Handypeople - what you need to know
A handyperson can carry out a range of small "odd jobs" around the home that you can't or don't want to do yourself. They're skilled at a wide range of repairs and maintenance work. If you bought some flat pack furniture and you've been frantically typing 'how to put up IKEA furniture' in an online search engine ever since, a handyperson can take the task off your hands. They can also hang objects on walls - like shelves, mirrors, TVs and photos - so you can finally get that photo wall you’ve been dreaming of.
What a handyperson can help with
- Assembling flat pack furniture.
- Hanging photos/mirrors/TVs on a wall.
- Mowing a lawn.
- Hanging shelves on a wall.
- Small paint jobs that don’t require a painter/decorator.
- Cleaning a driveway.
Sometimes, there are things that need doing in the house but they seem too small to justify hiring someone to get them done. It could be a small area that needs painting, or you might want your lawn mown and your driveway and garden path hosed down. These are the kinds of jobs a handyperson can take care of. They tend to charge by the hour so they can carry out a number of tasks on one visit.
Questions you should ask a handyperson
- How long have they been trading?
- What work can they do? (It’s a good idea to ask about extra skills, such as electrical.)
- What experience do they have carrying out similar work to your job? Can they show you pictures?
- What have their favourite jobs been/what jobs do they like doing?
- How will they make sure the heavy object won’t fall off the wall?
- Will they supply the materials for the job (e.g. nails/screws)?
- Do they have public liability insurance and what does this cover?
- Will they be carrying out the job themselves or sub-contracting it? If the job’s being carried out by someone else, what experience do they have and are they covered by insurance?
- Will they give a guarantee/warranty for the work and how long does this last?
- Is the cost of the job per hour or per finished job?
See the latest questions that homeowners have been asking about help with general DIY.
Handyperson ideas
Get some ideas for how you can display photos on a wall . Plus, get smarter with storage with these shelving ideas.