IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE DRILL WHEN DANGER LURKS IN THE ATTIC OR YOUR SCREEN DOOR SCREAMS FOR A REPLACEMENT, IT'S THE HANDYMAN TO THE RESCUE.

Byline: Barbara De Witt  Staff Writer

If those repairmen on cable TV intimidate you, home-repair books confuse you, and you're embarrassed to admit you've flunked the free beginner classes at the local hardware store ... hire a handyman.

``People are so stretched - from working harder, faster and longer hours than we ever did before - and also running the kids to ballet, soccer and Scouts - that there's no time or energy left to install a new screen door even if they knew how, and that's the main reason we're seeing the resurgence of the professional handyman,'' says Lou Manfredini, Ace's Helpful Hardware Man.

Manfredini, who is a former handyman and now a builder when he's not working as a spokesman for Ace Hardware, appearing on NBC's ``Today Show'' or writing books on home repair, says families used to live closer to each other, so dads and uncles taught you how to fix things, but today families are spread across the country.

``Since people's lifestyles have changed, fewer people feel embarrassed about hiring somebody to install a garage-door opener. In fact, business is booming. We've seen a 25 percent increase in calls each year since we started five years ago and often have to refer customers to other companies,'' says Alec Bernstein, co-owner of the 24-Hour Handyman Service in Canoga Park.

They've got it nailed

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry has noticed the trend, too. NARI spokeswoman Lisa Gunggoll figures there are about 800,000 individuals across the country who call themselves handymen or remodelers, and she predicts the number will grow, since the newest generation lacks handyman skills but has the money to hire someone.

West Hills handyman Bill Del Monte also reports that changes in society have given the professional handyman more business - and more respect.

``Most of my clients are older people, and they not only need the most help but are the most appreciative because they don't have their children living nearby to help them,'' says Del Monte. For his steady clients, Del Monte says he may be asked to do one project, such as hang a door or paint a room, but he'll change light bulbs and other small tasks that require climbing a ladder - something older people can no longer easily do.

Does he charge extra for these tasks? Del Monte says he - and most handymen - often do little jobs that need attention. It's a courtesy, he says, that usually creates a long-lasting relationship.

Del Monte, who's been Bill the Handyman to San Fernando Valley residents for the past five years, says people should make sure their handyman has a professional business license and also understand his limitations.

Or, as Manfredini puts it, ``Consumers need to know that just because he has a pickup truck doesn't make him - or her - handy.''

Many handymen have backgrounds in carpentry or plumbing, but they may not have a contractor's license, and that's a concern of Elizabeth Franklin, author of ``The Franklin Report'' (Allgood Press; $22.50), a new guide to home services in Los Angeles. ``The handyman front is one of the trickiest situations, because one might have limited capabilities and another could be an expert at something like plumbing ... but I'd go to a plumber,'' she confesses.

Franklin, who interviewed and researched all the specialists in her book, adds that she'd probably ask her contractor or a neighbor if she were hiring a handyman - but she'd still have a list of questions and a list of projects. ``Always write out your list ... the bigger the job, the more interest you'll get - and the better the price,'' says Franklin.

Forget the list and look at the guy's toolbox, says Ron Hazelton, a professional handyman and do-it-yourself editor for ABC's ``Good Morning America,'' as well as host of the syndicated ``Ron Hazelton's HouseCalls'' TV show (6:30 a.m. Saturdays on KABC) and a new book by the same title.

``Honest, before I'd hire a handyman, I'd want to meet him, and see how he cares for his tools ... because his appearance and the appearance of his tools are a clue to how that person treats physical objects,'' Hazelton stresses.

Manfredini can't argue with Franklin and Hazelton's reasoning.

Unlike a plumber or electrician, a handyman is a ``Jack-of-all-trades,'' he says, adding that a handyman may even work closely with contractors on large projects, such as housing tracts and commercial buildings. But handymen usually don't have a specialty license because they don't have a specialty.

