Veggie Powered Handyman
Company Overview
Eco-conscious Handyman services certified.
As a vegetarian handyman, I rely on biodiesel (veggie oil) for transportation.
I offer services in minor plumbing, electrical tasks, drywall, carpentry, locksmithing, masonry, flooring, and furniture assembly.
I do not engage in major construction or remodeling (as I am not a licensed contractor), but I can likely complete your list of small tasks in one day.
The cost is $75 per hour, $1 per mile, and a minimum of $300 applies.
I prefer email communication over phone calls.
Check my website for additional information.
I have a long-standing interest in fixing things.
After finishing college, while I was exploring career options, I posted an ad on Craigslist stating I had a biodiesel truck and was open for hire to earn some quick cash.
Now, eighteen years later, I realize this is my true career.
I am independently certified as a Green Business.
I have a loyal client base, love what I do, and aim to continue this journey.
In 2006, I founded ""Veggie Powered Handyman,"" which was formerly ""Biodiesel Hauling.""
From a young age, I loved to tinker with things.
I enjoyed disassembling items to see how they worked and then trying to put them back together.
I studied environmental science, ecology, and biology, aiming to become a park ranger or marine scientist for the US Coast Guard.
Circumstances changed when I secured a job, but funding cuts before training started led to the position's elimination.
Faced with rent obligations, I advertised on Craigslist to move items or tackle small household issues.
Now, almost twenty years later, I am still doing this.
I have used biodiesel (modified recycled vegetable oil) in my vehicle since I first acquired it, well before I started my business.
I have been a vegetarian and dedicated to reducing my environmental impact my entire life.
Business Services
- Appliance installation
- Appliance repair
- Handyman assembly
- Bathtub repair
- Handyman caulking
- Door installation
- Door repair
- Doorbell installation
- Doorbell repair
- Drywall repair
- Electric inspection
- Electric installation or replacement
- Electric repair
- Faucet installation
- Faucet repair
- Floor installation
- Furniture assembly
- Garbage disposal installation
- Window repair
- Handyman installation
- Light fixture installation
- Light fixture repair
- Outlet installation
- Outlet repair
- Plumbing inspection
- Plumbing installation or replacement
- Plumbing repair
- Handyman repair
- Shower repair
- Sink installation
- Sink repair
- Toilet installation
- Toilet repair
Business Location & Hours
Mon: | 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Tue: | 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Wed: | Closed |
Thu: | 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Fri: | 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Sat: | Closed |
Sun: | Closed |
Recommended Customer Reviews

Bakari is all the things you'd want in a handyman/jack of all trades. He is responsive, courteous, resourceful, and prompt. Bonus: He's a super interesting guy. Some nice neighbors gave me their refrigerator which was significantly larger and fancier than my own. Fitting it in my kitchen necessitated widening an alcove by several inches. The more worrisome part of the job, however, involved getting this bigger fridge upstairs without scratching walls and, frankly, getting it through doors. Bakari was unfazed. He removed the doors from the refrigerator as well as my front door and then, in a Herculean feat, got this oversized appliance up my stairs with only the help of a dolly. He also offered helpful advice on how long to let the new fridge sit before plugging it in so its fluids could settle after the jostling of moving it. Bakari also recommended that I let the new unit get properly chilled before I transferred over my food from the old fridge (better for the compressor). I'd work with Bakari again in a second. Great guy with stellar integrity.

I had called 3 other handymen who had come by or seen the pictures I sent and never followed up. Bakari answered my email by the evening, agreed to do the work, fixed my fence, the porch roof and the fascia boards very efficiently and quickly. Figured out small glitches in quick order. And he is so pleasant! What a nice guy. What good work! You should hire him! 5 stars+

Really positive experience. I had Bakari pick up 4 bales of hay from Biodiesel Oasis and deliver them. I told him he could just place them in my yard and I would get to them when I got home but Bakari went the extra mile to stack them neatly by the side of the house. Really appreciate it, Bakari, and I will keep you in mind for myself and others.

I almost feel like we've found a unicorn. We've been searching for a reliable and competent handyperson for a while and have tried a number of folks before finding Bakari. He installed a ceiling fan, did some interior work on a new skylight, and more. In all of this he was competent, principled, and great to work with. We will definitely be calling on his services again.

Bakari just resolved years of issues around my place in a matter of 3 hours!! Every single random thing I threw at him, he figured it out in a matter of minutes. Seriously, it was amazing, he is amazing! He even stayed late although he had dinner plans to finish everything. If I ever have a fix-it problem again, I know who to call! Reasonable prices, friendly and quality service - you just can't go wrong!!

Bakari helped us dispose of an old sofa, ottoman, and garage door opener rails. The sofa and ottoman were easy enough, but Bakari really got after it with the rails. They were probably 12-15 ft long, so he needed to bend the metal rails to better get them in his struck. It was quite the sight to see him ""supermanning"" this long piece of metal between the truck bed and our driveway. But he got it done. Quick, efficient, and on time. We will use Bakari again should we need similar services.

Bakari first moved me out of a loft in Jack London Square in 2006. Since then, he's been my go-to guy for all sorts of domestic projects. He has installed ceiling fans, fixed fences, re-belted and re-programmed a broken treadmill, fixed a jammed and bent garage door - and that's for starters. He has also hauled away stuff I didn't want/need anymore and has either sold it, donated it, or recycled it; making a trip to the landfill is *always* the dreaded last option for him.
Bonus points that Bakari is a nice trustworthy guy who knows a lot of interesting stuff :)
Above all else, I just never worry when I call him over because I am confident he can figure out whatever I throw at him and that's why he deserves FIVE BIG FAT STARS.

Bakari is so, so friendly and a pleasure to work with. I hired him to help me transport some furniture that I bought, and I was happy to find that not only was he super professional, he was also chatty in the best of ways. Talk about a wonderful welcome to Emeryville!
Bakari charges $30 (soon to be $40 as of Jan. 2015) an hour + $1/mile for moving help. If you're low-income, he's willing to work with you and reduce the cost by $10. Even without the discount, though, BioDiesel Hauling is EASILY the least expensive moving truck in the area. He was also able to help me out on super short-notice, which was really lovely.
I will be happy to hire him again for future work.
I will note that his biodiesel truck, while green, is a serious clunker. Seriously, it's the noisiest, most rattly vehicle I've ever had the honor of riding in. Not gonna lie, I kinda loved it, so no complaints here!

Bakari is honest, hard-working, calm and trustworthy. He always gets the job done. I've recommended him to my mother, friends, etc. Plus he uses biodiesel and gives a discount to bicycle riders!

Bakari is excellent at what he does. Honest, efficient, discounts for bike riders - what more could you want? I highly recommend him - and not just on Yelp, but to friends, family, and random people on the street.