When you—and your home—need a little TLC, these folks have your back
The pace of life can go from mildly busy to downright hectic in the blink of an eye. And when that happens, we can all use some help getting through our to-do lists— whether that means someone to handle odd jobs around the house, whip our closets into shape, or make arrangements for a much-needed vacation. But who to call? We’ve rounded up four specialized businesses that will do the heavy lifting for you, giving you the peace of mind all homeowners crave.
Hobbs Care
An extension of luxury builder HOBBS INC., this service helps people keep their homes in top condition. “We’re set up to take care of everything in your house,” says DREW TIMSON, managing director.
“If you want to deal with one person
for everything from irrigation and landscape to HVAC maintenance, we arrange all of that at your convenience.” Shifting from one season into the next is seamless with Hobbs Care, as they will clean and set up patio furniture, open the pool, clean windows and screens, and tackle many other household jobs. The company can handle smaller tasks too, such as replacing shingles on a slate or cedar roof, adjusting doors or cleaning gutters. Yet they can also serve as full-time property managers or manage a renovation project. Need someone to keep an eye on your home while you’re living in Europe for a year or two? Hobbs Care can maintain the house until you return.
ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
“We’ve dug into some tricky things and figured them out,” says Drew. For example: resolving leaks in odd locations, determining the cause of a strange smell in a finished library and extricating a dead squirrel from behind millwork.
WHAT’S UNIQUE
The team of craftsmen and technical experts, including seven project managers and thirteen supervisors, does nothing but work on home maintenance and renovations. “We are dedicated to this 24/7,” says Drew.
HomeSquare
Just as your car needs regular tune-ups, so does your home. This home-maintenance service, founded by Greenwich homeowner GEORGE LIU, ensures that each season’s worth of tasks are scheduled in advance, helping homeowners avoid costly emergency calls.
Liu understands the value of maintenance firsthand, as he once had a root grow into the septic line on his property, causing a flood in the basement that cost thousands to repair and could have been avoided. When you subscribe to HomeSquare Essentials, the package includes regular visits from a technician to perform more than fifty seasonal and general services such as kitchen hood cleaning, flushing septic and drain lines, checking for-safety equipment and cleaning out dryer ducts. These services start at $200 per month. “Traditional home maintenance is inconsistent and wearisome for the homeowner,” says Brian O’Neil, managing director of HomeSquare, who has twenty-plus years experience in building and home improvement. “Our mission is improving that experience using modern technology.” homsqr.com
ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
In addition to seasonal tasks such as grill maintenance, resealing decks and cleaning fireplaces, HomeSquare can tackle a la carte tasks like resolving audio/video and IT problems, pest control, plumbing, landscaping and other jobs.
DOWNLOAD THE APP
With the HomeJotter app you can request services, approve estimates and access your home’s service history from your iPhone. If you notice a problem as you’re walking around your home, you can snap a photo and send it to HomeSquare through the app, and they’ll arrange to have it fixed.
My Exclusive Concierge
Founded by LIS SUPPO, this Greenwich-based concierge service is designed to help people save time, simplify, get organized and achieve better life balance.
Lis, who has a talent for decorating and organizing, looks for long-term solutions when she’s helping people get their surroundings in order. “It’s so much easier to enjoy life when everything is in its place,” she says. “I organize clients’ homes and teach them how to keep things in check.” For instance, when she’s re-doing a clothes closet, she’ll put together outfits for clients and create a photo book of what to wear, when. She has an eye for style; one of her bedroom-turned-dressing-room projects was selected by Architectural Digest as a best makeover. Lis and her team also run errands, plan vacations and handle any job that will help life go more smoothly for her clients, who range in income level and need for services. She designs packages so that you can pay a fixed fee for a specific project, such as closet organization, or buy a certain number of hours and use them as you go. myexclusiveconcierge.com
ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
At this time of year, many people rely on Lis to buy presents, wrap, decorate the house for the holidays and send Christmas cards. She has helped people manage their valuables, for instance, organizing a woman’s sizeable jewelry collection so that she could really see what she owned and enjoy wearing her jewelry more often.
WHAT’S UNIQUE
This concierge works to stay ahead of clients’ needs. “People have enough on their plates. they don’t have time to have us say, ‘I couldn’t find it,’” says Lis. “We think about what people need before they know they need it.”
RTT Concierge
A full-service travel concierge, RTT specializes in Nantucket, Boston, New York and Park City, Utah, ensuring a smooth trip from start to finish. “We travel ahead and have everything ready when they arrive,” says LUCIEN ALEX CAMPBELL, founder of RTT and an events and marketing pro who got his start in this business doing VIP hosting at Sundance Film Festival.
Alex ensures that the fridge is stocked with groceries, vehicles prepped with drivers, excursions planned, reservations made, private chef at the ready and whatever other needs his clients may have. Searching for the perfect Nantucket vacation house for July for fifteen people? Alex can track it down and also plan your deep-sea fishing trip, paddleboarding for the kids, a clambake on the beach or any activity you desire. rttconcierge.com
ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
This concierge can arrange for a doctor to make house calls on Nantucket or have a private jet take someone to a last-minute meeting in Boston. “I love the challenges. It’s fun,” says Alex.
WHAT’S UNIQUE
“The most important thing is that we do everything hands-on, we are present for our clients,” Alex says. Through his strong personal connections, he can score reservations at the best restaurants and get clients access to top clubs in New York. With some famous people as clients, he ensures total confidentiality.