Home repair at the touch of a button

From left: Michael Kline and Zorik Gordon. Photos courtesy of Serviz

Hiring a handyman can be a headache-inducing experience. Sometimes the job ends up costing more than the original estimate, or the five-star Yelp reviews turn out to be pure fiction. There is little protection for customers who simply want their homes to function properly.

Zorik Gordon and Michael Kline, two veterans of the tech industry, recognized these issues and set out to change the way people approach home repairs and services. This past July, they launched Serviz (serviz.com), a website and iPhone app (an Android version is planned to launch sometime this year) that allows users to find repairmen, plumbers, cleaners, electricians and other home specialists on demand. Users can book a background-checked professional for same-day service and see exactly what it will cost beforehand.

The whole process of booking and buying a home service is really broken, Gordon said. We created a new solution.

All of the Serviz professionals are required to have a clean criminal record, insurance, a license (if necessary) and good reviews from customers in order to stay listed. They all are given tablet devices so customers can track their arrival time and pay the bill electronically.

Its free to book an appointment. Listed prices vary per service, but customers may also book a repairman for a service not listed, for $45 to $60 per hour, depending on the project. The company marks up parts and labor 20 percent.

We think the rates in the current market are just too high, Kline said. A lot of market research went into our pricing. Were willing to survive on lower margins because, for us, its about building lifetime customer relationships.

Currently, Serviz, which is headquartered in Sherman Oaks, is available throughout all of Los Angeles and Orange counties, but Gordon said he plans eventually to take it global.

Gordon said that Serviz has more going for it than price: It also helps alleviate safety concerns because people dont always know who theyre hiring to come into their home when they call up a business.

We were considering hiring one potential merchant until 17 negative things had come up on his background check. This is somebody out there who is advertising his services, and he gets to go into peoples houses. That alone is a huge fundamental difference between [us and the existing system], Gordon said. Having an intermediary company is a buffer between yourself and the merchant.

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Home repair at the touch of a button