In 2001, Smart & Handy started as a handyman service and, in response to our clients' needs for help with larger projects, we have expanded to include general contractor (GC) services. We are proudly certified as Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS), using universal design techniques. We serve all of Orange County and surrounding counties and will work on residential, commercial and industrial properties.
Smart & Handy has the knowledge and craftsmanship to handle our clients' needs, from a simple picture hanging through to a full remodel. Our philosophy is to use a professional, "common-sense" approach to every job we take on. Dave Gould, Smart & Handy's owner, grew up in the business world and made sure to learn all he could.
His experience with several family businesses up through Fortune 500 companies has shown Dave the most effective business practices, which he uses in running Smart & Handy. Dave understands what it takes to build and maintain a successful business and therefore has high expectations of his employees and subcontractors, with whom he has had long-standing relationships.
Smart & Handy has the knowledge and craftsmanship to handle our clients' needs, from a simple picture hanging through to a full remodel. Our philosophy is to use a professional, "common-sense" approach to every job we take on. Dave Gould, Smart & Handy's owner, grew up in the business world and made sure to learn all he could.
His experience with several family businesses up through Fortune 500 companies has shown Dave the most effective business practices, which he uses in running Smart & Handy. Dave understands what it takes to build and maintain a successful business and therefore has high expectations of his employees and subcontractors, with whom he has had long-standing relationships.
Services
When we started Smart & Handy and spoke to our new clients, we found that their major complaints about past work involved a lack of customer service and employees not listening to the clients' needs. With that in mind, we made it a company priority to give the best customer service possible, and to always listen to our clients and put their needs first.
Universal Design/Build expands on the standard CAPS training by shifting the focus from specific modifications that meet the needs of one person or household to universal techniques that can be integrated into all residential construction projects. Designing homes that are both functional and attractive for the aging-in-place is one of our specialties.
Mold removal and lead removal are not part of our handyman/general contractor services. However, should you require mold or lead removal at your home or office, we will be happy to refer you to one of our trusted partners with that specialty. Simply put, our specialty is taking care of your home and everything in it.
Reviews (21)
Mirceia M.
Mar 04, 2020
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We wanted to upgrade our closet from wood panel to drywall. We had a family friend help do it but it turned out real bad. So after calling a couple of other companies and giving us outrageously high quotes for a closet, we called Smart and Handy. Their quote was completely acceptable compared to the other guys. Dave and his daughter were completely professional. You could tell they knew what they were talking about and I felt confident in them before they started working on our closet. Dave made sure to explain everything to us and asked us about out closet doors so he could build the closet frame
Chris H.
May 02, 2019
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Jim A.
Oct 09, 2018
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I made an online inquiry, late at night, and Dave responded. He was very prompt responding, and we set up an appointment on a Saturday morning to take a look at the job. He arrived on time and quoted a reasonable price for the job, which was to remove the sheet rock from two walls, replace it and texture it. The texture was old and not an orange peel or knock down.
Dave arrived as scheduled the following Monday and proceeded with the work. He spent all day working on this and he did an outstanding job! My sister is a general contractor and former building inspector, and she was very impressed
Dave arrived as scheduled the following Monday and proceeded with the work. He spent all day working on this and he did an outstanding job! My sister is a general contractor and former building inspector, and she was very impressed
Anahita D.
Oct 02, 2018
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First of all, I rarely write reviews. Dave was so helpful that I wanted to share about his wide knowledge base regarding whole house remodeling! He and his team re-wired all my bathrooms (upstairs and downstairs) creating a second circuit breaker. In the laundry room, he designated a new electrical outlet for an electric dryer and opened up the drywall to create the plumbing to install a sink. He installed new wired-smoke alarms, created new recessed lights and updated the existing recessed lights. He had a good understanding of where and how to install grab bars in the bathroom for elder safety
Nathan O.
Aug 02, 2018
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Rick B.
Jul 02, 2018
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Worked with me to get the job done ASAP. Agreed to meet at 7:30 AM so he could be done before my customers arrived. He was on time and completed his work in the estimated time frame. Work area was neat and tidy as if he had never been there at all. Very professional-he explained everything he was going to do before he did it. If you ignore the weekend, our job was completed less than 24 hours after first contact ( which was made the same day through yelp). I highly recommend Smart and Handy.
Raul G.
Jun 20, 2018
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Dave and his team at Smart and Handy were amazing when I needed to do a full remodel of a condo for my elderly mother. When I called a handful of companies for an estimate, Dave was the only one who called me back within a day.
Dave gave great options to do the remodel with my limited budget. He also has a great sense of design and made recommendations and gave feedback on materials and colors. An added bonus was that he and his team are experts in remodeling homes for the elderly. I really appreciated the advice he gave on grab bars, shower seat, door knobs, door width, and other details
Dave gave great options to do the remodel with my limited budget. He also has a great sense of design and made recommendations and gave feedback on materials and colors. An added bonus was that he and his team are experts in remodeling homes for the elderly. I really appreciated the advice he gave on grab bars, shower seat, door knobs, door width, and other details
Jessica R.
Dec 05, 2017
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Dave and his company were amazing in the remodel of my grandparents' bathrooms, in a house that hadn't been touched since 1956 when they bought it. Dave was extremely patient, good at communicating with both me (running the project from across the country) and my grandparents. The finished product looks beautiful, and most importantly it is much safer for my grandparents. Great work from a great company!
Ken S.
Apr 15, 2017
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H. P.
