Frequently asked questions
The useful answer before the expensive mistake.
Understand the scope, pricing, building, and safety rules that shape a Ruiz Home Services request.
Requests
Scope and scheduling
What kinds of jobs can I request?
The platform is designed for reviewed, non-emergency small jobs such as furniture assembly, suitable mounting and hanging, minor patch-and-paint touch-ups, non-regulated hardware adjustments, caulking, and defined punch lists. The exact scope determines whether a request fits.
Does submitting a request guarantee service?
No. Submission does not guarantee acceptance, matching, availability, price, timing, or completion. A request may need clarification, be declined, or be redirected when the scope is outside the service boundary.
What details should I provide?
Include the desired result, clear photos of the full area and close-ups, product or model details, approximate dimensions, service address, known wall or surface type, building type, approval or COI requirements, access limitations, and preferred timing.
Can I add more work during the visit?
Do not assume so. New or materially different tasks should be paused and re-scoped. That protects the schedule, pricing, provider fit, building compliance, and safety review.
Can I choose a specific handyman?
Do not assume customer selection, automatic dispatch, or a specific provider is available unless that option appears in the confirmed request workflow. Matching and availability are separate from submitting the request.
Pricing
Labor and payment
What is the minimum labor rate?
The customer labor rate is at least $30 per billable hour. At the minimum, at least $25 is allocated to the handyman and $5 to Ruiz Home Services.
What happens when labor is priced above $30 per hour?
The handyman receives five-sixths of the labor subtotal and Ruiz Home Services receives one-sixth. For example, $60 of labor allocates $50 to the handyman and $10 to the platform.
Are materials included in the hourly labor rate?
No. Materials and replacement parts are separate from labor and should be itemized and approved. Applicable tax, payment processing, tips, and other adjustments are also distinct categories.
Is the hourly rate the final quote?
Not by itself. A complete request breakdown must also define the accepted scope, billable duration or pricing basis, materials, applicable taxes, processing treatment, and any approved adjustments. Do not assume unstated minimum durations, increments, travel charges, or cancellation terms.
How do online payments work?
When an online payment is required, the checkout should identify what is being charged and keep payment status server-authoritative. A completed browser screen alone is not proof that a payment or refund succeeded; processor confirmation controls.
Buildings and safety
Rules and service boundaries
What if my building requires a certificate of insurance?
Tell us before scheduling and provide the exact building or managing-agent requirements. COI wording, additional insureds, coverage limits, delivery method, and approval timing can vary. Work should not be scheduled until the applicable requirement is satisfied.
Do I need permission from my super or management?
Building rules control. Co-ops, condos, managed rentals, and other properties may require approval, advance notice, worker sign-in, elevator coordination, work-hour limits, or an approved contractor. Check your lease, alteration agreement, house rules, and management instructions.
Can a tenant hire someone for a leak, no heat, pests, or mold?
Those conditions can be landlord, building, NYCHA, or habitability matters rather than private handyman work. Start with the owner, super, management, NYCHA, 311, or the proper specialist as appropriate. Do not cover a recurring or building-system problem with a cosmetic repair.
Does a listed service mean my building must allow it?
No. A service category cannot override a lease, co-op or condo rules, management instructions, insurance requirements, permits, or city law.
Is Ruiz Home Services an emergency service?
No. The site is not monitored for emergencies. For immediate danger, call 911 or the appropriate utility emergency line. For urgent building conditions, use your building, landlord, NYCHA, 311, or licensed-professional channel as appropriate.
Do you handle electrical work?
Not as ordinary handyman work. NYC electrical work is tightly regulated. Requests involving wiring, fixtures, switches, outlets, breakers, or electrical systems should be routed to the appropriately licensed professional and permit process.
What plumbing work is excluded?
Gas piping, concealed piping, common risers, building shutoffs, system alterations, and other regulated or high-risk plumbing are outside ordinary handyman scope. Even visible fixture work can require management coordination or a licensed plumber depending on the actual task.
Are all providers automatically licensed, insured, or background checked?
Do not infer a credential that is not explicitly shown and verified for the relevant request. A platform profile never replaces task-specific license, permit, insurance, certification, building, or legal requirements.
What happens if a hidden problem is discovered?
The affected work should pause. A provider should not expand into concealed damage, hazardous material, regulated systems, structural risk, or materially different work without a new review and the correct qualified path.
Still have a job-specific question?
The best next step is a detailed request. The actual scope and building context determine the answer.