Small repairs at home – how to find a reliable handyman and avoid scams

A dripping tap, a shelf that needs putting up, a wardrobe still in boxes, mouldy silicone around the bathtub. Large companies often do not bother with small jobs like these, and the handyman you know is booked up for weeks. And when someone finally gets back to you, the worries start: how much will it cost, will they ask for a deposit and disappear, and will the work last?

Most problems can be avoided before the work even starts. All it takes is to describe clearly what you need, compare quotes, agree on the price and the way of paying, and know which jobs belong only to professionals.

How small jobs are charged

Handymen usually charge for small jobs in one of these ways, often in combination:

• By the hour. The most common, usually with a minimum, for example one hour even if the work takes fifteen minutes.
• Per task. For example for putting up one shelf or replacing one tap.
• Call-out fee. A flat fee for coming out, sometimes combined with the first hour of work in one package.

On top of that, there is almost always materials (wall plugs, silicone, seals, spare parts) and, for jobs further away, travel. If you want to know what is usual in your area, ask two or three people to quote for the same job and compare not only the amount but also what it includes.

Combine several small jobs into one visit

Since you pay a call-out fee and a minimum time, a single small job works out expensive. For the handyman, a tiny job is not very attractive either: travel, parking, carrying tools upstairs and in the end twenty minutes of work.

• Keep a list. Write down everything that needs doing at home: a lamp, pictures, a sticking cupboard door. After a few weeks the list adds up to half a day of work.
• Team up with neighbors. Two homes in the same building are much more interesting for many handymen than one.
• Get the materials in advance, or agree on who brings them, so nobody has to come twice.

How to describe the job so the price is accurate

Your message should include:

• exactly what needs doing, point by point – "hang an upper kitchen cabinet" instead of "small assembly job",
• photos of the spot, the materials and any damage, close up and from further away,
• dimensions and wall type (brick, concrete, plasterboard, wood), the weight of heavier items,
• what you already have: tools, materials, spare parts, instructions,
• where: neighborhood, floor, lift, parking, any building rules (when drilling is allowed),
• when: two or three possible dates.

Sample message:

"Hello, I am looking for someone for a few small jobs in an apartment in [neighborhood], third floor, there is a lift. I need two shelves put up on a concrete wall, the silicone around the bathtub replaced and a dripping kitchen tap looked at. Photos attached. I have the materials for the shelves, but not the silicone. Saturday morning or Tuesday early evening would suit me. How do you charge, and roughly how much would it cost including travel?"

Checklist for choosing a handyman

• Recommendations from people who have already used them. Neighbors, colleagues or the building manager often know reliable handymen.
• Photos of real work, ideally before and after, not nice pictures from the internet.
• A real name and a working phone number, possibly a workshop or company address, not just a nickname in a chat.
• Experience with exactly this kind of job. A good painter does not necessarily know how to fix a drain.
• The questions they ask. A good handyman asks about details and wants photos or to see the spot before setting a price.
• A price that is noticeably lower than everyone else's is a signal to ask more questions.
• A receipt. If it is a self-employed person or a company, ask whether they will issue a receipt. It helps if you need to make a complaint.

Questions before agreeing: How do you charge, and what is the minimum? Are materials included, and will there be a receipt for them? How long do you think it will take? Do you have your own tools? What happens if something gets damaged during the work? Evasive answers are a reason to pay closer attention.

What a quote should include

For a bigger job, ask for a written quote. A chat message is enough if it contains this information:

If someone refuses to put anything in writing, saying "we trust each other, don't we", be on your guard.

Deposit and payment

• Small jobs are paid after completion. A job of a few hours does not need a deposit.
• Never pay the full amount upfront, however big the discount on offer.
• A deposit only for materials and against a receipt. Another option: the handyman sends a list and you buy the materials yourself.
• For bigger jobs, payment in stages. For example, part at the start when the materials are on site, another part after the first half has been checked and the rest after completion.
• The last payment only after checking. Run the water, switch on the light, open and close the door, and only then pay.
• Payment to an account in the name of the handyman or company. If it is supposed to go to someone else's account, ask why first.
• When paying cash, ask for at least a simple receipt.

During the work

• Agreements in writing. If something is agreed by phone, send a short summary in the chat.
• Extra work only after agreeing on the price. For example: "To sum up what we agreed: you will also replace the tap at the sink, I have the tap, and the labor will be added to the final payment. If that works for you, just confirm."
• Photos of the progress serve as evidence for both sides.
• Keep the receipts for materials.
• Put valuables somewhere safe. On the first visit it is good if someone else is at home too, or at least let someone know who is coming to your home and when.

What belongs only to professionals

A handy person from the neighborhood can do a lot, but some jobs are a matter of safety:

• electrical wiring – new sockets, outlets, circuit breakers,
• gas – boilers, cookers, gas lines, without exception,
• water pipes inside walls and anything related to damp and mould in the walls,
• load-bearing walls, openings in walls, balconies and roofs.

Rules differ by country. Some work may only be allowed for a licensed professional and some may require a permit, so check locally and ask the handyman directly whether they hold the relevant license. In a rented home, talk to the landlord or building manager before any bigger work. And if you smell gas, air the room, do not switch anything on, leave the home and call the emergency service.

Warning signs

• They ask for a large deposit before starting, or more money without visible progress.
• They keep postponing the start, with a new reason every time.
• They are harder and harder to reach.
• They send someone else instead without warning.
• They push for a quick decision: "this price is only valid today".
• A flyer in your letterbox with an emergency number but no name or company address.

When these signs appear, stop any further payment until the work progresses as agreed.

If something goes wrong

1. Write to the handyman about what was left unfinished or does not work, and ask for a date to fix it.
2. Gather evidence: the quote, the chat, payment confirmations, before and after photos.
3. If you cannot reach an agreement, seek advice from a consumer protection organization or a lawyer.
4. If it was a scam from the start, contact the police.

Watch out for people who promise to "get your money back" for an upfront fee.

A reliable handyman nearby

The best handymen are usually the ones your neighbors have already tried and are happy to recommend. At QuickCashSpace we are preparing a service that we think you will like. Sign up for news – the form is right below this article – and we will let you know when it launches.