Dec 13, 2016
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We had a difficult dilemma with a previous homeowner making home alterations without city permits. Smart & Handy was hired to work help us return laundry hookups and relocate a water heater. From the first point of contact, Smart & Handy was prompt and laid out a realistic plan of action and cost involved, especially given the degree of unknowns involved from previous renovations. The final results were very polished and precise. Their work ethic and diligence was also a reflection of their professionalism. We passed final city inspection without a hitch ! Thank you, Smart & Handy
Op P.
Nov 10, 2016
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Simon S.
Oct 11, 2016
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Dave was literally the one person who called me directly, out of the six contractors that I reached out to on yelp about two hours ago. I current have water damage in my unit and needed to reach out to a contractor asap. Not only did he take time out of his busy schedule to call me right away, but even though there seems to be a possibility that I wasn't going to be able to go through work with him (due to handling of insurance claims and their recommends) I never felt like Dave was giving me the quick run around. He was patiently explaining how I can best handle my scenario and his advice
Carol L.
Sep 29, 2016
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I was very relieved to find Dave and his team to help modify our bathroom for accessibility concerns. They did a great job offering solutions which included widening our door and placement of grab bars for safety. They were very compassionate and trustworthy. I appreciated how thoughtful they were about protecting our home and cleaning up extremely well. They also held true to their bid even though the project took longer than I expected. I will definitely hire Smart and Handy again.
Jessica M.
Jul 14, 2016
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I called Dave for some advice on repairs based upon a home inspection report and he emailed me a thorough list of his recommendations and cost estimates the same day! He also called to ensure that I understood everything and gave some great advice on further testing that we needed. I will definitely call upon Dave for future work to be done on our house. Thank you!
Maribeth G.
Feb 17, 2016
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We would definitely hire David at Smart and Handy again! We needed a flat screen tv wall mounted and the wiring run through the wall in our company showroom so I searched 'electricians' on Yelp. I sent several requests for quotes out and David was one of the first to respond with a quote much lower than the first one I had received. We were also limited on time, so needed the job done quickly. From the time I accepted the quote to the actual install was 1 1/2 business days. He was on time, did a great job and left the room as clean as when he found it. Thanks, David for living up
Sheri S.
Jul 29, 2015
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My father is elderly and was having mobility issues due to arthritis and a stroke. When this happens to most of us for the first time we don't know what option there are to allow our parents to remain independant. I contacted Dave because I needed someone to make knowledgable recommendation. He did exactly that. What I most appreciated was his patience with my father and that he did not push for major modification right away. We addressed the immediate concerns and I learned from Dave that as the mobility issues worsen we could revisit for addition modification.
Susan G.
Jun 07, 2015
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When we wanted to remodel a bathroom to make it accessible for my husband with a disability, we chose to work with Dave at Smart and Handy and are glad we did for so many reasons I'll have to list them.
1) when Dave first came it bid our job he spent a lot of time with us talking about my husband's needs and, because he has experience in working with the disabled, he was able to give us some ideas we hadn't thought of.
2) Before starting work Dave gave us a detailed estimate of what he would do and what the costs would be. He stuck to that estimate throughout the job.
3) the sub
1) when Dave first came it bid our job he spent a lot of time with us talking about my husband's needs and, because he has experience in working with the disabled, he was able to give us some ideas we hadn't thought of.
2) Before starting work Dave gave us a detailed estimate of what he would do and what the costs would be. He stuck to that estimate throughout the job.
3) the sub
Caylinn W.
Oct 07, 2014
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My husband and I are first time home buyers and we chose a house that needed remodeling. We were very nervous about the process as we have heard all the horror stories on contractor jobs gone wrong.We also had items on our to-do list there were causing us some anxiety and we wanted to make sure it was done right.
We did our homework, had quite a few contractors bid our jobs, and in the end, we are so thankful we chose Dave to handle this experience. He is very knowledgable and did a very good job in explaining the work that needed to be done. We felt that he treated our home as if he were doing
We did our homework, had quite a few contractors bid our jobs, and in the end, we are so thankful we chose Dave to handle this experience. He is very knowledgable and did a very good job in explaining the work that needed to be done. We felt that he treated our home as if he were doing
Eileen L.
Apr 03, 2014
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I have a first time home buyer and had a great experience working with Dave. He is extremely knowledgeable and professional. Dave took the time to educate me on projects I was interested in - even those that may not involve him. I would not hesitate to call Smart & Handy again.
Dave recently repainted and installed new flooring in my town home. He completed the project on time and on budget, and provided me updates via texts and pictures along the way. Dave even took the time to meet me at the flooring store and helped me select the flooring that would suit my tastes and function best
Dave recently repainted and installed new flooring in my town home. He completed the project on time and on budget, and provided me updates via texts and pictures along the way. Dave even took the time to meet me at the flooring store and helped me select the flooring that would suit my tastes and function best
Mike G.
Apr 27, 2013
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I was impressed with Smart and Handy in every regard - they did great work, communicated well and often, and stuck to their schedule.
They actually talked us into doing less work in our bathrooms than we originally intended because we didn't need it (which saved us money and cost them money). That's the sign of a good business that's concerned more about creating a long term relationship than a short term gain- and what they recommended looks great.
I am very happy to have found a General Contractor that I can use in the future and have and will continue to recommend them to
They actually talked us into doing less work in our bathrooms than we originally intended because we didn't need it (which saved us money and cost them money). That's the sign of a good business that's concerned more about creating a long term relationship than a short term gain- and what they recommended looks great.
I am very happy to have found a General Contractor that I can use in the future and have and will continue to recommend them to
Dan Romero
Jun 03, 2012
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We had Dave do some work around the house, including installation of a mounted microwave, ceiling fans, and some other odds and ends. Great job.. honest and licensed contractor... good stuff. Used 'em a second time... They did a Bi-fold door/window installation... Delivered on budget, time and quality.
