Drive around town for more than a minute, and you just might spot one of the bright blue-and-white work vans sporting the Athens Handyman Service, LLC logo.

Company owner Mike Littrell isn’t a bit hesitant about putting his own name in big, bold letters right on the side of each vehicle — after all, taking local pride in quality local work is a key feature of what his business has to offer.

“When someone recommends you, you want to make sure you give them your best and do a good job,” says Littrell, who started his do-it-all business with only $500 and, back in the day, a far more beat-up work truck. “What helos us the most is our great word of mouth. We have great customers and they tell their family and friends. Because of that, I’d say 80 percent of our customers are either repeats or referrals.”

Through 19 years of establishing a local reputation for quality craftsmanship and prompt responsiveness (“I always answer the phone,” says Mike, “and if I can’t, I’ll always call you right back”), Athens Handyman has grown from a one-person business into a full-service, state-licensed remodeling and construction company with a small but tight-knit staff who can tackle residential projects both ambitious and ordinary.

“No job is too big or too small,” says Littrell, who grew up learning the hands-on carpentry trade right alongside his brother Eddie, who’s also on staff. “We make a really good crew; all of our employees do. I’m just a plain guy — there’s nothing special about me. But our employees are special. They really value the best-quality work and the highest customer service, and I think that’s what helps us to stand out.”

Springtime typically entices lots of local homeowners to start turning their attention toward small repair projects as well as bigger home endeavors that might even call for new construction. At either extreme and at all points in between, Littrell says his business takes a conscientious, good-faith approach to helping each of his customers get the most for their money.

“There’s nothing in residential construction that we can’t handle, from concrete to roofing to tree removal to anything at all that you need.” he says. “We might not always even be your best option — and if that’s the case, we’ll help put you in touch with someone who is.

“I tell customers: I think it’s a good idea to get more than one quote for your project. Do your research and make sure the people you’re working with are licensed. It kills me when someone gets 50 percent of their payment from a customer before a project even starts and then … they just disappear. It gives good contractors a bad name. The only time that we receive money up front from a customer is if we have to order windows, because you can’t take those back. But for everything else, there’s never a time when you are upside-down financially on a project that we do.”

With a local network of closely vetted subcontractors who each stands behind their own workmanship, Athens Handyman serves all of Limestone County as well as portions of Madison County. “I’m actually licensed in Lauderdale and in Morgan counties, too — but we’re so busy here that we keep our focus mostly on Limestone,” says Littrell. “We’ve been very blessed by the people in this community, and also with good employees who understand our demand for high quality.”

If your home improvement dreams include new additions or major remodeling, Littrell advises ample patience and planning — and getting an early head start. “If you’ve got a big project in mind, it’s going to take several months if you’re working with a good contractor,” he says. “Thanks to word of mouth, one of our main things right now is kitchens, baths, and remodeling. We do several rooms a year, and with things like kitchens, we only do custom work — no off-the-shelf cabinets from the hardware store — and that’s the kind of thing that takes time. If you have a bigger project and find a contractor who tells you they can start right away, you probably don’t want to hire them. I really encourage people to think ahead by several months so they can end up with the kind of quality custom work that they’re looking for.”

Take a closer look at the full range of residential remodeling and construction services that Athens Handyman has to offer by finding the business online at www.athenshandyman.net. For lots of photographed looks at the company’s previous project work, check out Athens Handyman Service, LLC on Facebook.