Moving is exhausting enough without staring at a house full of little jobs you don’t have the tools — or the weekend — for. We see it every week in Suwanee, from older homes near Town Center Park to newer builds off Peachtree Industrial and up toward Sugar Hill: the boxes are unpacked, but the TV is still on the floor, the front door still has the seller’s lock, and nobody is quite sure if those smoke detectors even work. Here’s the checklist we walk new homeowners through, in the order that actually matters.
Start With Safety and Security
First, change the locks. You have no idea how many copies of the old key are floating around — former owners, dog walkers, cleaning crews, a neighbor from three years ago. A handyman can rekey or replace deadbolts on every exterior door in one visit, and check that strike plates line up. Georgia humidity swells doors, especially in summer, so a lock that barely catches in October can be a real problem by July. Second, test every smoke and carbon monoxide detector. Press the test button, check the date stamped on the back — detectors expire after about 10 years — and replace batteries while you’re up there. If your Suwanee home has gas heat, a gas water heater, or an attached garage, you need a working CO detector on each floor. Third, find your water shutoff and breaker panel before you need them. In a lot of Gwinnett County homes the main shutoff is in the basement, crawl space, or near the street meter. Label your breakers while things are calm.
The First-Week Fix List Most People Miss
Walk room by room with your phone and make one list. In almost every move-in we do, the same things show up: loose toilet seats and running toilets, dripping faucets, doors that don’t latch, cracked caulk around tubs and sinks, burned-out bulbs in vaulted ceilings nobody can reach, and curtain rods or blinds that were never hung straight. None of these are big jobs alone. Together, they’re exactly why a half-day handyman visit beats calling five different specialists. One visit can cover lock changes, TV mounting, ceiling fan swaps where wiring already exists, curtain rods and blinds, touch-up paint, caulk refresh, and those small drywall dings the movers left in the hallway. Check your dryer vent, too. Lint builds up fast, dryers run longer, and it’s a real fire risk.
Georgia Things Out-of-State Buyers Don’t Expect
If you moved here from up north or out west, a few Atlanta realities surprise people. Our red clay shifts with rain and drought, so small drywall cracks and sticking doors are common and usually cosmetic. Our pollen season in spring coats everything yellow — plan exterior washing after it passes, not during. And our humidity is hard on caulk, exterior paint, and wood trim. Rotted trim on windows and doors is one of the most common repairs we do across metro Atlanta, and catching it early is a $200 fix instead of a much bigger one later. Also check your gutters. Suwanee lots have a lot of pines, and pine needles mat down and block gutters faster than leaves do. Homes under pines often need cleaning three or four times a year, not twice. You don’t have to do all of this in week one. Do locks, detectors, and leaks first. Make one list of everything else, then book one visit and knock it out. Need a hand getting settled? Just Fix Today offers same-day estimates and handles full punch lists in usually a single visit across Alpharetta, Suwanee, Johns Creek, Roswell, and the north Atlanta suburbs. Call (678) 549-8083 and tell us what’s on your list — we’ll bring the tools.
FAQs
Q: How much does a move-in handyman visit cost in Atlanta?
A: Most homeowners book a half-day visit. Pricing depends on the list, but bundling locks, mounting, caulk, and small repairs into one trip is far cheaper than separate minimum charges from multiple contractors. Call (678) 549-8083 for a same-day estimate.
Q: Should I change the locks or just rekey them?
A: Rekeying is usually enough and costs less if the hardware is in good shape. Replace the locks if they’re worn, mismatched, or you want smart locks installed at the same time.
Q: What should I fix before I move furniture in?
A: Paint touch-ups, drywall dings, ceiling fans, and anything on a ladder are much easier in empty rooms. Detectors and locks can be done any time, but do them in the first week.
Q: Can a handyman mount my TV and hang curtains in the same visit?
A: Yes — that’s the point of a punch-list visit. TV mounting, curtain rods, blinds, shelves, and picture hanging all use similar tools and are commonly bundled together.
Q: How often do Suwanee homes need gutter cleaning?
A: If you have pines within about 50 feet, plan on three to four times a year. Mixed hardwood lots usually need at least twice a year, in late spring and late fall.
Q: Do I need a permit for move-in repairs in Georgia?
A: Small repairs, mounting, painting, caulk, and lock changes don’t need permits. Larger electrical, plumbing, or structural work is a different category — we’ll tell you honestly if a job needs a licensed specialist.