My name is DJ Altrich. I first moved to Fargo in 2015, thinking I’d stay for a summer—maybe a year if things went well, to work and save up money. I never planned on finding my home.
I Started HandyMan Near Me because I love this community. Over the last 10+ years I have worked both independently, and as an employee for various businesses, contractors, and builders here in town. I’ve never had “Handyman” in mind as a career choice, but over the years I’ve gained the necessary skills and equipment to do so many different tasks that now I feel like I was made for it.
One thing I hear over and over when I tell people what I want to do with this company is “We need more of you!” This town is full of talented, hard working, skilled laborers, and I barely hold a candle to some of them, so don’t take that as a brag. I only say that, to say this; What sets me apart isn’t just skill, its scale.
Now more than ever, I want to help keep Fargo a place worth living, and that starts with affordability and accountability. Every year, more and more people are priced out of the ownership class, and a portion of that uptick is due to skyrocketing maintenance and repair costs. That’s where I can help. As a small local business, I have considerably less overhead than the big box store brands. Bare bones office costs, no franchise dues, no cooperate headquarters 700 miles away collecting “convenience” fees. I’m just your neighbor. Who happens to be able to do whatever you need around the house.
It’s been a struggle to get to this point and I know I’m not alone; many of us have gone through some dark and lonely times in recent years. I know I have. I may be an independent contractor , but I never would have been able to do this without the unconditional love and unwavering support of my fiancée, Emma. She showed me how important connection is, and gave me a future worth fighting for. Through the connection with my community and a deep desire to give our kids the best possible future, I finally see the light all around me. My sincere hope is to pay that forward through my work.
I believe, with every fiber of my being, that I have a lot to offer this community. Every connection I make is one step closer to the ultimate goal: a safe, well-maintained, and prosperous place for us all to raise our children—and their children.
A place where strangers can look forward to meeting. Where business can still be done with a handshake. And where businesses that seek profit for profit’s sake, are recognized for what they are—and rejected by a community that values people first.
My number 1 goal after I’ve finished my work and we part ways, is for you to say ” Yeah, I’m definitely saving that guys number.”.
That’s what you can expect when you hire me. Someone who wants to help. Someone who takes real pride in their work. A neighbor. A member of your community with a stake in the future of the place we call home.