We’ve had such a laugh in the studio! MrFix often gets calls from TV programmes: usually it’s for boring infomercials but every now and then we join a fun show: last year for example The Great Garden Makeover (in Dutch, sorry) as well as Mattie from radio station Q-Music, who we helped make over a house completely in ochre yellow 🙂

Our plumber Lorenzo even achieved national fame with two series of Mini-home-makeovers. Viewers went wild with his looks and swooned massively (close to 100,000 likes on Facebook) over how his biceps peeped out from under his MrFix shirt (see for example at 1 minute 53 sec in the 1st episode).

But this time we have participated in the most fun programme. This Spring the producer of candid camera show Wie het laatst lacht… (He who laughs last) called us with a stunt we could not say no to. Together we pulled a prank on expert Ismail. We’ve just seen the result at the recording in the TV studio and we laughed our heads off…

So we asked Ismail to replace a radiator. Now Ismail is actually a good wallpaperer & painter, but our excuse was that the Customer was particularly important. We made up that the Customer was the biggest investor in MrFix. Actually Ismail has invested in MrFix with eight other experts and knows that ten angel investors had already invested in MrFix in previous years.

Now Issy said that it would be better to ask for a full-blooded plumber, and rightly so. In fact we had asked plumber Bert (second from the left on this picture: Ismail is on the far left) but Bert just had no time for the job. So we told Ismail that we needed him anyway because of his people skills and his excellent Customer care. Well, Issy needed those badly because he was in for a big surprise … see how it turns out on Saturday evening 14 November at 8.25pm on SBS6!

The number of corona infections is increasing again in The Netherlands. That makes it more important than ever to ventilate your home properly! It makes sense to think first about how the different types of ventilation systems play a role in ventilation. When people talk, fine droplets form in the air: aerosols. These aerosols can transmit the Corona virus: this is called aerogenic diffusion. There are multiple studies on the relationship between aerosols and the spread of the virus. One thing is clear already: proper ventilation reduces the concentration of aerosols in a room. This way, ventilation reduces the risk of aerogenic spread of Covid-19 in your home too.

Are you considering installing or improving a ventilation system? Then it is helpful to know the difference between the different ventilation methods. Experts recommend mechanical ventilation over natural ventilation. Natural ventilation (which we call draught) simply comes through cracks or by airing your house: opening windows & doors (opposite each other). This is usually quite energy inefficient. A mechanical ventilation system works better. The Dutch research distinguishes systems with fans that extract air, supply fresh air or both: the latter gives the best results.

MrFix helps you get ventilation installed smoothly & quickly. Make an appointment with a solid electrician and keep your air clean and safe! Or ask an electrician for an air conditioning (A/C) system: that not only cools the air but also refreshes it.

Vermin! So far this week over ten Customers have asked us to get rid of mice and other vermin. The rodents are fleeing into houses because of the cold… Some Customers report that the stench of a dead mouse is coming from under their kitchen cupboards. Help is on the way! Ask MrFix for a handyman to seal any holes or a professional cleaner to get rid of pests or their droppings.

In the past 12 months there has been a lot of fuss in Dutch media about the nitrogen crisis in the construction industry, but you don’t read much about pollution in the home improvement sector. Nonetheless home improvement & maintenance also pollutes a lot, whether you do it yourself or hire an expert. MrFix helps you make it more sustainable with 5 specific tips:

