Hometown Stories

ABINGDON, Va. — Scott Socia’s motto could easily be “have tools, will travel.”

The Abingdon man is making a living as the neighborhood handyman.

When a friend recently needed a garbage disposal installed, he was there. When someone called about putting up cabinet trim, he was on it.

As word of mouth circulated about Socia’s handy ways, people often would say, “All you need is Scott.”

A business was born bearing the words, “All You Need is Scott: Handy as a Pocket on a Shirt,” a whimsical name suggested by Cathy Lowe, executive director of the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator, who consulted with Socia about establishing a business three years ago.

In March, Socia was awarded first place in the existing business category for the 2023 Washington County Business Challenge. Money he was awarded will help him build his business and eventually hire an employee.

The local handyman installs garbage disposals, dishwashers, toilets, window blinds, cabinet trim, bathroom vanities, and back splashes for kitchens — just to name a few of his handyman jobs. He’s built custom shelves and even removed a wall to reconfigure a kitchen.

Socia has joined the nearly one million people in the country who are bringing in steady salaries using home improvement and handyman services. It just so happens, the trade is among some of the fastest growing businesses in today’s economy.

Specializing in a wide range of home repairs and maintenance, the Abingdon handyman is doing the jobs that other people can’t do or don’t have time to tackle. While most of his jobs are located in town, he accepts work throughout the community.

Socia confessed his business is not always glamorous, but it does pay the bills.

With a catchy business name like that, Socia’s jobs are coming out of the woodwork, so to speak. Little did he know that his homegrown business would turn into a full-time job. He doesn’t advertise. He doesn’t have a Facebook page yet (he’s working on that). And, he still has more jobs than he can get done some weeks.

“Like they say, word of mouth is the best form of advertising,” he said.

Socia believes he’s answering a niche in the community and that makes him feel good about how he spends his days. Many days his work doesn’t end until well after dark.

“There’s a need for handyman work in the area — and in every community. People are always looking for someone to help with painting, hanging light fixtures, changing out toilets, or installing appliances,” he said.

“This is work that big contractors usually don’t want to fool with because the jobs are too small.”

But, no job is too small for this handyman. Some jobs may last an hour; others may go for weeks.

Just this week, Socia changed the light bulbs in a chandelier in an Abingdon home. “A lot of chandeliers are hung pretty high up and nobody really wants to climb to change the light bulbs or wash the globes.”

Although people who do handyman jobs may not be required to hold specific certifications and licenses, Socia plans to pursue more training in the construction field so that he can answer the call for more extensive work in the future.

“If I can’t do the job, I can recommend someone who can.”

A diverse job experience is setting the stage for a successful entrepreneurship for the handyman.

Socia has always had a knack for fixing things.

As a child, he’d take apart some of his toys. “And, sometimes not put them back together,” he confessed with a laugh.

Even when he was in high school, he worked at the local hardware store in his hometown in Mount Clemens, Michigan.

After a four-year stint with the U.S. Navy after high school, Socia remained in Norfolk, Virginia, where he most recently repaired marine systems while living aboard a yacht.

When Socia moved to Abingdon about 10 years ago, he no longer had access to the large sail and fishing boats he was used to working on. Yet, thanks to a talent for fixing things, the 41-year-old has created a job out of just being a jack-of-all-trades.

While in high school, he enrolled in cooking classes while also working with a building contractor during after-school hours. He was a cook while serving four years in the U.S. Navy in Norfolk.

After his stay in the Navy, Socia found jobs in restaurants, one of them being at a truck stop.

“I knew it was time to focus on a career,” said Socia, who at age 25 earned an associate’s degree in an 18-month program for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, or HVAC, at his local trade school.

While in school, he was hired by the owner of a yacht system service to put his skills to use on luxury boats in Norfolk. One of his jobs was to equip watercraft for cruisers, people, often retirees, who live on their boats and cruise to different countries.

He doesn’t sport the typical handyman appearance. Instead of using a belt to hold tools, Socia carries much of what he needs in a backpack. It’s a habit he acquired when he repaired boats accompanied with a tuna tower, an essential part of a sport fishing yacht’s layout that provides extra elevation for spotting fish in the water.

“It was always something different every day,” said Socia, recounting one of his best adventures.

When one of their customers hired a captain to sail his boat to Antigua, the captain mistakenly left the boat hatch open one evening, allowing a rogue wave to flood and destroy the boat’s electronic systems.

Fortunately, Socia and his boss were flown to Bermuda to make repairs on the boat. It was his first trip to Bermuda.

After seven years of working on boats, Socia followed his girlfriend — now his wife — when her job relocated her to Southwest Virginia.

Socia admits his life has changed quite a bit since living on the water.

“I miss the salt air,” he said. “But, the mountains are a good view, too.”

For more information, email Scott Socia at [email protected]. Watch for a Facebook page for “All You Need is Scott” coming soon.