Being a Houseman
Housemen, or “Handymen,” are responsible for the daily maintenance and amenity upkeep both within and around a residence through hands-on repair, monitoring and handywork. The houseman generally reports to a managerial domestic employee such as a House Manager, Estate Manager, Property Manager, or Assistant.
Core responsibilities
- Maintaining all interior and exterior living spaces
- Assisting with landscaping and grounds work through gardening, lawn care, horticulture and related project and contractor management
- Providing hands-on repairs throughout the home in areas of plumbing, electrical, carpentry, painting, HVAC, smart home and entertainment, as well as overseeing larger-scale renovation and construction projects
- Driving the Principals to appointments, airports, and engagements, as well as detailing all vehicles and ensuring registration, maintenance and insurance are continually up-to-date
Skillset Required
- Incredibly hands-on, maintaining a no task too big or too small attitude
- Willingness and ability to manage ad-hoc projects and tasks, often filling in the gaps of other household staff tasks such as housekeeping, cooking, driving, and errand-running
- Knowledge of minor home repairs and technological systems within the residence