Harwinton resident’s home-repair franchise ‘a business with a purpose for me’
HARWINTON — For aging householders, even little work opportunities can come to be tough: switching a light-weight bulb, changing window screens or fixing a squeaky doorway. Family associates can assistance, but not constantly they may well live much away from their moms and dads.
The future move is to discover a handyman, another person to come by and just take treatment of all those minor items. But that is less difficult stated than performed — the pandemic and companies’ improved costs has left a void, in accordance to Harwinton resident Craig Henry.
Henry in June opened a Litchfield County franchise of TruBlue Overall Property Care, which supplies these sorts of providers on demand or a contract foundation in which a properly trained and certified TruBlue team member arrives to enable out around the house.
The enterprise has locations in a lot more than 25 states.
Henry worked for an elevator enterprise for 23 decades,he said, and fell 13 toes whilst on the occupation in 2018. He did his rehabilitation at Valerie Manor in Torrington. “I invested months there,” he stated. “I broke my ankle, knee, bones in my back again. … I wasn’t equipped to wander or travel for months. I’ve had surgical procedures and reconstruction, and I really feel fantastic now. But when I was in rehab, I experienced a large amount of time to ponder what I desired to do up coming.”
During his recovery, Henry and his wife, Heather, recognized their property necessary to be outfitted for his bodily necessities.
“I experienced challenges carrying out nearly anything at house,” Henry claimed. “The handyman had to occur in, simply because my residence wasn’t suited for my demands. I started out contemplating about how there ought to be a ton of people today who want to remain in their houses, but they just can’t, mainly because they cannot hold up with the upkeep and the repairs.”
He also noticed that for the “small things,” like an electrical swap substitution or a smaller portray occupation, it was not easy to uncover a individual to do the get the job done. “I experienced a contractor undertaking our dream kitchen here in Harwinton, but it took awhile,” he stated. “It’s difficult to get persons to phone you back contractors did not connect with back, or they would not give a quote, or they just would not demonstrate up.
“And that is for the huge jobs,” Henry said. “There’s a void for the tiny careers — the every day points that assist hold the dwelling going.”
Clients may well be a widow or widower, living by yourself in the relatives household. It might be a pair residing in their longtime home, wherever the “little things” have overcome them, and the property is falling into disrepair.
With his organization, “We do routine maintenance courses, wherever we appear out monthly with a checklist, and we do items like substitute gentle bulbs and make repairs,” he mentioned.
“Our shoppers are really appreciative,” Henry mentioned. “We supply top quality products and services, and they’re so content and eager to pay out what we cost. The guys we deliver on these jobs have had a track record test, and if the client has inquiries, we will straight away answer with a cellphone call. We never leave or get paid out until finally they are pleased.”
Since he started out TruBlue of NW Connecticut, he’s experienced several repeat prospects. “There’s undoubtedly a want,” he reported. “I’ve been undertaking the profits aspect of the organization, and for me, it’s a personalized link. I have mobility problems, and they do, way too. I can enable them age in place.
“You don’t want to inform them, ‘You want a wheelchair ramp,’ or seize bars, factors like that,” he stated. “But if you present consumers the solutions to make their property much more accessible, you can assist them maintain their dignity, and they can continue to be in their dwelling.
“It’s a business with a reason for me,” Henry reported. “I’m providing back again, and serving to individuals.”
Sean Fitzgerald, president of TruBlue, said the enterprise was established in 2011 he joined the business as president in 2020. “TruBlue came about just after its founders understood that residence servicing was a obstacle for seniors,” he reported.
“My history is in franchising and senior treatment, and I have uncovered about that marketplace and also the troubles folks confront with getting old parents,” he reported. “Back then, I was on the lookout for a option like TruBlue, and when I learned about it, I preferred to be involved. It’s this kind of a excellent idea and so nicely-required. It’s been developing rapidly ever due to the fact.”
The company has homeowners in Washington point out, Florida, California and Arizona, and is new to Connecticut with Henry’s franchise. “We’re trying to broaden into any main market,” Fitzgerald stated.
The dwelling maintenance company can include quite a few issues, and TruBlue does not do considerably remodeling, he claimed.
“We can do toilet refreshers and walkout tubs for seniors, issues like that, but our principal consumers need aid close to their household, particularly occupied families and seniors,” he explained. “If it is some thing a lot more comprehensive or associated, we can bid projects out for the consumer. … Our homeowners are licensed to help people today with aging in position.”
Fitzgerald explained a appropriately maintained home is essential for the basic safety of all those dwelling in the dwelling, and also helps the household retai price.
“By investing in program upkeep, the property owner retains much more worth,” he said. “So when they do offer it, that maintenance will shell out for itself.”
To understand additional about TruBlue Total House Care, go to https://trubluehousecare.com/nw-connecticut or get in touch with 475-316-1645.