Welcome to Dan Rock: What We Do and Our Standards
Meet Dan Rock — the trades team serving your neighborhood since 2018. Learn what we fix, how we price, and the standard behind every job.
Dan Rock is a local repair and installation service founded in 2018, working out of a small workshop on Elm Street. We handle carpentry, minor plumbing, fixture installs, and finish work for homes and small businesses inside our service area. Every job carries a written scope, a fixed quote, and a 12-month workmanship guarantee.
What kind of work do we actually take on?
Most of our week is booked with the boring, high-impact stuff. Door realignments. Leaky trap replacements. Kitchen cabinet refits. New light fixtures on old, questionable wiring that needs a proper junction box before anything else happens. We also take on larger interior refurbishments when scheduling allows, usually one every six to eight weeks.
We don't do everything. If you need a full electrical panel swap or gas line work, we'll tell you upfront and pass you to a licensed specialist. That honesty matters. According to industry consumer research, unclear scope is one of the leading causes of home-service disputes[1], and we'd rather lose the job than mislead you into a mess.
Our typical call-out starts at $95 for the first hour on-site. For larger projects we quote flat rates after a free 20-minute walkthrough. You can read more about how we scope work in our note on what happens behind the scenes at Dan Rock.
How do we decide what "done right" means?
Done right means the client shouldn't have to think about the repair again. Not this year. Not next year. If a hinge squeaks in six months because we cheaped out on hardware, that's our failure, not wear and tear.
Here's the standard we hold every job to:
- Every fastener, seal, and fitting matches or exceeds the manufacturer's spec for the surrounding assembly.
- We photograph the work area before we start and after we finish, and both photos go to the client by email.
- Any hidden damage found mid-job triggers a phone call before we spend another dollar of your money.
- Cleanup includes vacuuming, wiping down surfaces, and hauling away all debris the same day.
- Written invoices itemize parts and labor separately so you can see exactly where the cost sits.
- We answer warranty calls within 48 hours, and warranty visits are free within the 12-month window.
Last March, an 82-year-old client named Margaret on Willow Court asked us to rehang a sagging bathroom door. Ten minutes in we found the jamb was rotted from a slow shower leak she hadn't noticed. We stopped, called her, and rescoped the job from a $140 rehang to a $610 jamb rebuild. She approved it, we finished the same day, and the door still shuts clean.
Why don't we compete on the lowest price?
Most people ask first about price. That's the wrong first question. Ask about the failure rate. A cheap fixture install that leaks in eight months costs you the original bill, a second call-out, and whatever the water ruined underneath. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has published extensively on how improper household installations contribute to preventable damage claims each year[2].
We sit in the middle of the local pricing band. Not the cheapest, not the most expensive. Here's how we compare on the three things clients actually ask about:
| Provider type | Typical hourly rate | Warranty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo handyman (unlicensed) | $45-70 | None or verbal | Very small, low-risk fixes |
| Dan Rock | $95 first hour, $70 after | 12 months written | Mid-size repairs and installs |
| Full contracting firm | $140+ | 12-24 months | Full renovations, permits |
If your job is a single doorknob swap, hire the solo guy. Genuinely. If it involves anything behind a wall or above a ceiling, that's where we earn our rate. For help deciding, our guide on choosing the right partner for the job walks through the questions worth asking any tradesperson before you sign.
When should you call us versus wait?
Call now if you've got active water, a door that won't lock, a fixture hanging loose, or anything that'll get worse over the weekend. Wait until Monday if it's cosmetic and stable. Try this: send a photo through our contact form with a one-line description. We usually reply within four working hours with a rough estimate and a suggested visit window.
We book Tuesday through Saturday. Emergency slots exist but we keep them thin so we can actually honor them.
FAQ
Do you charge for quotes?
No. In-person walkthroughs under 20 minutes are free within our service area. For quotes that require diagnostic work, like tracing a leak inside a wall, we charge our standard first-hour rate and credit it against the job if you hire us.
What areas do you serve?
We cover a 15-mile radius from our Elm Street workshop, which includes most of the surrounding neighborhoods and two adjacent towns. Jobs outside that radius are considered case by case, usually with a small travel surcharge added to the quote.
Are you insured?
Yes. We carry general liability and workmanship insurance, and we're happy to send you the certificate before we start work. Ask when you book. It's a fair question and any honest trades outfit should answer it in writing.
What's the guarantee if something fails?
Every job carries a 12-month written workmanship warranty. If our work fails inside that window, we return, diagnose, and fix it at no cost. Parts are covered by their manufacturer warranty, which we register on your behalf when applicable.