1. When choosing material, think carefully about the impact of the material, for example of window & door frames: wood feels organic & natural, but tropical hardwood can contribute to deforestation of vulnerable areas. PVC is not recommended but it is low maintenance. This also applies to aluminium, which can also be recycled optimally. The most sustainable solution is using material that has already been recycled or is simply left over from another job. MrFix learned that leftover paint has an especially high impact on the environment so we ask the Customer before every paint job if they have any leftover paint that can be used
2. In addition, materials like electrical equipment also have a significant impact on the environment during their lifetimes. Of course you have been replacing broken light bulbs (and old-fashioned ‘low-energy lamps’) for years by LED bulbs with a much longer lifespan and a fraction of the power consumption. But nowadays we also see environmentally conscious Customers replace electric awnings and blinds by handheld ones, for example. These not only save electricity but also maintenance
3. We see a similar trend in white goods. We ask all our professionals to advise the Customer honestly and professionally about their options, including the choice between repair and replacement. With white goods, repairs often cost more than half as much as replacement, so traditional white goods mechanics are often quick to recommend replacement. However, we see many Customers still choose repair This is often because they realise that removing an old washing machine or dishwasher and installing a new one can be a real hassle. But more and more often we hear Customers say that they simply want to reduce their impact on the environment
4. Rent or borrow tools! How often do you really use that beautiful saw and that sanding machine? Most people have more tools than they need. They cost money, waste space and mostly rust away: all that pollution of making & transporting tools is often (almost) for nothing. Just sell that stuff or have it recycled: it makes more sense to rent most tools or borrow them from your neighbours ?
5. Of course our Customers are much smarter than average ?  So you didn’t buy tools at all, or you sold them years ago. And if something needs fixing at home you simply use MrFix. Our experts always do their best to work as sustainably as possible. Hang on, you might say: that expert pollutes the environment too when driving to my house, right? Actually, not as much as you’d think:
   1. We work with more than 500 experts throughout the Netherlands and always try to find an expert for your job who lives as close to you as possible. We even help the expert plan an efficient route to reduce the driving distance
   2. We do our very best to avoid inspection visits. We create WhatsApp groups for Customer and expert so they can exchange photos, floor plans, links and videos: this way we avoid more than half of the inspections
   3. MrFix and the expert ask you for additional info right after we create the WhatsApp group. We ask and help our experts to bring the right tools and materials. In this way, we avoid the usual problem: the expert who discovers upon arrival that he has to go away again to buy materials and pick up different tools. So again, less driving distance and less burden on the environment and your wallet.

If you’re serious about sustainability and especially if you want a new building, we advise you to read more on the site of German architect Thomas Rau. We have heard Thomas speak several times and support his ideas in the field of CO2 neutral, energy neutral, energy positive and even circular building.

Have you ever hired a handyman because your neighbour said he did such a good job? But you’re your job went wrong… again? We founded MrFix because we were fed up with even the simplest jobs going totally wrong because of bad workmanship, missed appointments and missing invoices.

It is sad to say, but it is normal in Holland for an expert to say that he will come do the job “sometime next Tuesday”, to charge 2 hours when he worked 1.5 or to promise to complete the job in two days and then turn your house into a construction site for three weeks.

In our industry Customers do not trust the expert. And the expert doesn’t trust the Customer either, so he demands that the Customer pay on the spot, in cash or with a payment device. But if the lamp that he hung comes crashing down within a week, you cannot reach that same expert…

MrFix helps you and the expert to do things differently: solid, smooth & quickly. This is how we disrupt the home repair industry:

• The expert does not force a start time on you but you can indicate when requesting the job which days and times suit you
• With MrFix it does not take days before you finally have a clear appointment
• You do not have to wait all day for the expert but he comes within a 1-hour time slot
• We do not charge hidden extras like call-out charges or ‘service costs’ but we communicate clear, fair rates in advance. Any material or parking costs are extra, that’s all
• The expert doesn’t come inspect small jobs ‘for free’ (you would pay one way or another) but we make a WhatsApp group where you can ask each other questions in advance and share photos, maps, links and videos. That will save you time and money
• The expert doesn’t show up and say: “Oh, right. Now I have to go to my workshop for other tools and to the builders merchant for materials”. He brings the right supplies to do the job right 1st time
• The expert does not ‘accidentally’ charge half an hour too much. We round off to the nearest half an hour (from the minimum of 1 hour per man), so e.g. 1 hour and 44 minutes means 1.5 hours. What’s more, the expert (or you, if necessary) shares a ‘Before’ photo in the WhatsApp group as soon as he enters and an ‘After’ photo just before he leaves. This gives you insight in the job and the time worked on location
• The expert does his best for you as a regular, local Customer instead of a one-off Customer, because he needs MrFix for future jobs
• The expert does not disappear from the face of the Earth when things get difficult, because you always have his phone number (and MrFix has all his details) as well as a proper invoice afterwards
• All in all, the risk of significant problems is no longer 40-50%! So is it 0% with MrFix? No, we would say 5-10%. If a problem does occur and you’re not satisfied then MrFix makes a serious effort to help you find a mutually satisfactory solution. For example:
• • The expert comes back and this time he does hang that lamp up properly;
  • If the lamp is broken, the expert or his insurance replace it; or
  • If a job takes a lot longer than planned, the expert offers a discount.

