How To Handyma’am | A Home Improvement Comedy Podcast

Samantha Pearl|Lic. Builder, Emily Pearl Reist|Lic. Builder, and Arly Streed
  • 4.6 (26)
  • How To
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to “How to Handyma’am”, where we educate and entertain with our experience as three women in the home remodeling business. We’ve learned everything the hardest possible way – so you don’t have to! We envision a community of women who are empowered to take care of the daily needs of their lives independently, with confidence and knowledge. That goes for how you care for your home, what you do with your career, and who you trust to provide services in your home! The Michigan-based home improvement podcast from the team at MyHandyma'am.

  1. 1d ago

    Contractors Explain “Haunted House” Reddit Stories (Water Hammer, Drafts & More) | SideQuest 45

    Is your house haunted, or is something just broken? For spooky season, Emily, Samantha, and Arly turn paranormal investigators. We read real “haunted house” stories from Reddit, try to guess what was really going on, and reveal the surprisingly logical explanations. (Arly’s “science whimsy” has a few ghost raccoon theories of its own.) In this episode: The “DJ ghost”: banging windows and doors that open on their own, explained by air pressure imbalance and loose hardwareGalloping hooves in the hallway: what water hammer is and why it gets worse at nightWriting that appears and disappears on cabinets, plus the “cold hand” on your neck: humidity, bleed-through, and cold air washing down wallsVoices, laughter, and breath in an old mortuary: animals in the walls, pareidolia, and an elevator shaft acting like a chimneyBonus mystery: the Christmas decoration saboteurOur own “someone’s in the house” stories, and why houses make so many noises at night👻 Got a spooky story with a construction twist? Send it to us at hello@howtohandymaam.com 📬 Join our newsletter for the week’s episodes, studio updates, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter 🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/⭐ Get bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links How to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to DIY with confidence. #HauntedHouse #SpookySeason #WaterHammer #HomeImprovement #DIY #HowToHandymaam

  2. 5d ago

    Speak Contractor: What Your Estimate REALLY Means (and When to Walk Away) | Ep 46

    Hiring a contractor? Learn to speak their language before you sign anything. In this episode, Emily, Samantha, and Arly, three licensed contractors who run a full-time construction company, pull back the curtain on the terms that cause the most confusion (and heartache) between homeowners and contractors. We cover what should be on your estimate, how deposits and payments should work, and the red flags that mean it’s time to find someone else. In this episode: Scope of work: why “renovate the bathroom” isn’t enough, and how to get everything in writingChange orders: why they’re not a dirty word and actually protect youEstimate vs. bid vs. quote: what they mean, and the question to ask every contractorFixed price vs. hourly vs. time and materials (T&M)Materials markup: why it doesn’t automatically mean your contractor is a crookAllowances: how they help you budget, and how they can mislead you (especially on new builds)Rough-in, framing, and inspection stages, from decks to whole housesPunch lists, the “live in it for two weeks” rule, and why you should hold back your final 10%Deposits: what’s normal, what’s not, and why you should NEVER pay 100% up frontDraw schedules vs. progress payments, and tying payments to real milestonesWhy you should always pay in a trackable wayPlus: our most irrational fears for spooky season (leftovers, basement stairs, and a rabbit who doesn’t know he can jump), and why this episode is dedicated to the legend Dolly Parton. 💜 📬 Join our newsletter for weekly episode rundowns, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter 🎙️ Did we miss a contractor term? Comment below or email hello@howtohandymaam.com 🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/ ⭐ Get bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam 📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links How to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to take care of their homes with confidence. #HiringAContractor #HomeRenovation #HomeImprovement #ContractorTips #DIY #HowToHandymaam

  3. Oct 13

    Can You Paint Latex Over Oil-Based Paint? Track Saw Kickback & Saw Safety Q&A | SideQuest 44

    Can you paint latex over oil-based trim? What happens when a track saw kicks back? Why does your wall scanner say there’s live electrical when there isn’t? In SideQuest 44, our October listener Q&A, Emily, Samantha, and Arly answer your DIY and power tool safety questions (while all three of us are sick, so bear with us). In this episode: Circular saw safety: why you never mess with the blade guard, keep your fingers clear, and skip gloves with spinning toolsHow to prep oil-based painted trim for latex paint: sanding, liquid sandpaper, and shellac-based primerWhy paint peels off doors and trim (hint: it’s almost always prep)What a track saw is, why it’s one of the safest circular saws, and what happens when it kicks backTrack saw vs. table saw for beginners and small shopsHow to use a sacrificial board and set blade depth so you don’t cut into your tableWhat causes binding and kickback when cutting plywoodWhy your stud finder or deep wall scanner shows electrical when there’s none (static electricity) and how to tell for sure📬 Join our newsletter for weekly episode rundowns, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops, which sell out fast: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter 🎙️ Got a question for next month’s Q&A? Email us at hello@howtohandymaam.com🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/⭐ Get bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links How to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to DIY with confidence. #DIY #HomeImprovement #PowerToolSafety #TrackSaw #PaintingTrim #HowToHandymaam

