Floor Repairs: what a handyman does
A handyman can quiet squeaks, refasten loose boards, fit or replace transition strips, and repair the trim where the floor meets the wall. Installing new flooring, sanding and refinishing, water damage and structural sagging are not handyman work. They go to a flooring contractor, or to a qualified contractor when joists are involved.
Jobs we take on
Tap one to add it to your list.
- Quiet a squeaky board from above with breakaway screws driven into the subfloor
- Fix squeaks under carpet, where the small screw holes disappear into the fibers
- Reduce squeaks from below by gluing shims or blocking in a basement or crawl space
- Pull a loose section of subfloor back down tight to the joists where it can be reached
- Fill screw and nail holes with a wax filler stick matched to the floor color
- Install or replace a threshold, reducer or T-molding where two floors meet
- Reattach loose baseboard, shoe molding or quarter round along the floor edge
- Trim the bottom of a door so it clears a raised transition or thicker floor
Signs it is time to call
- A board squeaks every time at the same spot, and it often moves slightly when you step on it
- You can see a small gap between a floorboard and the subfloor
- A transition strip has come loose or its edge catches your foot
- Baseboard or shoe molding has lifted from the floor and left a visible gap
- A squeak shows up mostly in winter when the house is driest
What is not a handyman job
Installing hardwood, laminate, vinyl, tile or carpet, sanding and refinishing, leveling, and replacing damaged subfloor are flooring contractor work. Floors that sag, bounce or slope noticeably may point to a joist or foundation problem, which needs a qualified structural contractor or engineer. Water-damaged floors need the leak fixed by a licensed plumber first.
Plumbing, electrical and roofing go to licensed independent contractors.
What a visit looks like
- We walk the floor with you, listen for each squeak, and mark the spots before repairing any of them.
- Whether we can reach the underside from a basement or crawl space changes how a squeak gets fixed, so tell us about access.
- Fastener holes are filled in a matching color, but a repair on a finished floor can still be visible up close.
- If the floor needs more than a repair, we say so instead of patching it.
Common questions
What causes squeaky floors?
Usually wood movement. Boards, subfloor and joists swell and shrink with humidity, and the nails that hold them loosen and rub as you step. Gaps between the boards and the subfloor from settling, warping or a poor original installation can cause the same noise. Finding the exact spot is most of the repair.
Can you fix a squeak without pulling up the floor?
Often yes. From above, a special screw with a depth-control fixture is driven through the board into the subfloor and its head snaps off, leaving a small hole to fill. Where the underside is reachable, a glued shim or a block between joists can stop the movement without touching the finished surface.
Do I need a transition strip between rooms?
Not always. Rooms with the same flooring do not require one, though a strip is often used to allow for expansion and contraction. Where two floors meet at different heights, a reducer makes a ramp-like edge that prevents tripping. We can fit a strip you choose, and a flooring contractor handles the flooring itself.
Do you install or refinish floors?
No. Installing new flooring, sanding, staining and refinishing are flooring contractor jobs. Our floor work is limited to squeaks, loose boards, transitions, trim and minor repairs. If your floor needs more than that, we will say so and point you toward a flooring contractor rather than patch something that will keep failing.