazing) may command 10–20% premium above standard handyman rates. ---

Q: Does a Seattle handyman need to be licensed or registered?

Yes. Washington State requires all contractors — including handymen performing paid home repair work — to be registered with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) under RCW 18.27.020. This requirement applies regardless of project size or dollar amount. Registered handymen carry minimum general liability insurance and have either workers' compensation coverage or an exemption certification. Verify any Seattle handyman's L&I registration at [verify.lni.wa.gov](https://verify.lni.wa.gov) by entering their business name or UBI number before hiring. Unregistered handymen expose homeowners to liability for on-site injuries and potential lien issues; in Washington, hiring unlicensed contractors for work over $1,000 can result in the homeowner losing certain legal protections. ---

Q: Why does Seattle have such high demand for caulking and weatherstripping services?

Seattle's climate — 38+ inches of annual rainfall, persistent overcast, and temperature cycling between freezing winters and warm summers — degrades exterior sealants at an above-average rate compared to drier climates. Standard latex caulk applied to exterior window and door frames fails within 2–3 wet seasons; weatherstripping compresses and loses seal within 3–5 years; wood window putty (glazing compound) cracks and loses adhesion within 10–20 years, particularly on Seattle's large Craftsman-era window inventory. When these maintenance items fail, water infiltrates: into window headers, into door sills, into wall cavities. In Seattle's perpetually damp environment, moisture in wall cavities drives dry rot — structural wood fiber deterioration that requires $500–$15,000+ to repair depending on extent. A $150–$350 professional caulking service every 3–4 years prevents the dry rot bills. This is the highest-ROI preventive maintenance Seattle handymen provide. ---

Q: Is earthquake water heater strapping required in Seattle?

Yes. Washington State building code (WAC 51-51, adopting and amending the International Residential Code) requires water heaters to be strapped to prevent tipping during seismic events. The Cascadia Subduction Zone — a major fault system capable of M8.0–M9.0 earthquakes that geologists at the [Pacific Northwest Seismic Network](https://pnsn.org) assess at 10–15% probability in the next 50 years — creates genuine seismic risk for all Seattle homes. Unstrapped water heaters tip and can rupture gas lines in seismic events, starting fires in the immediate aftermath when emergency response is unavailable. Seattle handymen routinely perform water heater earthquake strapping at $150–$300, including the correct hardware kit for your water heater's brand and diameter and proper L&I-compliant attachment to structural framing. This is one of the most straightforward and genuinely consequential home safety improvements available. ---

Q: What kind of caulk should be used on Seattle homes' exterior windows?

100% silicone caulk is the correct product for exterior window and door perimeter sealing on Seattle homes. GE Supreme Silicone, DAP Dynaflex Ultra, or OSI Quad are common professional choices. The critical distinction: silicone remains flexible through Seattle's temperature cycles (below freezing to 90°F+) and continuous moisture exposure without cracking, for 10–25 years. Standard latex paintable caulk — the product most homeowners purchase at hardware stores — absorbs water, loses adhesion in Seattle's wet climate, and typically fails within 2–3 wet seasons, creating the conditions for water infiltration and dry rot. The trade-off: silicone cannot be painted (it remains the product's color once cured). For siding and trim-color-matched applications, professional-grade colored silicone or polyurethane sealants (Sika or Vulkem product lines) are available from professional suppliers like Dunn Lumber. ---

Q: My Capitol Hill Craftsman has old windows that won't stay open — what does a handyman do?

The mechanism you're describing is a broken sash cord in a double-hung window — the cotton rope connecting the sash to its counterweight inside the window jamb. When the cord breaks, the sash either falls or refuses to stay in the raised position. Sash cord replacement is a specialized repair requiring: removal of the interior stop (the thin trim strip), extraction of the sash panel, access to the weight through the jamb access panel, replacement of the cotton rope (synthetic rope glazes the pulley and should not be substituted), and reinstallation. Seattle handymen with Craftsman home experience perform this repair routinely at $150–$300 per window for labor, plus $10–$20 for cotton sash cord and any needed parting stop or stop paint touch-up. It's a 2–3 hour job per window when done correctly and dramatically extends the life of original wood window systems that can outlast vinyl replacements if properly maintained. ---

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