Historic houses and newer ones
Flamingo Park developed mainly in the 1920s, with Mediterranean Revival and Mission-style homes alongside craftsman bungalows. El Cid, along the Intracoastal, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and shares that Mediterranean and Mission look. Mango Promenade was platted between 1912 and 1936, and the Northwood Hills district's historic period runs from 1925 to 1953.
These houses are nothing like a 1990s block home. Doors have settled along with the house, window and door trim is often old wood, and the paint on that trim may be decades deep. Where a house predates 1978, painted surfaces are tested for lead before any sanding, scraping or cutting, and if one tests positive, that part of the job goes to an EPA lead-safe certified firm.
Outside the historic core, the city has downtown condo and apartment towers and gated communities such as Ibis Golf and Country Club off Northlake Boulevard.
Historic districts, condos and gated communities
In the city's designated historic districts, exterior changes need city approval. We keep exterior work to repairs, and if you want to change a material or a look, start with the city before you book us.
Downtown condo buildings commonly ask for a certificate of insurance, a booked service elevator and work inside set weekday hours. Gated communities out west commonly need vendors on the gate list with insurance on file. Send us the requirements and we handle the paperwork before the visit.
Landlords and property managers here call us between tenants. Half-day turnover visits are $349 and full days are $679, materials extra, and the manager gets a photo checklist when we finish.
Common West Palm Beach jobs
In the older neighborhoods, the list usually starts with wood and doors.
Wood rot repairs stay on non-structural boards. If the rot has reached rafter tails, framing or sheathing, we'll point you to a licensed contractor. An old house can also need more trim than a handyman job allows, so anything past Florida's $2,500 handyman limit gets referred to a licensed contractor.
- Sticking or sagging interior doors planed, rehung or adjusted; hanging a new slab door on an existing jamb starts at $199
- Rotted exterior trim and fascia boards replaced, $22 a linear foot (primed wood) or $28 (PVC), with a $249 minimum
- Drywall patches, starting at $149 for small, $249 for medium and $399 for large
- Window screen repair at $35 per standard screen
- Rental turnover repairs and punch lists for landlords and managers
How the year goes in West Palm Beach
Winter is busy downtown and along the waterfront, with seasonal residents in from roughly November to April and plenty of hosts getting guest rooms ready.
The rainy season, roughly late May through October, is hardest on old wood. Water sits on window sills and door thresholds, and soft spots tend to show up by fall. A walk-around in early summer, before the heaviest rain, catches small rot before it spreads.
For hurricane season, June 1 to November 30, our tech hangs the owner's existing panels and stows loose items, starting at $299 for up to 10 openings. New shutter systems need permits, so for those we'll point you to a licensed contractor.
West Palm Beach neighborhoods we serve
Our service area takes in the whole city, from the historic districts along Flagler Drive to the western communities, including:
- Flamingo Park
- El Cid
- Old Northwood
- Northwood Hills
- Grandview Heights
- Mango Promenade
- Prospect Park
- Central Park
- Downtown
- Ibis Golf and Country Club
Questions from West Palm Beach homeowners
Do you work on 1920s homes in Flamingo Park and El Cid?
Yes. Old houses take more care. We test old paint for lead before disturbing it, take time to find solid backing before we mount anything, and match existing trim profiles as closely as stock materials allow.
Do I need city approval for repairs in a historic district?
Exterior changes in a designated historic district need city approval. The safest move is to ask the city before any exterior work, even a repair, and we will wait until you have an answer.
Can you handle a rental turnover between tenants?
Yes. A half-day turnover is $349 and a full day is $679, materials extra, and the manager gets a photo checklist at the end. Typical items are drywall patches, door hardware, caulk, blinds and touch-up paint.
Can you take jobs in downtown condo buildings?
Yes. Send the building's vendor requirements when you book. Our certificate of insurance goes to the manager ahead of time, and we follow the building's rules for elevators, parking and hours.
Can you replace my old wood windows?
No. Window replacement needs a permit, so we'll point you to a licensed contractor. We can rescreen, recaulk and adjust the windows you have.