Handyman costs: What you’ll pay for everyday fixes

Handymen are the go-to solution for everyday home repairs and improvements, from hanging shelves and fixing drywall to assembling furniture or patching a leaky faucet.

But knowing what a fair price looks like can be tricky. Without a clear benchmark, you could end up overpaying—or cutting corners that cost you more later.

In this guide, we’ll compare costs to help you determine how much you can expect to pay for a handyman.

Factors that affect handyman prices

From the size and complexity of the job to the number of tasks, materials, expertise, and even your location, several key factors influence how much you’ll pay. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you understand what goes into the cost.

Size of the project

A handyman is a jack of all trades. From quick repairs to carpentry, the skill set of a handyman is countless. With this, the size of the project and the type of work are some of the main factors that influence handyman cost per day.

Large, complex, and labor-intensive work like bathroom remodeling is most expensive at $2,000 to $15,000 while simple, straightforward tasks like putting up several shelves are cheaper at $150 to $500.

Number of tasks

The more tasks you will need help on, the longer it will take for the handyman to finish. Hence, the higher the price. In some cases, it might be helpful to ask for the handyman’s daily rate instead of the hourly rate since the daily rate is usually cheaper.

Material costs

The materials needed to complete the job are also factored in the cost. A handyman usually carries several tools of equipment needed for home and appliance fixes and repairs. These include universal supplies such as nails, nuts, bolts, and screws.

However, there are times where the purchase of new parts and equipment is needed to finish the job. For example, if you want to install an exhaust fan in your bathroom but weren’t able to buy one, a handyman can source it for you and install it in your home.  

Although you can potentially save when you pick up the item yourself, a handyman would have more knowledge on quality parts that will survive years of wear and tear. Of course, make sure to align exhaust fan prices with your handyman beforehand to ensure it fits the allotted budget.

Expertise

The expertise and skill level will affect how much a handyman charges. Some handymen specialize and get licensing in household work like plumbing or tiling. Expect handyman specialist rates to be higher than average. The added cost will be used to cover the years of learning and mastering the skill. This can also be treated as an investment in high-quality work that will last long.

Tool-ready handyman prepared for jobs like appliance installation or repairs. (Source: iStock)

Location

The location also affects how much a handyman charges per hour in the US. The first-hour charge in New York costs around $60 while Florida and Arizona only charge around $35.

In addition to the higher cost of living, cities like New York have a higher demand for home improvement work due to the higher density of people in the area. This makes hourly costs more expensive in these cities.

Different types of household work

When hiring a handyman, costs can increase especially if there is time-consuming work that needs to be done. It is important to prepare a list of tasks you need help with before starting the work. To give you an idea of the different tasks that can be than by a handyman, we’ve created a comprehensive list:

• Furniture assembly

• TV mounting

• Baby proofing

• Appliance installation

• Window and door repair and installation

• Fence repair and installation

• Leak repair

• Drywall repair

• Tap repair

• Small roof repair

• Carpentry

• Minor plumbing and electrical work

• Painting walls

• Decorating

• Remodeling

• Landscaping and lawn care

• Cleaning

• Unclogging a drain

• Junk removal

• Tiling

• Gutter repair and cleaning

• Lawn care and landscaping

Other factors that affect costs

Aside from the factors mentioned above, other factors could increase low-cost handyman services such as time, travel fees, and minimum call-out fees.

Time

A handyman is often paid per hour with an average fee of $70 for the first hour. The succeeding hours are usually discounted. However, costs can increase if you hire a handyman during odd hours of the day, weekends, or holidays. The normal working hours of a handyman usually start at 8 am until around 6 pm, Mondays to Fridays.

Travel

Since a handyman drives to your home along with needed tools and equipment, access is also another factor that affects how much a handyman charges. Areas that are remote and are challenging to reach often have higher fees.

Service fees

To cover business operation expenses, a handyman may charge a minimum fee. This will cover the admin, set-up fee, and material sourcing fee.

A handyman prepares tools for various home repair tasks. (Source: iStock)

Handyman checklist

Having a go-to handyman will help make your home life much easier. To help you through the search, we made a checklist you can refer to as you hire a handyman.

• Create a detailed list of the tasks that need to be done. Make sure to include the specifics like size and dimension.

• Put a ceiling budget for each task.

• Find a handyman on reliable service sites and read up on reviews. Check feedback on timeliness, work quality, and cleanliness.

• Once you get connected to a handyperson near you, ask if they can give references or share photos of their previous work.

• Inquire about previous experiences, licenses, insurance, or bonds.

• Share your detailed list and some photos of the repair or installation needed so your handyman can estimate the time needed to finish and prepare the necessary tools for the job.

• Ask if the handyman offers bundles and packages for combined tasks or if they offer a day rate that is cheaper than hourly costs.

• Inquire about additional fees such as travel fees, call-out fees, trip charges, or fees for additional work that might come up.

• Confirm if they will work with subcontractors or on their own.

• Inquire about their timeline payment schedule.

• Check if the estimated prices are reasonable by getting multiple quotes from at least three handymen.

• If it’s a good match, put all the estimates and fees in writing and make sure to provide timely payments during the agreed schedule.

When hiring a handyman, costs can go up especially when you have a couple of repairs and fixes needed. Want a more accurate estimate? Post your task on Airtasker and get custom quotes from local handymen in just minutes!