Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth vs The Smart Fix Handyman

The Smart Fix Handyman starts at $125 an hour, works seven days a week, and backs every job with a 12-month guarantee. Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW charges $175 to $195 an hour, operates weekdays only, and carries the weight of the Ace Hardware franchise name behind it.

Two very different companies. Same city. Both show up when Fort Worth homeowners search for handyman help. So which one actually deserves your call? We dug into pricing, reviews, scheduling, warranties, and the stuff nobody talks about (like whether someone actually picks up the phone when you call) to figure that out.

Quick Verdict: The Smart Fix Handyman vs Ace Handyman Services

For most Fort Worth homeowners, The Smart Fix Handyman wins on price, availability, and the kind of personal service you just don’t get from a franchise. Ace Handyman Services is a fine company with experienced techs, but you’ll pay more and have less flexibility getting on the calendar.

Go with The Smart Fix Handyman if:

• Budget matters to you. Their rates run $50 to $70 less per hour than Ace.
• You need work done on a Saturday. Or a Sunday. Or after 5 PM on a Tuesday.
• You want to talk to the actual owner, not deal with an office phone tree.

Go with Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW if:

• You feel more comfortable with a nationally recognized brand name attached to the work.
• Weekday-only scheduling works for your situation.
• You value the systems and processes that come with a franchise operation that’s been around since 1998.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Factor	The Smart Fix Handyman	Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW
Hourly Rate	$125 to $175/hr based on complexity	$175 to $195/hr
Business Type	Locally owned, owner-operated	National franchise (Ace Hardware subsidiary)
Google Reviews	300+ reviews with a 5-star average	Fewer local reviews overall
Availability	7 days/week, 8 AM to 8 PM and later	Mon through Fri, 8 AM to 5 PM
Warranty	12-month workmanship guarantee	1-year guarantee
Service Area	Dallas-Fort Worth metro wide	Fort Worth SW corridor
Licensed and Insured	Yes	Yes
Free Estimates	Yes	Yes
Owner Access	Direct line to Chance O’Shel	Office staff schedules appointments
Same-Day Booking	Often available	Standard scheduling

The Smart Fix Handyman: Company Overview

The Smart Fix Handyman is run by Chance O’Shel out of Haslet, Texas, and serves the entire Dallas-Fort Worth area. It’s a locally owned operation with a growing team of handymen who handle everything from drywall patches to full bathroom remodels.

Here’s the thing that keeps coming up in their reviews, and it’s worth paying attention to: people can actually reach them. That sounds like a low bar, right? But if you’ve ever tried to book a handyman in Fort Worth, you know the drill. You call three companies. Maybe one calls back. Two days later.

Chance picks up. Or he texts back within minutes. Multiple customers mention this specifically, and it shows up in nearly every five-star Google review the company has. Over 300 of those reviews exist right now, all verified through Google, with a Trustindex badge confirming the company has held above a 4.5 rating for the past 12 months straight.

Their Pricing Breaks Down Like This

Basic stuff (TV mounting, small drywall patches, weather stripping) starts at $125 per hour. Step up to mid-range work like door replacements or shelving installs and you’re looking at $155 per hour. Bigger projects involving bathroom remodeling, multiple repairs in one visit, or anything that requires more planning hit the $175 mark. No hidden fees. No surprise material markups tacked onto the final invoice.

Compared to other handyman companies in Fort Worth, these rates land well below the average for licensed, insured work.

What They Handle

• Drywall repair and texture matching
• Interior and exterior painting
• Flooring installation and repair (LVP, tile, laminate)
• Bathroom remodeling
• Door repairs, replacements, and pet door installs
• TV mounting, furniture assembly, shelving
• Light plumbing and electrical
• Pressure washing and outdoor refreshes
• Commercial handyman work for offices and rental properties

One honest limitation: they don’t touch heavy electrical, plumbing, or HVAC. If your AC goes out or you need a panel upgrade, they’ll refer you to a specialist they trust. Some homeowners actually appreciate that kind of honesty rather than a company that tries to do it all and botches the hard stuff.

Strengths

• Rates start $50 to $70 per hour lower than franchise competitors in the Fort Worth market
• Open every single day of the week, including weekends and evenings
• Owner answers his phone. That alone separates them from half the handyman companies in town.
• 12-month guarantee on all work. Something goes wrong within a year? They come back and fix it for free.
• Handles both residential and commercial work across the DFW metro

Considerations

• Smaller operation than a large franchise, so peak seasons (spring, post-storm rushes) could mean a short wait for availability
• Won’t take on jobs that require a licensed plumber, electrician, or HVAC tech

Best For

Homeowners who want real value for their money. If you’re tired of franchise pricing that makes a four-hour drywall job cost nearly $800, The Smart Fix is worth calling first. They’re especially strong on drywall, painting, door work, and general repairs around the house.

Verified Contact Information

• Address: 421 E Wishbone Ln, Haslet, TX 76052
• Phone: (817) 697-0199
• Website: www.thesmartfixhandyman.com
• Hours: Monday through Sunday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (later by appointment)

Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW: Company Overview

Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW is part of a nationwide franchise system that Ace Hardware bought in 2019. Before the acquisition, it operated as Handyman Matters. The Fort Worth SW franchise, owned by Brett Jeffreys, has been serving the area since 2011 and operates out of an office on S Grove Street.

