Why West Elm Wants to Be Your Handyman

Do you own a hammer? How about a stud finder, level, or ladder? West Elm, the home-goods retailer that sells everything from chandeliers to crab-shaped coathooks ($6.99), is retooling its business model to appeal to consumers who lack the hardware (or the temperament) for home improvement projects.

The brand, a branch of the Williams-Sonoma empire, just expanded a pilot program selling a slate of installation services for fixed fees. In nine cities, the company's in-house handymen will hang a set of curtains ($129), paint a 12-foot by 12-foot room ($379), or even mount a television ($129). One of the most popular offerings is the production of a “gallery wall” of artwork or photos, so the frames look like they were hung by Martha Stewart, rather than your batty aunt. West Elm offers bespoke services as well, tackling odd jobs for $129 an hour. Customers have even started calling on the company to assemble furniture purchased from competitors. "We had customers who were frustrated because they would buy a product and it would sit on the floor in a box for three months," says spokeswoman Abigail Jacobs. "We've been looking at all those pain points and trying to solve them."