  4. Oct 9

    Don’t Burn Your House Down! 🔥 9 Common Home Fire Hazards | Ep 45

    Happy Fire Safety Awareness Month! 🔥 In this episode, Arley cooks up a high-stakes game of "Fire Hazard or False Alarm?" to test Emily and Samantha on household fire safety, hidden electrical dangers, and smoke detector myths! Before we dive into how to keep your house from burning down, we start with our signature "Three Minutes of Chaos"—which somehow turned into an intense, passionate debate about butter preferences, butter bells, and dogs stealing entire sticks off the counter! In this episode, we cover: • 🔌 Appliance Overloads: Why you shouldn't plug your toaster, air fryer, and coffee maker into one power strip. • 🧺 Dryer Lint Dangers: Accordion hoses vs. hard ducts, magnetic connectors, and the leaf-blower clearing hack. • ⚡ Warm Outlets & Extension Cords: What ungrounded outlets mean, GFCI upgrades, sleek sockets, and running cords under rugs. • 🚨 Photoelectric vs. Ionization Alarms: Why older smoke detectors have radioactive material inside and why your alarm keeps chirping. • 🪵 Fireplace & Furnace Safety: Handling hot ash, clearance around gas furnaces, and the scary "furnace fireball" story. • 🥩 Grill Rules: Siding melt risks, carbon monoxide, and why propane grills never belong in a garage. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Fire Safety Awareness Month! 🔥 01:00 - Episode Dedication to Cousin Teresa 💪 02:00 - 3 Minutes of Chaos: Search Histories & The Great Butter Debate 🧈 05:30 - Game On: Fire Hazard or False Alarm? 06:30 - Power Strips vs. Small Kitchen Appliances 🔌 08:30 - Dryer Lint Hazards, Flexible Hoses & Magnetic Connectors 🧺 11:00 - Warm Outlets Behind Furniture & Grounding Fixes 13:00 - Garage Grilling & Carbon Monoxide Risks 🥩 14:30 - Smoke Detector Science: Photoelectric vs. Radioactive Ionization 🚨 17:30 - Extension Cord Mistakes, Voltage Loss & Sleek Sockets 🔌 20:00 - Fireplace Ash Disposal & The Mystery Furnace Fireball 🪵🔥 23:00 - Smoke Alarm Chirping: End-of-Life Warnings & Bluetooth Alarms 📢 25:00 - Speed Round: Space Heaters & What to Fix First! 26:30 - Mrs. Worldwide, Charting Internationally & Newsletter Shoutout! 🌐 🔍 SEARCH OUR CONTENT: Looking for a specific tool tip, review, or tutorial? Search our full library of reels, TikToks, and podcast episodes all in one place: https://howtohandymaam.com/search-library 💌 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: Get exclusive early-access ticket sales for events 2 days before everyone else, weekly tool recs, and updates: https://howtohandymaam.com 📲 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS: • Instagram: @howtohandymaam • TikTok: @howtohandymaam How To Handyma'am is a home improvement podcast hosted by Arley, Samantha, and Emily, dedicated to empowering women to take care of their homes, demystify trade skills, and laugh along the way!

  5. Oct 6 ·  Bonus

    The Woman Who Secretly Built the Brooklyn Bridge! | SideQuest 43

    Live from Podcast Movement in New York City! 🗽 In this special NYC-themed Side Quest, the Handyma’am crew takes over the convention studio to play a round of NYC Fact or Fiction before diving into the incredible, uncredited story of Emily Warren Roebling—the badass woman who actually built the Brooklyn Bridge! From fake brownstone subway vents and wooden rooftop water tanks to a woman riding across a suspension bridge with a live rooster in her lap, this episode is packed with wild engineering history, trade tricks, and classic Handyma'am chaos! In this episode, we cover: • 🧱 NYC Fact or Fiction: Brownstone vs. sandstone, Grand Central ceiling myths, and fake houses hiding subway vents. • 🐘 P.T. Barnum’s Elephant March: Reassuring New Yorkers the Brooklyn Bridge wouldn't collapse. • 🌉 The Untold Story of Emily Warren Roebling: How she learned bridge engineering on the job site, took over for her disabled husband, and managed construction for 11 years. • 🏗️ Caisson Disease & Construction Fraud: Catching corrupt wire suppliers and convincing a room full of 1880s male engineers to let her finish the project. • 🐓 The Victory Lap: Why the first person across the Brooklyn Bridge was a woman carrying a rooster. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Live from NYC at Podcast Movement! 🗽 01:15 - NYC Fact or Fiction: Brownstones, Fake Houses & Water Tanks 🧱 03:00 - Grand Central Ceiling Myths & P.T. Barnum's Elephants 🐘 05:30 - The Badass Woman Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge: Emily Warren Roebling 🌉 07:30 - Pressurized Caissons, "The Bends" & Learning Trade Work on Site 🏗️ 10:00 - Stopping Wire Corruption & Addressing Male Engineers in 1882 🏛️ 11:30 - The Victory Lap with a Rooster 🐓 13:00 - Wrap-Up & NYC Side Quest Secrets 💌 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: Get weekly DIY tips, studio updates, and early access to live events: https://howtohandymaam.com ⭐ SUPPORT US ON PATREON: Get uncut studio chaos, bloopers, and extra video content for $5/month: https://patreon.com/howtohandymaam 📲 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS: • Instagram: @howtohandymaam • TikTok: @howtohandymaam How To Handyma'am is a home improvement comedy podcast dedicated to empowering women to take care of their homes, demystifying the trades, and celebrating historic women in engineering!