The brand has real name recognition. Nearly 400 franchise territories spread across 46 states. When someone sees “Ace” in the name, there’s a built-in level of trust because of the hardware store connection. That matters to some homeowners. And that’s fine.

But name recognition comes at a cost. Literally. Ace franchisees pay a 6% royalty fee on gross revenue plus a 2% national brand fee. They’re also required to spend a minimum of $50,000 per year on local marketing after their second year of operation. All of that overhead gets baked into what you pay per hour.

Their Pricing

Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW charges between $175 and $195 per hour. Some reviews from other Ace locations mention material markups as well (one customer in San Antonio reported a 1.5x markup on supplies purchased during a job). Whether the Fort Worth SW location follows the same markup practice isn’t confirmed, but it’s worth asking about upfront.

What They Handle

• Drywall repair and painting
• Carpentry
• Tile installation and repair
• Flooring
• Cabinet and backsplash installation
• Lighting and shower door install
• General home maintenance and repairs

Strengths

• National franchise backing from Ace Hardware, a household name in home improvement
• Over 14 years of operation in the Fort Worth market under current ownership
• BBB gives them an A+ rating (though they’re not BBB accredited)
• 1-year guarantee on work performed
• Multiple craftsmen on the team, each with different specialties

Considerations

• Hourly rates are $50 to $70 higher than independent competitors like The Smart Fix
• Closed on weekends. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Period.
• Franchise structure means some policies are dictated by corporate, not the local owner
• Reviews from other Ace locations mention unexpected material markups on top of labor charges

Best For

Homeowners who specifically want a franchise brand behind their handyman work and whose schedule allows for weekday appointments. If “Ace” on the truck makes you feel better about who’s walking through your door, this is your pick.

Contact Information

• Address: 3421 S Grove St, Fort Worth, TX 76110
• Phone: (682) 273-1187
• Website: acehandymanservices.com
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Detailed Factor Comparison

Pricing and Value

This is where the gap is widest. And honestly, it’s hard to ignore.

The Smart Fix Handyman charges $125 an hour on the low end for basic tasks. Mounting a TV, patching a hole in drywall, replacing weather stripping. Standard stuff. More involved work runs $155, and the top tier (bathroom remodels, multi-step projects) hits $175.

Ace Handyman Services starts at $175 and goes up to $195. That means Ace’s floor is The Smart Fix’s ceiling.

Let’s put real numbers on it. Say you need a handyman for four hours. At The Smart Fix’s base rate, that’s $500. At Ace’s base rate? $700. If you’re at Ace’s upper rate of $195, you’re paying $780 for those same four hours. That’s a $280 difference. For the exact same amount of time.

Why does Ace cost more? Franchise overhead. The 6% royalty and 2% brand fee mean roughly 8 cents of every dollar you pay goes straight to corporate before the local owner sees a dime. Then there’s the mandatory marketing spend. Those costs have to come from somewhere, and they come from your hourly rate.

Both companies offer free estimates, so getting quotes from each before deciding costs you nothing.

Scheduling and Availability

This one might matter even more than pricing for some people.

The Smart Fix Handyman works seven days a week. They open at 8 AM and run until 8 PM, sometimes later. Need a Saturday appointment? Done. Sunday morning? Call them. Wednesday evening after the kids are in bed? They can make it work.

Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW? Monday through Friday only. Closed at 5 PM sharp. If you work a 9-to-5, you’re burning a vacation day or a lunch break to be home for the appointment.

And then there’s responsiveness. Fort Worth homeowners who’ve tried to hire handyman help know the frustration of leaving voicemails that never get returned. The Smart Fix has built nearly their entire reputation on being the company that actually picks up. Chance O’Shel answers calls and texts directly. Several reviewers say they had an appointment booked within hours of their first call. One customer mentioned that every other company was booked out for weeks, but Chance fit them in fast enough to get a rental property ready for tenants the next day.

Service Quality and Reviews

The Smart Fix Handyman has over 300 five-star Google reviews. That’s a lot of people who went out of their way to leave a perfect rating. Common themes: they showed up on time, they left the workspace clean, the finished product looked great. One reviewer called the experience “top notch” and said the quality was “unmatched.” Another said they chose The Smart Fix specifically because of the high rating, and “they were true to the 5 stars.”

Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW gets positive feedback too, especially for specific craftsmen. A technician named Jose comes up repeatedly in good reviews on RateABiz. Customers describe him as knowledgeable, courteous, and efficient. The company also holds a 4.6 rating on HomeAdvisor for the broader Fort Worth area.

Where Ace’s reviews get rocky is around pricing transparency and the occasional communication gap. One customer at a different Ace location reported being charged for an assistant’s time that wasn’t part of the original quote, plus a 1.5x material markup they didn’t expect. Another felt the technician should have brought supplies instead of billing hourly while shopping at Lowe’s mid-job. These aren’t Fort Worth SW reviews specifically, but they reflect patterns across the franchise system that are worth knowing about.

