Jim Baxter and Ray Disch of Total Home Repair, LLC. Photo/Lisa Neeid
When things go wrong around the house, life gets complicated. Finding the right solution is time-consuming and not always productive. Homeowners spend their time chasing down contractors, waiting for return calls that might not come, checking references, hoping to be fit into the schedule soon, and worrying if the workers will show up on time. Then there is constant overseeing to make sure the work gets done correctly and in a timely manner. Wouldn’t it be great to have someone take care of all that? Total Home Manager can do that ... and more. They are the single-source solution to home repairs and maintenance and provide peace of mind that the work will be done quickly and correctly, no matter how large or small the job.
Owners Jim Baxter, of Baxter Construction, and Ray Disch, former co-founder of Triumph Brewing Company and current real estate broker for Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty, grew up in the area and have known each other since the 80s. Over the years, both had been contacted repeatedly by clients looking for handyman or other contractor work, so they decided to work together to create Total Home Manager.
“We had always done handyman work,” says Baxter. “As a realtor, Ray was always asked for referrals for clients, so we both thought, ‘why not start a company to do it.”’ The two met twice a week for several years to brainstorm about the creation of the company before opening their doors in 2009.
“I knew I needed an ex-contractor partner because he would know the business and have solid relationships with vendors,” says Disch. “Jim brought that to the table.”
Whether a small repair or a major renovation, interior or exterior, Total Home Manager can help. They are a complete home repair, maintenance, and management company with a broad network of top-notch professionals, licensed, fully insured, and all at the ready. Whatever the need, Total Home Manager has the right specialist for painting, caulking, carpentry, plumbing/FIVAC/electrical service and repair, roof/ gutters/chimney, carpet cleaning, floor refinishing, handyman, vacation watch, “aging in place” modifications, landscaping, snow removal, home inspection, green audit, 24/7 emergency repairs, and more.
“We are all about preventative maintenance, but we offer emergency services too,” explains Baxter. This has proven especially important to customers during past big storms and other emergencies.
Total Home Manager offers individual handyman services and membership plans that focus on their preventative maintenance philosophy. With a membership, customers get an assigned project manager who will evaluate and oversee any and all work needed. The manager will inspect the property, assess, and come up with lists of what needs to be done in the short and long term. They can help clients space out expenses over a number of years. Sometimes a customer just needs a few things taken care of; that’s where the handyman services come into play.
“We’re here to help,” explain Baxter and Disch. They furnish a “snapshot” of the current condition of the house, make recommendations, and then provide the perfect vendor for the job. And because of the long and solid relationship with their vendors, they can give their customers a preferred price on work. They are able to work with a contractor or vendor who has a long-standing relationship with a homeowner, if that’s what their customer wants. Either way, one call to Total Home Manager takes care of it all.
“One of the things attractive to their customers is that we bring in people we know,” says Baxter and Disch. This creates a high level of comfort and peace of mind. Another thing their customers love, they say, is Total Home Manager’s consolidated billing. Each bill includes any and all jobs, and the customer writes just one check. Vendors like it too because they know they will be paid and don’t have to spend time chasing down payments. Total Home Manager takes care of it all, including verifying all work is done and done well.
Both Baxter and Disch point to their commitment to personal service that sets them apart from larger companies. They live and work within 15 miles of the Hopewell office and can drive and meet with customers if there’s an emergency.
“Our customers are really busy people...perhaps they work in the city with long commutes and not a lot of time, the wealthy, older people, people with second homes, and those homeowners with ‘two left hands,”’ explains Baxter. They strive to create long-term, solid relationships and save their customers time and energy.
“We are relationship-based,” says Disch. “Most of our business is from referrals.”
Total Home Manager, LLC is located at 31 West Broad St. in Hopewell. For more information, call 609-466-3355, visit www.totalhomemanager.com, or find them on Facebook.