  6. Oct 2

    Where to Save vs. Splurge on Your Home! 🏠 Cheap vs. Quality (Part 3) | Ep 44

    Where to Save vs. Splurge on Your Home! 🏠 Cheap vs. Quality (Part 3) Should you buy the $20 light fixture or the $200 brand-name version? 🛠️ In Part 3 of our Cheap vs. Quality series, we are breaking down 9 common home fixtures to tell you where to save your hard-earned cash and where cheaping out will ruin your life! Plus, in our 3 Minutes of Chaos, we recap our wild trip to New York City for Podcast Movement—including seeing our faces on the Nasdaq billboard in Times Square and visiting Nathaniel (and his store dogs Stinky & Kangaroo!) at Scarborough Hardware, the oldest continuously operating hardware store in NYC! In this episode, we cover: • 🚰 Faucets: Why plumbing supply house fixtures outperform big-box store models. • 💡 Light Fixtures: Why you should NEVER spend big bucks on light fixtures (and how to find high-end dupes). • 🌀 Ceiling Fans: The single "ball-and-socket" feature to look for so you don't drop a fan on your face during install. • 🥔 Garbage Disposals: Horsepower breakdowns, under-sink switches, and Grandpa's 5-lb potato peel disaster. • 🚪 Doorknobs & Locks: Why Schlage is king for exterior doors, plus dogs that open lever handles. • 🪛 Cabinet Hardware & Bath Accessories: Multi-pack hacks and aging-in-place tips. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Welcome & Episode Dedication 01:30 - 3 Minutes of Chaos: NYC, Times Square Billboard & Hardware Store Dogs 🐶 05:30 - Faucets: Plumbing Supply vs. Big Box Stores 09:00 - Light Fixtures: How to Find the Dupes 💡 12:00 - Ceiling Fans: The Solo-Install Hack & Clicking Noises 🌀 16:00 - Garbage Disposals: Horsepower & Potato Peel Meltdowns 🥔 20:00 - Shut-Off Valves & Showerheads 🚿 23:30 - Door Hardware: Schlage Locks vs. Dogs Opening Doors 🚪 27:00 - Cabinet Hardware & Bath Accessories 🪛 30:30 - Wrap Up & How to Join the Newsletter 💌 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: Be the first to hear about live events, studio updates, and weekly DIY tips! Sign up at: https://howtohandymaam.com ⭐ SUPPORT US ON PATREON: Get bonus monthly episodes and extra chaos for just $5/month: https://patreon.com/howtohandymaam 📲 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS: • Instagram: @howtohandymaam • TikTok: @howtohandymaam How To Handyma'am is a home improvement comedy podcast dedicated to empowering women to take care of their homes and demystifying the trades!