Warranties

Both companies offer 12 months of coverage. The Smart Fix calls it a “workmanship guarantee.” Ace calls it a “1-year guarantee.” Same protection, different label. If something goes wrong within a year of the completed work, both say they’ll come back and fix it at no additional charge.

Call it a tie.

Local Business vs. National Franchise

This comparison really comes down to what kind of experience you want.

The Smart Fix Handyman is locally owned. Chance O’Shel started it, runs it, hires the crew, and talks to customers himself. There’s no corporate layer between you and the person responsible for your project. If your drywall patch isn’t right, you’re not calling an 800 number. You’re texting the guy who owns the company. And he’s texting back.

Ace Handyman Services is a franchise. The Fort Worth SW location is independently owned by Brett Jeffreys, but it runs on Ace’s playbook. That means standardized processes, corporate-level marketing, and the Ace brand plastered on everything. Some people like that structure. It feels safe. You know what you’re getting.

But you’re also paying for it. Franchise fees, brand fees, marketing minimums. All of that shows up in your hourly rate whether you realize it or not.

Neither model is wrong. It depends on whether you’d rather pay less and work with a local operator who has skin in the game, or pay more for the comfort of a recognizable brand.

What Fort Worth Customers Say

Common Feedback About The Smart Fix Handyman

Responsiveness dominates the reviews. People are genuinely surprised that someone answers the phone. One customer wrote that Chance “picked up first time and was able to come out the same day.” Another called him “very energetic and helpful” and mentioned getting a Facebook response the same day they reached out.

Quality comes up just as often. Drywall texture matches that blend perfectly. Doors that close the way they should. Shed assemblies finished ahead of schedule. Clean worksites. The reviews don’t read like they were written by people doing someone a favor. They read like people who were genuinely impressed and wanted to tell somebody about it.

Common Feedback About Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW

Good feedback tends to focus on the individual doing the work. When customers get a skilled craftsman, they’re happy. The company has people who know what they’re doing, and when those people show up, the job gets done well.

Negative feedback, where it exists, clusters around money. Not all of it is specific to the Fort Worth SW office, but pricing surprises and scheduling rigidity are recurring themes across the Ace franchise system. If you use them, ask detailed questions about your quote before work begins. What’s the hourly rate, what about materials, and is there a trip charge. Get it in writing if you can.

The Bottom Line

The Smart Fix Handyman is the better pick for most people reading this. Lower rates. Open on weekends. An owner who answers his own phone. Over 300 perfect reviews on Google. A 12-month guarantee that puts their money where their mouth is.

Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW isn’t a bad company. Their craftsmen have skills, the brand has history, and the BBB A+ rating means something. But you’re paying a premium for the franchise wrapper, and you lose weekend availability entirely.

On a typical four-hour project, choosing The Smart Fix over Ace saves you somewhere between $200 and $280. That’s real money. Over the course of a year, if you’re a homeowner who calls a handyman three or four times, you could save over $1,000 by going local.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Smart Fix Handyman cheaper than Ace Handyman Services in Fort Worth?

Yes, and the difference is significant. The Smart Fix charges $125 to $175 per hour. Ace charges $175 to $195. On a four-hour job, you could save $200 to $280 depending on the rates.

Which company has better Google reviews?

The Smart Fix Handyman has more than 300 five-star Google reviews and holds a Trustindex verified badge. Ace Handyman Services has positive reviews as well, but fewer in total for the Fort Worth SW location.

Can I book handyman work on a weekend in Fort Worth?

With The Smart Fix, yes. They’re open seven days a week. Ace Handyman Services Fort Worth SW only operates Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, so weekends are off the table entirely.

Do these companies guarantee their work?

Both offer a 12-month warranty. The Smart Fix calls it a workmanship guarantee, and Ace offers a 1-year guarantee across their franchise network. If a problem comes up within that window, both companies say they’ll come back and fix it free of charge.

Is Ace Handyman Services a franchise or a local business?

It’s a franchise. Ace Hardware Corporation bought the former Handyman Matters brand in 2019 and rebranded it. The Fort Worth SW location is independently owned but runs under Ace’s corporate franchise system, which means royalty fees, brand fees, and standardized processes come built into the operation.

What types of projects does The Smart Fix Handyman take on?

Most general handyman and remodeling work across the Fort Worth area. That includes drywall repair, painting, flooring, bathroom remodeling, door work, TV mounting, furniture assembly, light plumbing and electrical, and outdoor refreshes like pressure washing. They also do commercial handyman work for businesses and rental properties. They won’t take on heavy electrical, plumbing, or HVAC jobs, but they’ll point you toward someone trustworthy who will.

How This Comparison Was Put Together

Everything in this article comes from publicly available sources. Google reviews, HomeAdvisor ratings, BBB records, Yelp listings, RateABiz profiles, Nextdoor pages, franchise disclosure documents, and each company’s own website. Pricing was confirmed through published rates and customer-reported figures. The goal was a fair comparison based on facts, not marketing spin. Neither company paid for this article or had any say in what was written.