We could go on like this, but we think you got the message. Do you want a much higher chance of a job going right 1st time? Then ask MrFix.nl to arrange a solid expert quickly and smoothly!

In our office in Central Amsterdam the heat is still bearable, but we hear that more and more Customers are letting people work half-time due to the heat. We’ve had high temperatures of 30-35 degrees Celsius for almost a week! MrFix can help you with:

• Sun protection equipment. Ask a handyman to install or repair an awning / sunshade outside your window. Or a curtain/blind on the inside of course…
• Open Sesame! Some clever Customers have asked us for a glazier to replace a fixed window by a (tilt&turn) window that can open
• Airco… even in our relatively cool / mild climate there are people / places that need air conditioning, so since last Summer we have air conditioning specialists to install or fix your air conditioning
• Garden: your garden is much thirstier in this heat. Water it preferably in the evening and ask our gardener if your plants need the attention of a pro
• Swimming pool: have our gardener or plumber dig a swimming pool or fountain before the weekend. Or maybe for the next heat wave 🙂

23 March 2020 was the date that the Dutch government decided to go into an ‘intelligent lockdown’. So many people in Holland to start fixing up their houses with all that extra time on hand that they could not spend in pubs, concerts or football matches. Literally everybody had a repair job, small or big, that needed to be done but for which they never had time. Until Corona… so like the rest of the country, you went to DIY store in good spirits, got the materials and started renovating full of confidence. Yes, let’s go for it!

Gradually you found out that it was a bit more work than you expected… that new floor doesn’t exactly lay itself. And did you really have to demolish that wall for an open kitchen yourself? What started out as a nice new project to keep you busy ended up in a nightmare. Doing your own house renovation is harder than most people think, And now that the looser rules allow you to go outside more, ‘working’ at home really means working. and there you are, sweating away indoors inside of enjoying the nice summer weather. Be honest to yourself: you’ve lost the appetite to do all that work yourself, like plastering, painting and masonry. Your house is a mess and this is exactly the place where you spend the most of your time these days… help!

Do you just want to enjoy this tropical holiday weather instead of slaving in the sun? Do you have a Corona job that needs to be done? MrFix will be happy to help you out! This way you can enjoy both your vacation and newly renovated house: how’s that for a win-win situation?

It’s Father’s Day this Sunday the 21 June! The perfect day to put your dad in the spotlight. But what would he actually like to get? Not another shower gel, bottle of gin or aftershave… That’s why MrFix has come up with three original Father’s Day gifts for you!

Clean up the garden
At this time of year, everything grows and blossoms with extra vigour. So grab that hedge trimmer, lawn mower and garden hose to make sure your dad can enjoy his weekend in a nice and beautiful garden. Don’t you have the time or green fingers to do it? Ask MrFix for a gardener!

A photo/painting or drawing on the wall
You may still have an old drawing from your childhood or you may feel like painting something beautiful. Or you can have a nice photo printed on plexiglass, aluminium or canvas. Would you like to complete the surprise gift and hang the piece on the wall? Ask MrFix for a handyman who can help you with this. So you know it hangs straight and you don’t drill a hole through a water pipe ?

A mini home makeover
Even dad is ready for something different every once in a while. Especially if he has been looking at the same living room, bedroom or kitchen for years. Such a makeover doesn’t have to cost a lot of time or money. For example, painting one wall in a different color or replacing the light switches and sockets can freshen up a room enormously. You can do this all by yourself, but if you prefer your skin tanned rather than covered in splashes of paint, MrFix will be more than happy to help you with a painter or handyman. See for example the Mini Home Makeovers that our expert Lorenzo has done for Linda.tv.

We hope we’ve inspired you to give an original Father’s Day gift. If you need an extra hand we are happy to help you out so you and dad can have a nice, relaxing day!

MrFix helps your home repair job run smoothly. We use technology cleverly for your convenience. For example, we create a WhatsApp group for each job so you have direct contact with your expert, he share ‘Before’ & ‘After’ photos and we email his invoice with a credit card payment link. For most Customers our service is incredibly easy to use. But what if you’re over 90 and don’t have an email address, let alone a smartphone or computer?

