If you need some help around the house, from repainting the spare bedroom to putting up some flatpack furniture then a handyman service could be exactly what you are after. Handymen offer a wide variety of services to help you fix up your home, but with such a wide number of services available, it can be difficult to find out the price of a handyman for your project. This guide should help you find out the typical handyman prices before you book in your job.
How much does a reliable London handyman charge per hour in 2022?
No matter the task, you will always want a handyman that is professional, reliable, arrives on time, and has the skills and equipment to get the job done. Most handyman companies charge by the hour, and therefore you want to find someone who will be able to handle the task efficiently, understanding the task from the outset and with the tools in hand to get the job done.
Some handyman companies, including us here at Bits Bobs and Odd Jobs, take it one step further and after the first hour will charge in 30 increments. This saves you money, because if your job lasts 2h25, then we would just charge you for 2h30 rather than for a whole three hours that other firms might cost. At BBOJ we charge £96/hr (£80 + VAT) for the first hour of any job and then £48 per 30 minutes (£40+ VAT) for every half hour after that.
One last item to note in the cost of booking a handyman is insurance. If you are booking a one-man-band handyman, then be sure to check with them that they hold the relevant insurance, such as public liability insurance. Many handyman and building firms will link to their insurance policy from their websites, just as we do at BBOJ, to put your mind at ease that they are covered for every eventuality.
How much does a handyman plumber charge per hour?
Handymen are multi-skilled by definition, but there are certain tasks that require additional training and certification. Many basic plumbing tasks can be handled by a general handyman, but if the job involves anything to do with your gas or heating then you may need a plumber that is certified Gas Safe.
All plumbers are required to take a Gas Safe course every four years to maintain their Gas Safe certificate, and they need to sign-off work on any relevant work before reconnecting the gas-supply.
Hiring a Gas Safe plumber will general cost a little more than hiring a general handyman. At BBOJ, we charge £114/hr (£95 + VAT) to hire our Gas Safe plumber for such tasks, which is £18/h more than our standard handyman rate.
How much does a handyman electrician charge per hour?
Just as those working with gas should be certified Gas Safe, handymen electricians that work with electricals and wiring should be NICEIC registered.
When the job requires a highly-skilled electrician, we send out a NICEIC-registered electrician to take care of the task. Hiring such a skilled tradesman will cost slightly more than hiring a general handyman, and at BBOJ we charge £114/hr (£95 + VAT) to hire our NICEIC electrician, which is £18/h more than our standard handyman rate.
Are there any other costs involved?
Handyman companies should always be upfront with you about any additional charges beyond their hourly rate. If completing your job requires new materials, such as replacing a back door or adding new locks to windows, then you should expect these materials to be charged on top, but in general a handyman should have all the tools they require to complete the task without the need to rent anything at further expense.
If there are costs like parking charges and ULEZ fees to get to your property, then most handyman companies will also pass these costs along to you.
Always get a quote first
It is critical that you always get a quote before you hire a handyman to complete a task to make sure that you are prepared for the cost and how long a job should take.
It can be difficult to determine exactly how long a job might take with a quick discussion over the phone. Therefore, in order to provide a more accurate quote we ask that you send us images of the jobs you need taking care of either using our booking form or via WhatsApp. If needed, we may also send out a handyman to your property to look at the work in person to give a better estimate of the time and cost of the project.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule?
Any good handyman company should understand that there are times when circumstances change and you might need to cancel or reschedule. In general, if you cancel or reschedule a handyman job with sufficient notice then you should not be charged. At BBOJ, we ask that you give us 24 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a job. If you cancel a job later than that then we charge a £42 (£35+VAT) late cancellation fee to cover our costs.
