Ways To Find Handyman Jobs Near You

Most homeowners hire a contractor whenever they need to make changes or repairs around the house. Contractors are experienced workers with specialized equipment to help with house maintenance. While there are some situations where a contractor is necessary, other alternatives may be solved by a handyman. Handyman and contractors may seem identical at a glance, but there are several differences.

Handyman handle smaller tasks than contractors, which in turn costs you less money. Handymen commonly work alone, with the majority of jobs only taking a day to complete. Many handymen work in multiple fields, while contractors typically focus on one or two areas. How much a handyman can do varies based on state licensing requirement. For example, in most states a handyman can perform basic plumbing tasks, such as installing a new sink or unclogging a toilet without a license. A larger project, such as re-piping your entire house, requires a plumbing license. Some handymen are licensed, which increases the number of jobs they can perform, but larger projects still require more employees or equipment more commonly used by contractors.

Common Handyman Jobs

One of the most common jobs for handymen is drywall repair. Drywall acts as insulation for your home. Over the years, drywall gradually gets damaged, either by general wear and tear or water damage. This includes sealing cracks, hanging new drywall, reinforcing existing drywall and repairing rodent damage. Another way handymen can help with household repairs is fixing damaged gutters. While gutters are not hard to install, many homeowners are uncomfortable working on a rooftop or ladder. Handymen also have more experience and can check your roof for any damage caused by the old gutters.

You can also hire a handyman to make small changes to your home, such as updating your fixtures, cabinets or countertops. Another common task inside of the house is installing tiling. Tiling installation may not seem hard, but if you do not have the right experience, your first few projects are bound to look rough. Handymen have the experience to quickly install tile while making sure it looks flawless. Similarly, some homeowners prefer to hire handymen to pain their home instead of doing it themselves so they know the final project will look good. 

A larger project for handymen is deck construction or repair. Because it typically requires a few extra workers to complete in a reasonable amount of time, not all handymen offer construction services. Many handymen offer similar repair services for outdoor sections of your home, such as fire pits and patios.

Handyman Rates

How much it costs to hire a handyman varies depending on the task. On average, you can expect to pay around $50 to $80 an hour. In comparison, contractors charge around $75 to $125 and often have a minimum number of hours you must pay for, even if the project is completed in less time. Most projects take between two to five hours to complete. Certain projects may cost more depending on the complexity. Crawl space or ceiling repair normally costs between $500 to $1,000 because it is more labor intensive.  

Angi

Angi, formally known as Angie’s List, is one of the top sites to hire both handymen and contractors. Handymen are given a grade based on their previous reviews. It is against the rules for handymen to rate themselves or pay for positive reviews. More experienced handymen are marked as certified pros. The website also allows you to search for specific projects, putting you in contact with the best handymen for your needs. You can also filter your search based on price and location.

Thumbtack

Thumbtack is another website designed for handymen and contractors. The marketplace is simpler compared to other websites, mostly putting clients in contact with potential handymen. Once you explain your project, you can get an estimate and setup a time for the handyman to come over. When you create a project, the website asks you several questions about what services you need, then comes up with a list of recommended handymen.

HomeAdvisor

HomeAdvisor is primarily focused around lawn maintenance and carpentry, but you can also find general handymen. HomeAdvisor has stricter screening procedures than other websites, ensuring only quality handymen are available for hire. Like with Thumbtack, you complete a questionnaire when you post a new project. The website then provides you with four potential handymen. If you are unsatisfied with the results, you can perform a general search through the database instead.

Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a unique site because it does not allow handymen to post ads. Instead, it acts as a social network for your community. This allows members of the community to communicate and ask questions, including recommendations for handymen. Not only can you speak directly with past clients instead of reading reviews, but it is a good way to become more involved with other members of your community. However, you must be willing to include your address when you register, otherwise, you will be unable to access the group for your neighborhood. If you are concerned about online privacy, consider a different option.

Local Resources

If you are not having any luck finding handymen online, check your local resources. A great place to find a handyman is your local hardware store. Many stores have a bulletin board or other resource where local handymen advertise their services. You can also ask employees for recommendations. Some of the larger stores may even provide their own handymen services.