When Liesbeth (94) from Amsterdam called to say her regular gardener had abandoned her, we were happy to make an exception. Without email or WhatsApp our service made a big step back in time. But we quickly arranged a suitable gardener to fix up the overgrown backyard. Liesbeth was delighted! Our CEO/courier Michiel cycled over 10km to deliver the invoice in person, at a safe distance of course. Michiel completed the service by posting the old-fashioned cheque (yes, they still exist!) for Elisabeth. Elisabeth asked us to help clean up her garden again in a few months. We can’t wait to visit this special Customer once more!

Ask a good gardener for your garden job and if you’re over 94 our CEO will visit you too 😉

You’ve cancelled the expensive Summer Holiday and staying at home doesn’t sound bad at all, especially after the sunniest spring in Holland ever! But what to do with your holiday money? Over the past few weeks, several Customers have told us that (as major Dutch newspaper AD recommends) they use their holiday money to “refurbish, renovate or make their home more sustainable” In a Corona-safe way, of course!

Here are some quote requests we received in the past 14 days for inspiration:

• Dramatically improve home ventilation in Amsterdam for a Customer with shortness of breath and increased Corona risk
• Paint front, back and side wall in Hilversum
• Fix woodwork on facade + replace windows in The Hague
• Plaster walls + lay floors in Haarlem
• Paint all walls + ceilings of apartment in Rotterdam
• Plaster ceiling of bathroom + paint in Breda
• Renovate garden in Hoofddorp: replace bricks with pebbles, border with ornamental gravel and plants
• Renovate + expand balcony in Voorburg
• Build extra floor on house in Loosdrecht

So act like the ladies in the picture: celebrate your holiday in your backyard! Then you can watch our experts make your home more solid, nicer, safer and/or more sustainable! Unless our gardener is landscaping your garden right now 🙂

Finally, on a serious note: there are also many people who do not have holiday money and who lose (or risk losing) their regular income due to the Corona crisis. This applies to most of our experts: we continue to do our utmost to ensure that they can continue to earn an honest living. Will you help?

The MrFix expert who does his job right the 1^st time is a true home repair hero. He or she fixes problems, renovates your bathroom within a week and improves your home in all manners. MrFix is built on great experts!

At the request of several Customers, we introduce our heroes to you, starting with gardener Patrick. He has been serving the Rotterdam-Delft-The Hague region from the Westland area for 26 years and has been working with MrFix for 4 years now. Patrick is a real all-rounder, which means that he hardly needs to call in external professionals for his jobs, apart from his regular employees. In his own words, he likes his job best when: “Delivering the result to see the happy reaction this generates with the Customers”. He not only wants happy customers but also happy readers of this newsletter! That’s why he gave away this garden tip: “It is a good time in the year to fatten the plants a little extra, the temperatures are good and so they are extra stimulated to grow”.

Do you need a gardener in the Haaglanden or Rijnmond and do you want Patrick to take care of your garden? Then place your job request here! Don’t you live in that region? Then ask for one of our other gardeners.

You wake up from sunlight gently stroking your face through the curtains. You open your sleepy eyes and smell the scent of freshly baked croissants. Lovely! This is how Mother’s Day should start: full of peace, warmth and love. But… *KRGHRGKRG* What’s that racket?! Soon this blissful feeling disappears and you feel a big dose of irritation. *RGHRGRHRG* What IS that awful noise? Not the espresso machine? Or the orange press? Oh no, it’s the power drill again!

You rush down the stairs to inform your husband that this really isn’t the right time to work on his kitchen-living-dining-I-don’t-even-know-what-room construction project. You squeeze yourself between the ladder and all the other tools that clutter the house: paint brushes, pliers, screwdrivers, a hammer… On the way down the stairs you slip on the self-made stair runner which came loose. Shucks! You quickly grab the wobbly banister that your husband has put together all by himself. In a vague slow-motion you hear the crackling of the wood and the nails popping out. You make a might fall… No! This. Never. Again. Ever.

Luckily, MrFix can get you an appointment with an actual home repair expert in 1 hour! We fix what your husband ‘repairs’ 🙂 Treat yourself to a carefree Mother’s Day… ask MrFix for a painter, electrician, plumber or gardener to straighten out the mess and finish the job professionally. Or are you perhaps that husband who is fond of DIY but is not, er, actually, very good at it? Then treat Mum: hire an expert through MrFix and go enjoy the beautiful weather together!

MrFix delivers quality time. And saves you a lot of hassle… 😉

MrFix. Right 1st time.