A good handyman covers an enormous amount of ordinary household work faster and more cheaply than calling separate trades. Some jobs, though, are either legally restricted or carry a risk that makes them somebody else's job. Knowing the line saves you money and stops you paying twice.
Ideal handyman jobs
These are the jobs where a skilled generalist with a full van is the right answer.
- Shelves, mirrors, TV brackets and curtain poles
- Flat pack furniture assembly
- Sticking or dropped doors eased and adjusted
- Skirting, architrave and trim repairs
- Silicone, sealant and grout renewal
- Small tiling and making good
- Fence panels, gates and garden repairs
- Replacing like for like taps, handles and fittings
Jobs that need a specialist by law or certification
No competent tradesman will take these on outside their own qualification, and you should be wary of anyone who offers to.
- Any gas work, including boilers and gas hobs, needs a Gas Safe engineer
- New circuits and consumer unit work need a qualified electrician
- Removing or altering load-bearing walls needs a structural engineer
- Work on shared or leasehold structure may need landlord or freeholder consent
The grey area, and how to handle it
Plenty of jobs sit in between: a shower valve swap, a section of pipework, a floor that might be hiding something worse. The honest approach is to look first and say plainly whether it is within scope. Where it is not, saying so before starting is far cheaper for you than finding out halfway through.
Booking sensibly
Put your whole list in one message, including the jobs you suspect need a specialist. It is quicker to sort the list once and book the right people than to discover the split on the day.