Tag: Andy On Call

To-do lists around the house can easily pile up. When an appliance breaks down or a major repair is needed in your home, the task can be overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a place that promised to tackle your entire to-do list and give you back your weekend?

Well, there is. Andy OnCall is licensed, bonded and insured and is your one-call solution for home improvements, maintenance and remodels.

Sometimes, it’s just small, nagging repairs that you just can’t get around to or can’t quite find the right part for. Andy OnCall can help. Even with something as simple as hanging a picture frame, hanging some shelves or installing a pet door, a screened and certified craftsman will come to your home and leave you with a completed job and a one-year warranty on the labor.

Andy OnCall craftsmen prefer to finish jobs, too. Taking into consideration large projects that take a little longer —say, a new kitchen, or extensive plumbing work — co-owner Reggie Morgan estimates that 80 percent of the jobs they take on are completed in a matter of hours, days or weeks.

Andy OnCall covers the entire spectrum of home repair, even if it’s not one of their craftsmen handling the job.

“We don’t physically do roofs but we have roofing contractors that work for us,” Morgan says. “If we can’t do it, we will find someone who can. Rather than you calling five different people, we can do that. We are a one-stop shop.”

All Craftsmen Are Screened & Certified

Andy OnCall doesn’t just hire anyone. “Most guys have a minimum 10 years of experience when they come to us,” Morgan says. “That’s 10 years, verifiable, with their own truck and tools.”

Craftsmen are given lighter jobs early, with Morgan or managing partner and co-owner Vince Pizzitola following up on the work.

Pizzitola and Morgan bid the larger jobs and will use newer hires in on-the-job training, always making sure that “newbies” first work with a veteran craftsman. Craftsmen are given yearly background checks and have printed badges with photo identification on them.

“We don’t just hire people,” Morgan says. “We want someone that fits our role and knows what we expect.”

Andy OnCall carries insurance that covers the company’s employees, including their employees’ vehicles, while they are on the job, and is licensed for electrical, plumbing and air-conditioning (HVAC) work.

Craftsmen split the rates set by Andy OnCall with the company. Craftsmen are paid by the job and not by the hour. And, Andy OnCall offers free estimates for jobs.

“We will actually go out to the site to evaluate your needs,” Morgan says. “There’s no obligation but we don’t give estimates over the phone.”

In addition to Morgan and Pizzitola, the company currently has eight craftsmen and two office workers. And, the craftsmen are spread across the tri-county service area (Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco).

Craftsmen are scheduled so that they either stay close to their homes or at least end their route near their homes.

“We try to keep them working in a systematic way,” Morgan says. “We will try to steer the workers home with bids.”

This makes for a shortened commute that employees appreciate. It also saves the company money, while getting someone to your home more promptly.

“It makes a difference because you’re not getting the job done if you’re in your car, driving from place to place,” Pizzitola says. “We have craftsmen strategically located in areas around the Tampa Bay area and they tend to handle those areas.”

Andy OnCall also will cater to the skillset of each craftsman. If a craftsman specializes in drywall, he/she will get a lot of drywall bids. If another is a skilled electrician, those craftsmen will more often get the electrical bids.

Pizzitola and Morgan are there as backup, too, just in case.

“We want our craftsmen to be successful,” Morgan says. “We train them, but Vince and I are also available to walk them through something on the phone, too.”

Craftsmen At Heart

Andy OnCall was established in 1993 in Chattanooga, TN. Founder and CEO Tom Harris had built a reputation as a homebuilder in the 80s and 90s and people regularly asked Harris to take care of small projects for them. “Builders want to build, but Tom saw a need for a handyman service,” Morgan says.

So, why Andy, and not, say, Tom OnCall? “Back in 1992, the phone book was the internet,’’ Morgan says. “So, you wanted your name show up on the first pages of the yellow pages.”

By 1997, Harris’ daughter Tamara developed the computer software that culminated into the program used to run the business today. The original business in Chattanooga became the first franchise in May of 1999. There are now 2,849 franchises nationwide.

Pizzitola came into the Tampa franchise five years ago as a craftsman. He actually has a background in chemistry and engineering and worked  at rehabbing houses for 10 years. He even ran his own handyman service for a while.

Pizzitola handled the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area as a craftsman and still takes jobs in that area but has transitioned into more of a managerial role. He came on as the local franchise co-owner in January of this year.

“I still am the main backup or problem solver, but now I’m more of a resource,” Pizzitola says.

Morgan bought the franchise located on W. Linebaugh Ave. in Tampa in April of last year. He comes from a nine-year career in the Navy, working in electronic warfare. He also has worked in the broadcast industry and was a Sears Home Central district manager responsible for 114 technicians before moving to Wesley Chapel 15 years ago. But, he still came from a building background.

“My father was a carpenter,” Morgan says. “I grew up with all the skills from him. He could fix or build anything.”

In Tampa, Morgan then took over as director of services for Invitation Homes in 2012. He says she saw the company grow from five employees and 500 homes to 168 employees and more than 5,000 homes — in six months. When the company downsized, Morgan knew it was time to jump ship.

“Andy OnCall had name recognition, the location was 16 years old and it was a good match to my needs,” Morgan says.

That unique name recognition and level of service are now taking root in Tampa Bay.

If you’ve been putting off a repair or need someone to tackle your to-do list, call Andy on Call at (813) 961-2600 or swing by the office at 5008 W. Linebaugh Ave., Suite 35, to set up an appointment for service or a free estimate. The office is open Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.. Visit AndyOnCallTampaBay.com.