So keep in mind that a handyman may not be able to fix a broken water line - but he could probably install a pedestal sink for a lot less money than a plumber could. ``But always hire an electrician for an electrical problem because of the risk of fire,'' Manfredini cautions.

Most popular requests

So what is a handyman handy at?

These handymen listed their most-requested jobs and the fees charged, which include installing a garage door opener for $70, a wooden door for about $150, a screen door for $80 to $125, a ceiling fan for $75 to $125 and a motion sensor light for $35. A handyman can also repair a concrete sidewalk ($100 a patch, debris removal included), or repair a loose board on a wooden deck (price depends on extent of damage). Keep in mind that the homeowner is expected to provide all the materials - but not the tools.

The handyman business has become such a huge segment of the home- building market, that Manfredini says there are now companies that have several handymen in their stable that charge as much as $60 an hour (compared to $20 an hour for a self-employed handyman), but the homeowner has the assurance that the handyman is insured and bonded - but no guarantee he's any better than the lower-priced handyman.

Since America's largest generation - the baby boomers - will soon be worried about breaking their hip on a ladder, Bernstein of Canoga Park expects that handymen in the near future will be licensed and have their own union.

``Regulation creates regulation, and it could turn out that we'll have to take tests to become professional handymen, which will force them to be more skilled, but the downside is that prices will go up,'' says Bernstein.

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry isn't too concerned yet. ``It would be too difficult to have a cookie-cutter business plan across the U.S. for handymen because the job is so individualized and laws vary from state to state. And besides that,'' says Gunggoll, ``handymen provide a unique customer service with a personal relationship that could be destroyed.''

Until then, use common sense when hiring a handyman so a $100 job doesn't turn into a $1,000 nightmare, says Manfredini. Ask questions (see accompanying story) and ask for references and the price of the project. And don't pay until the job is done to your satisfaction.

Resources to build on

Whether you're hiring a handyman or attempting to be one, check out these resources:

--National Association of Home Builders: [phone] or www.nahb.com. This organization is a resource for buying and remodeling homes and also addresses energy issues.

--National Association of the Remodeling Industry: [phone] or www.remodeltoday.com. They'll help you find pros and provide questions to ask during interviews.

--Handyman.com: This Web site has access to the nation's largest network of pre-screened professionals, offers advice on do-it-yourself projects, and sells books and products.

--``Mr. Fix-It Introduces You to Your Home'' (Ballantine Books; $23.95): Professional builder and contributor to NBC's ``Today Show,'' Lou Manfredini (also known as Ace's Helpful Hardware Man) explains everything that might go wrong with your house. Best of all, the back of the book has a huge glossary of terms so you can talk to your handyman with ease, or find your way around a hardware store. You can also ask Manfredini your handyman questions at acehardware.com.

--``Ron Hazelton's House Calls'' (Time Life Books; $29.95): The big, hefty book taking the same name as Hazelton's cable TV show covers every room of the house and things you might need to do in them. It's well-illustrated and also features nifty little boxes that tell you the level of difficulty, time requirement and cost estimate. For more help, see his Web site at www.ronhazelton.com or pick up ``Ron Hazelton's Favorite Home Improvement Tips'' booklet at Lowe's Home Improvement stores for $2.95. It's got a variety of tips for the do-it-yourselfer, such as using a hair dryer to remove stubborn masking tape and tapping holes in the rim of a paint can so the rim won't fill up and ooze with paint.

- B.D.

How to find the right handyman

Don't just hire the first handyman who's available. Shop around, ask friends, check references. But also interview potential candidates. To save yourself time, clip and save our list from Lou Manfredini, Ace's Helpful Hardware Man:

1. Are you licensed? Is it a general business license or a specialty? If so, in what field?

2. Do you carry insurance in case you break something or someone is injured?

3. Do you charge by the hour or the job?

4. Will you come to the house to give an estimate? (You want to be there to answer any questions he might have).

4. How long have you been doing this kind of work? Do you have a specialty, such as painting or carpentry?

5. Ask all the details involved, such as, ``Is painting included in the picket fence to be installed?''

6. Will you consider a package deal (a better price for more projects)?

7. Do you work alone or have a crew? (If he has a crew, does he have general liability and workers compensation insurance for them?)

