What is a handyman?

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What is a handyman?

A handyman is a tradesperson with a broad set of skills, who can help with a range of minor repair and home improvement jobs. 

Handymen take care of the odd jobs around the home – the kind of jobs that you might try yourself if you had a working knowledge of DIY and a well-stocked toolkit. Think putting up shelves, hanging pictures, assembling furniture or replacing a toilet seat.

Unlike other tradespeople – like plumbers or electricians – handymen don’t usually have a deep knowledge of a single discipline, or hold specific qualifications. You can think of them more as maintenance & repair generalists, rather than specialists.

In this guide, we're answering some FAQs, including:

handyman installing a curtain rail


What does a handyman do?

A handyman can help with a whole host of minor repair and home improvement jobs. Our most popular handyman tasks are:

What qualifications does a handyman need?

As there’s no official definition of a handyman, no formal qualifications or training is required for the job. 

But you should always expect that any handyman you book has experience with the task you’re expecting them to complete. 

If you’re booking a handyman through an established service provider, then you can usually trust that they’re vetted and have the correct experience. For example, here at Housekeep, we thoroughly interview all handymen to make sure they’re up to the job. Then we collect feedback from every job – to make sure they’re delivering the 5* service we’re known for.

If you’ve found a handyman yourself, you’ll need to check that they’re experienced in the job you’re booking them for. After all – pick the wrong handyman and you could end up with damage to your home or half-finished work. You’re then left forking out all over again just to get it put right. 

handyman repairing or replacing a shower screen

Can a handyman do plumbing or electrical work?

Some handymen might also be able to help with minor plumbing or electrical tasks – like fixing a dripping tap or replacing lights. If you’re looking to book a handyman for this kind of task, it’s even more important that you double-check their experience. You’ll also want to make sure they’re insured for the kind of work they’ll be completing, to avoid the risk of any costly mistakes.

 Top tip: A handyman shouldn’t be attempting to complete any jobs that require specific certification – such as repairing a gas boiler, which requires an engineer to be Gas Safe Registered. 

How much does a handyman charge per hour?

Handyman rates vary, and the average handyman can charge anything from £30 - £100 per hour.

Exactly how much a handyman charges per hour depends on lots of factors. The most important factor will be where you live – with handymen charging different rates up and down the country. 

You may also be quoted a higher fee if a handyman has to travel a long way to reach you. And you’ll also have to think about congestion charge & parking if you live in London. 

Handymen tend to charge an hourly rate. As they’re able to help with lots of different tasks, this means that you can book them for a couple of hours or even a day – to take care of all of the odd jobs you need help with. From hanging your new curtains to installing a bathroom cabinet – it’s often worth getting jobs done together to save costs.

Looking for a quote for handyman work? We’ve built a live quote tool for all of our handyman tasks. Just click the button below, let us know what you need, and we’ll show you the price. 

Get a quote for a handyman button

How can I find a handyman near me?

It’s now easier than ever before to find a local handyman. Here are a few ways you can try:

  • Ask your friends or family for a recommendation. Ask any local friends & family members if they know a handyman who they'd recommend you use. Or you can ask your network via Nextdoor, Twitter or Facebook.
  • Use an online directory. If you can’t get a recommendation from friends or family, try using an online directory like Trust a Trader, Local Heroes, Trusted Traders or Checkatrade. Bear in mind that you'll usually need to reach out to each handyman individually for a quote. Then you need to weigh up the options and decide which handyman is the best suited to the job. So it can turn out to be a lengthy process.
  • Use an online service. Services like Housekeep work with experienced handymen who can be booked directly. They interview & vet the handymen for you, and will provide a simple price for the job you need done. If you’d like to go ahead, they’ll send a tried and trusted handyman to get the job done.
  • Search online. Searching “handyman near me” on Google or another search engine will bring up a tonne of results. And lots of the service providers you find this way will be great. But remember that you’ll need to comb through the results to get quotes, vet suppliers and make an informed decision. So it can quickly become a lengthy process. 

handyman measuring up and putting up a shelf

Can Housekeep book me in with a handyman near me?

Of course. Housekeep has handymen available across London, Brighton & the South East of England. We only work with the very best tradespeople - who are tried and trusted, with plenty of experience. And we collect reviews from each and every job to make sure that the handymen we work with are up to scratch.

We’ll provide an instant quote for any handyman job that you need. Once you book, we’ll match you with the best local handyman to get the job done.

Book a handyman button

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