  7. Sep 29

    Super Glue vs. Gorilla Epoxy: The Ultimate Junk Drawer Debate! | SideQuest 42

    Welcome back to the How to Handyma’am SideQuest! 🎙️✨If a main episode is a structured build, the SideQuest is the junk drawer of our podcast—unfiltered, chaotic, and full of surprising gems! 📦In today's episode, Emily presents her "Official Top 10 Ideal Junk Drawer Items" to Samantha and Arly. From precision screwdrivers and zip ties to heated debates over Gorilla Epoxy vs. Super Glue and the hidden danger of Magic Erasers, we break down what actually deserves a spot in your home's most famous drawer!--------------------------------------------------🤝 SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY--------------------------------------------------• 🧡 Become a Patron: Get monthly bonus episodes and unhinged behind-the-scenes chats at https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam• 💌 Newsletter Signup: Get 2-day early ticket access to future workshops at https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter--------------------------------------------------🛠️ OUR FAVORITE TOOLS & STOREFRONTS--------------------------------------------------• 🛒 Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/howtohandymaam• 🛒 Lowe's Storefront: https://www.lowes.com/l/creator/howtohandymaam--------------------------------------------------🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST--------------------------------------------------• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-handymaam-a-home-improvement-comedy-podcast/id1858097879• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJ623LRS6Dluzpkiv45Xs--------------------------------------------------📱 HANG OUT WITH US ON SOCIALS--------------------------------------------------• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtohandymaam/• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtohandymaam• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoHandymaam• 🌐 All Links: https://howtohandymaam.com/links--------------------------------------------------👋 ABOUT US--------------------------------------------------We are Samantha, Emily, and Arly—the crew behind How to Handyma'am. We started a licensed handyman business in Lansing, MI to give women the agency, skills, and confidence to fix their own homes!Disclaimer: For educational and entertainment purposes. Always check local building codes when necessary!

  8. Sep 25

    Blind Date with a Floor! 💘 How to Choose the RIGHT Flooring for Your Home | Ep 43

    Welcome back to How to Handyma’am! 🎙️✨ In today’s episode, Samantha debuts her brand-new game show: "Blind Date with a Floor"—the only dating show where getting laid correctly is extremely important! 🪵💘 Choosing flooring based purely on appearance is like picking a life partner from a flattering profile picture—eventually, you have to live with it. Emily and Arly ask secret questions to figure out which floor is which, and we break down what flooring you should ACTUALLY put in your house based on dogs, basements, kids, and moisture. -------------------------------------------------- In This Episode: -------------------------------------------------- • 🌸 Shoutout to Shirley Bebo: Finding and being an "encourager" in your community. • 📺 3 Minutes of Chaos: Emily’s grievance over TV show recommendations (Hacks & Detroiters)! • 🚨 Airbnb Scam Warning: Why you should NEVER communicate off-platform (and how Gemini caught a sketchy host). • 🌻 Arly’s Garden Drama: Squirrel sunflower heists and a giant guard spider protecting bunny kale. • 💘 Game Show: Blind Date with a Floor! - Date #1: Gorgeous, timeless, and emotionally involved with dog nails (Hardwood). - Date #2: Looks fancy on a budget, but hates water (Laminate). - Date #3: Easygoing, practical, and unbothered by moisture (LVP). - Date #4: Extremely durable, cold, hard, and permanent (Tile). - Date #5: The underrated boomer classic for small bathrooms (Sheet Vinyl). - Date #6: Real wood, but structurally more stable (Engineered Hardwood). • 🏡 Flooring Matchmaking: The best floors for large dogs, flood-prone basements, 3-kid bathrooms, and historic homes[cite: 4]! -------------------------------------------------- 🤝 SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY -------------------------------------------------- • 🧡 Become a Patron: Get monthly bonus episodes and unhinged behind-the-scenes chats at https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam • 💌 Newsletter Signup: Get 2-day early ticket access to future workshops at https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter -------------------------------------------------- 🛠️ OUR FAVORITE TOOLS & STOREFRONTS -------------------------------------------------- • 🛒 Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/howtohandymaam • 🛒 Lowe's Storefront: https://www.lowes.com/l/creator/howtohandymaam -------------------------------------------------- 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST -------------------------------------------------- • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-handymaam-a-home-improvement-comedy-podcast/id1858097879 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJ623LRS6Dluzpkiv45Xs -------------------------------------------------- 📱 HANG OUT WITH US ON SOCIALS -------------------------------------------------- • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtohandymaam/ • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtohandymaam • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoHandymaam • 🌐 All Links: https://howtohandymaam.com/links -------------------------------------------------- 👋 ABOUT US -------------------------------------------------- We are Samantha, Emily, and Arly—the crew behind How to Handyma'am. We started a licensed handyman business in Lansing, MI to give women the agency, skills, and confidence to fix their own homes! Disclaimer: For educational and entertainment purposes. Always check local building codes when necessary!

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Trailer

4.6
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Welcome to “How to Handyma’am”, where we educate and entertain with our experience as three women in the home remodeling business. We’ve learned everything the hardest possible way – so you don’t have to! We envision a community of women who are empowered to take care of the daily needs of their lives independently, with confidence and knowledge. That goes for how you care for your home, what you do with your career, and who you trust to provide services in your home! The Michigan-based home improvement podcast from the team at MyHandyma'am.

Information

  • Creator
    Samantha Pearl|Lic. Builder, Emily Pearl Reist|Lic. Builder, and Arly Streed
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    94
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Samantha Pearl|Lic. Builder, Emily Pearl Reist|Lic. Builder, and Arly Streed
  • Show Website
    How To Handyma’am | A Home Improvement Comedy Podcast

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