8. Will you clean up and haul away scrap materials when the job is complete?

9. Who provides the materials? (You do not want to give them money for supplies up front. It's best if they give you a shopping list, because then you know the quality of materials and are the owner of them in case the workers don't show up).

10. Will they give you a written contract, receipt or guarantee of their work?

11. Can they provide the names and addresses of at least three satisfied customers for references?

12. How long do you estimate the job will take?

13. Are they associated with a local general contractor? If so, whom?

14. I don't expect to pay until the job is complete. Are you agreeable with that?

- B.D.

Brush up on your tool talk

To make sure you're communicating with your handyman, practice your handymanese. To help, we've provided a little cheat sheet on many of the terms used in the business.

ADAPTER: This is not for your CD player or international-use hair dryer, but a fitting that helps put two not-same things together.

BROKEN JOIST: Damage to the framing portion of the deck that holds the decking that you walk on. It's a serious injury to your deck, and you could fall through.

CHECK-VALVE: Used in plumbing to keep water from flowing back into something.

COUPLING: Something that connects two pieces of pipe together, whether it's electrical or plumbing.

FIXTURE: This can be anything from a chandelier to a toilet, so make clear what fixture you want fixed.

FLUSH VALVE/FILL VALVE: The parts to a toilet that regulate water going out and coming in.

GLAZING: Although it could be a fancy paint technique, a handyman is most likely using it when he talks about windows. If he needs to glaze a window, he means replace the glass.

HOLLOW-CORE DOOR: If you're asking for a new door, a handyman might ask if you want one of these. It's hollow, easy to punch a hole in by children and offers no sound-privacy. But it's way cheaper than a solid wood door.

OFFICE: A portable toilet used on bigger job site. (A single handyman will expect to use the restroom inside your home.)

PLUNGER: This is the rubber cup on a stick used for clogged toilets and sinks. When you use it, make sure there's enough water in the bowl to cover the rubber part and then ``plunge'' it at an angle so you fill the cup with water, because it's water pressure - not air pressure - that makes a plunger work.

P-TRAP: Associated with plumbing, it's the thing that ``traps'' water and keeps sewer gases from coming into a home. It's not to be confused with a catch-basin, but a handyman might find a person's ring that went down a drain in either place.

PVC: This is the white plastic pipe or tube you might use for children's crafts such as napkin rings, but handymen use it for sprinkler systems because it's cheaper and easier to install than metal pipe. The technical name is polyvinyl chloride, but nobody calls it that.

RECEPTACLE: An electrician's term for an outlet - the thing you plug your hair dryer or microwave into.

SOLDER: This is a noun and a verb. Typically you'll hire handyman to solder (pronounced SOD-er) the leg of your wrought-iron patio chair to make it whole again. Solder is also the metal alloy that's melted to fuse the joints.

T-SHAPED TOOLS: Usually refers to a hammer but could be a mallet.

- B.D.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, 3 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) got it nailed

For the time-challenged or skill-impared call the handyman for minor home repairs

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(2) West Hills handyman Bill Del Monte, shown installing a door in North Hollywood, says that he earns repeat business from many clients by doing small extra tasks while on the job.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(3) no caption (tool box)

(4) MANFREDINI

(5) Ron Hazelton, host of a cable TV show on home improvements, also has written the like-titled ``Ron Hazelton's House Call,'' covering common household repairs.

Box:

(1) Resources to build on (see text)

(2) How to find the right handyman (see text)

(3) Brush up on your tool talk (see text)