Darren Thompson

Serves Hobart, IN

35244

Hired 19 times

1 employee

2 years in business

$150

5.0

This pro accepts payments via Cash, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle.

Next Service

Hours

Sun Closed

Mon 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Tues 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Wed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Thurs 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Fri 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sat 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Credentials

Background Check

Darren Thompson
Completed on 1/10/2023

Introduction

I am recently retired after 30 years at Ford Motor Company. My career of making metal stampings for motor vehicles is over...now my time will be spent doing the things that I want to do that are less stressful and keep me active. My first order of business was to study and pass the FAA Part 107 Unmanned Aerial Systems test...which was taken and passed on 12/29/2022. Part 107 Certification is available upon request. Avoid uncertificated drone operators out there. Besides being illegal, they are untrained and are a possible liability for you and the general population. During my time in The Region, I've sub-contracted the design and construction of two personal homes from scratch. I have also performed numerous upgrades to these homes (from FULL room additions to wall coverings to low voltage to hardscaping/landscaping - really the whole gamut). I have learned and embraced the RIGHT way to do things (sometimes from seeing it done wrong). When I'm not with family and friends, my hobbies include computer building and home improvement projects to mine and other's homes. In addition, general tinkering and a periodic golf game is often in order. Retirement brings flexibility. With no set schedule or commitments, my availability is quite large.

Q&A

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

You will find my pricing very reasonable because this is not my main source of income. I am a pensioned retiree. The services I am providing on this site are being done in part to make some 'walking around money’ - as my mother used to call it, but are also to fill my time and get enjoyment and satisfaction from helping someone get a task completed.

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

I am super straight-forward. I need to know the details of the job, the expectation, any constraints to completion, a timeframe, and a budget/cost up front. I am flexible with 'change-orders' to a point, especially if the issue is unforeseen. However, if we are not honest with each other when we scope the job then it may not be a pleasant experience for one or both of us.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

For reference, I have a B.S. in Finance from U of I (Champaign), a Masters Degree from Depaul University (Chicago), and started a post-baccalaureate in Computer Science from Purdue Calumet (now Purdue University Northwest). I have been an hourly and salaried employee at Ford Motor Company's Chicago Stamping Plant for 30 years. I am very familiar with designs, instruction, procedures, tools, and have a very strong desire to finish projects in a timely fashion with high quality results. I am also FAA part 107A qualified to complete commercial aerial photography and videos.

How did you get started doing this type of work?

I've always built and tinkered, even as a young child. Battleship and airplane models, taking apart electronics to see how they work, building forts and playing in houses under construction, watching my parents build two homes from the ground up (which my wife and I also did as adults), seemingly endless home improvements (largest ones tackled almost on my own being a 3 seasons room with built in hot tub in my first home and finished basements in both houses). I've worked most of my life behind a desk and the results were mostly not tangible. The thrill of designing and actually building something beautiful and/or functional with your hands is extremely rewarding and satisfying.

What types of customers have you worked with?

To date, most of my efforts and projects have been for personal property improvements and assisting family members (mostly due to lack of time since I worked full-time). I have 100's of customers with another side job (computer parts sales / pc construction) that have mostly occurred through eBay and Facebook marketplace. Therefore, I am very experienced and versed in the 1:1 transactions that occur from small transactions like those that will occur through this site.

Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?

Over a Covid induced break, I decided to add on to the basement of my home. I knocked a portion of a wall down, added a pour in place concrete bar, framed / added doors - both standard and barn, ran electrical, installed the dropped ceiling, ran low voltage for accent lights and A/V, painted the room, installed the flooring, and completed the finish trim. I plan to add a picture of this room (look for the Caddyshack pics and the foosball table). This isn't a job I would typically take, but it hi-lites the scope of what I'm comfortable doing.

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

Hire someone you are comfortable with and that you feel is trustworthy. Price is not everything. Make sure reviews don't show a tendency to cut corners, state that individuals are hard to reach, or give a feeling that the person takes jobs that are outside of his/her wheelhouse. Look for people who stand by the work they did.

What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?

What exactly do I need done? Do I have everything needed to complete the task or does the person helping me need to buy/bring added part(s) to complete? What are my expectations for time to complete the work? What are my expectations for how the final project will look? When precisely do I want the work completed? What type of person / background / experience would make me comfortable having a person work on my property?