Questions to Ask a Handyman
Questions to ask before hiring a handyman for a repair or small improvement job. Covers licensing and insurance, how the price is built, who actually turns up, and what happens when the job turns out to be bigger than expected.
20 questions · each with the reason to ask it · conversation guide
The questions
Open any question to see why it works
- 01
Have you done this exact job before, and can you show me one?
Why ask it
A photo of similar work is easy for someone who has done it and awkward for someone who has not. Handyman is a broad label covering everything from shelf hanging to tiling.
- 02
Are you insured, and can you send me the certificate?
Why ask it
Asking for the document rather than the answer is the whole point, since almost everyone says yes. Check the dates and that the trade listed matches the work.
- 03
Does this job need a licence or a permit where I live?
Why ask it
Electrical, plumbing and structural work usually do, and a handyman who tells you it does not is either unaware or willing to leave you with unpermitted work to disclose when you sell.
- 04
Do you charge by the hour or for the job?
Why ask it
Hourly suits small unpredictable tasks; a fixed price suits defined ones. The mismatch, hourly on a vague job, is where bills grow without anyone lying.
- 05
Is there a minimum charge or a call-out fee?
Why ask it
Many charge a one or two hour minimum, which changes the economics of a fifteen minute fix. Worth grouping small jobs into one visit once you know.
- 06
Can I have that in writing, itemised for labour and materials?
Why ask it
The split matters, because a single lump sum makes it impossible to tell whether a later increase is time or parts. Reluctance to itemise is a reasonable point to walk away.
- 07
Is the quote fixed, or an estimate that could move?
Why ask it
These are different commitments and the words are often used loosely. Ask what would have to happen for it to change.
- 08
Who is actually doing the work, and will you be here?
Why ask it
Some operators subcontract or send a less experienced helper. You are hiring the person whose examples you were shown, and it is fair to ask that it be them.
- 09
When could you start, and how many days would you be here?
Why ask it
Availability that is immediate for a well-reviewed trade in a busy area is worth a second look. Multi-day jobs also need you to know which days they are not coming.
- 10
What time do you arrive, and will you be on other jobs the same day?
Why ask it
Someone splitting the day between three sites will finish yours later than promised. Better established as an expectation than discovered on day two.
- 11
What happens if you open it up and find something worse?
Why ask it
Rot, old wiring and hidden leaks are common. You want an agreement that they stop and quote before continuing, rather than proceeding and presenting a bill.
- 12
Is this a repair or a proper fix, and how long should it last?
Why ask it
Sometimes a patch is the sensible choice, but you should be the one choosing it. An honest tradesperson will say plainly which one they are giving you.
- 13
Who buys the materials, and do you mark them up?
Why ask it
A markup is normal and often covers the trip to the supplier. Knowing it exists lets you decide whether to supply anything yourself.
- 14
What warranty is there on your labour, and how long on the parts?
Why ask it
These are separate. Labour cover of a few months is common; parts are usually covered by the manufacturer, and you want to know who deals with a claim.
- 15
What deposit do you need, and when is the balance due?
Why ask it
A deposit covering materials is standard. A request for most of the total before work starts is the most common warning sign in home repair.
- 16
Do you take card or bank transfer as well as cash?
Why ask it
A cash-only requirement removes your record of payment and any card protection. It is not automatically a problem, but ask for a receipt either way.
- 17
Do you take the old materials and rubbish away?
Why ask it
Disposal of tiles, timber or an old appliance can cost real money and is frequently excluded. Clarify before it is sitting in your driveway.
- 18
What do you need me to move or prepare before you arrive?
Why ask it
Clearing a room or emptying a cupboard takes you an hour and costs their hourly rate if they do it. Ask about water and power shut-offs too.
- 19
Will you need access when I am not home, and how do you handle keys?
Why ask it
Worth settling in advance, along with whether pets or an alarm complicate it. Someone experienced will have a straightforward answer.
- 20
Can I have two recent customers to call, with similar jobs?
Why ask it
The word recent and similar are what make this useful. Ask those customers whether the final bill matched the quote, which is the thing reviews rarely mention.
Hiring a handyman
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
Before you commit
Before you commit
Get three quotes for anything over a few hundred
Not to pick the cheapest, but because three prices tell you what the job is worth. The one far below the others usually means something has been left out of the scope.
Describe the job the same way to everyone
Write two or three sentences and send the identical text plus photos to each. Quotes are otherwise not comparable, and you will not be able to tell why they differ.
Check the insurance certificate, not the claim
Ask for the document and look at the expiry date and the trades listed. If they will be working on your roof or your wiring, this is the difference between their problem and yours.
Agree the scope in writing, including what is excluded
Disposal, making good, paint, and who supplies materials. Most disputes are about something neither party thought to mention rather than about quality.
Pay in stages against progress
A deposit for materials, the balance on completion, and for longer jobs a payment at an agreed midpoint. Keep enough back that finishing properly is in their interest.
Warning signs
Warning signs
Pressure to decide today
A discount that expires this afternoon, or a warning that the problem is urgent when nothing is leaking, is a sales tactic rather than a trade assessment.
Full payment up front
The most common way people lose money on home repairs. A materials deposit is reasonable; the whole amount before any work is not.
No written quote
A verbal figure is unenforceable and easily remembered differently. If they will not put a number on paper or in an email, that is your answer.
Work that needs a licence being waved off
Anyone offering to do notifiable electrical or gas work without the relevant certification is putting the liability, and the resale problem, onto you.
No fixed address or company details
A mobile number and nothing else leaves you with no recourse if the work fails after they have gone.
Checking someone out
Checking someone out
- Verify any licence number directly with the issuing state or local authority
- Search the business name alongside the word complaint as well as reading its own reviews
- Ask the two references whether the final bill matched the quote
- Confirm the name on the insurance certificate matches the name on the quote
- Check whether a permit is required for your specific job with your local building department