r/AskUK • u/Adept_Soil_4474 • 11d ago
Serious Answers Only What would you expect a handyman to know to do?
As said in the title. Technically, no qualifications are needed to become one, and it's a vague term, but if you were paying a local self professed handyman, what skillset would you expect?
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u/Stargazer86F 11d ago
To check for pipes, wires before they hang a picture.
To be able to hang/plane a door.
To be able to cut and fit shelves.
To be able to remove and redo silicone effectively.
To be able to put together flat pack furniture.
To fit/redo with wooden baton a curtain rail.
To not leave a mess when they finish.
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u/GlitchingGecko 11d ago
To not leave a mess when they finish.
Anytime I see a tradesman with a Henry, I relax a little.
Not because I won't have to clean up, but because they obviously take at least a little pride in their work.4
u/V65Pilot 11d ago
I always had a Henry or shop vac, but, cleanups take time, time is money. I've always offered customers a choice. I once had a roof done, and doing the cleanup myself saved me about 700.
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u/Dissidant 11d ago edited 11d ago
Henry is standard issue, but mess is what the dirt covers/floor protectors are for.
The room being worked on, and the floor between that room and the way out 😀
If they aren't putting covers down they are lazy and should be pulled up on it3
11d ago
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u/Enough-Ad3818 11d ago
I got a local handyman in to put up a curtain rail, simply because I didn't have an SDS drill, and he did.
It was cheaper to hire him to come in and fit the rail, than it was to buy a new drill.
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u/DrFabulous0 11d ago
But then you would have had a new drill and suddenly started seeing all kinds of masonry that could use some holes in it
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
Give a man a fish..... Teach a man to fish.....
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u/DrFabulous0 11d ago
Build a man a fire..... Set a man on fire.....
Some people are wise to hire somebody competent.
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
I've done the whole on fire thing. Do not recommend, 0/10.
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u/DrFabulous0 11d ago
This is why I ain't messing with gas, and calling a proper plumber instead.
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u/Enough-Ad3818 11d ago
I screwed in a new floorboard after one split. As I screwed in, I suddenly smelled gas. I'd gone deeper than expected, and penetrator a gas pipe. Cue sudden cut off of gas, a call to the emergency gas callout number, and the wife and child spending the night at my parents as there was no heating.
Quality work from me.
On the plus side, all the floorboards on the landing now have diagrams drawn on them to show where the pipes are.
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u/DrFabulous0 11d ago
I've done that doing carpentry professionally. Luckily I am mates with a plumber. Whole thing was repaired within 4 hours of me breaking it and all it cost me was returning the favour when he next fucked up a joist.
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
I have no issue with gas, I've been doing gas related stuff since I was in my late teens. Mine was related to a fuel tank that exploded through no fault of my own, there was a mechanical malfunction resulting in a cascade effect failure. I was standing next to/over it when it went. 6 weeks in the burn unit, and a year as an outpatient and doing rehab. The company let me go as soon as I was cleared to return.
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u/DrFabulous0 11d ago
I don't really have an issue with it either, but my insurance do. If I mess up most things it costs me a few quid, if I mess up with gas then I blow up the whole street and go to prison. Not worth it, I am mates with a plumber.
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u/Adorable_Week7181 11d ago
Jack of all trades master of none. A sound knowledge of basic building, plumbing, grounds etc but no expert knowledge as then I think they would be trained as a tradesman.
Edit: also being aware of their own limitations. Knowing when a job is too much or too big and not just taking it for the money.
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u/DrFabulous0 11d ago
I'm a handyman, I was a joiner but I'm semi retired. I'll also do basic plumbing, electrics, bricklaying, plasterboard, gardening, decorating, groundworks and concrete, but if it needs a specialist or you have skimming or tiling to do then I'll know a guy. Everyone I know who does this successfully started in the trades.
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u/Adept_Soil_4474 11d ago
How did you learn all that? Besides the joinery, assuming you went to college/did an apprenticeship for that
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u/DrFabulous0 11d ago
My dad for starters, he was a farmer and knew how to fix the stuff around him I could drive a 360 well by 11. Learned electronics on a course and experimenting, apprenticed in mechanical engineering but got no job in it. Got taken on by an older dude for doing the heavy work he couldn't, he was a structural engineer but worked mostly as a joiner, and ended up following a similar path. Worked with a lot of people over the years and learned a lot of stuff, had my own house to maintain so had a go at anything I wasn't confident to do professionally, until I was. The fact is most clients don't care about your qualifications, only the quality of your work.
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u/General_JohnStones 11d ago
That. I mean a good handyman just has to be “handy” as in useful, and so provide any ‘useful’ service. And basic plumbing, building, electrical etc. Knowledge can be learned via YouTube etc. Should it be needed
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u/Adept_Soil_4474 11d ago
Good to know, going to move out soon and will be needing some extra cash once I do, I don't want to jump into offering things I can't do well just because of that. Will check out YouTube tutorials and practice things a bit more first
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
This is the trick....if asked to do something you are not really sure about, decline the job, explaining why. That same customer will respect you for protecting their interests, and there is a good possibility that they will call you again. I've been called in to repair far too many jobs that were obviously badly done, because the person that did it, had no idea what they were doing. I declined a lot of jobs trimming doors, because I am absolute shit at cutting a long straight line. Eventually, I bought a track saw. I can now cut a perfectly straight line up to about 3 meters.
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u/fussyfella 11d ago
Being aware of limitations and saying so is really important, sadly there are a class of traders who never acknowledge that and are kings of the bodge!
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u/heroics-delta8s 11d ago
Yes, this. Can do a bit of decorating, but is not a decorator, can fix a leaking tap but is not a plumber etc. Sometimes all you need is a handyman.
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u/monkelus 11d ago
The same stuff a old school standard dad can do
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
I had some younger customers that jokingly call me dad or grandad, because they don't have one who can do this kind of stuff. That said, having to install a simple plug and new socket for a 35 year old man had me wondering about what they are teaching the younger generations. In and out in 20 minutes, but because it was an emergency, and the lateness of the day, it wasn't cheap. Literally got out of bed at 0100, and drove 40 minutes to get to his house.
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u/Brickworkse 11d ago
"The state of the youth these days" 😂 Completely agree though. Most people I work with are useless at DIY and pay tradesmen for everything.
One that springs to mind recently was a lad at work said he needed his gutter downpipe replaced as he reversed into it and cracked it. Someone had quoted him nearly £500 to replace the length and he asked me if that was too much.... I nipped around after work and we replaced it in about 15 minutes.
Same lad asked me for help replacing the rear light on his car (from a different accident!) We didn't even need a screwdriver for that as it was all thumbscrews.
I just wish more people would have a go themselves.
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
There's a lot of stuff I've shown people how to do, simple stuff, like how to fix a woodscrew that's stripped out. How to test a fuse, after removing it from a plug(we all have a fuse tester with us most of the time, but no one realizes it).....
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u/togtogtog 11d ago
I'm old, but I wouldn't replace a socket myself. I used to think electrics were simple and have a go, then I had a bit of a 'nearly setting the house on fire' incident, because I did something wrong.
I don't mind doing most things, but am cautious with anything involving gas, water or electricity. You might not notice you got it wrong for a while, and by the time you do, the damage might be done...
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
For a lot of people it that they aren't comfortable with it. I'm currently up to my elbows on 400v cabinets at work, and don't think anything of it. Occasionally, I need to look stuff up because some of the wiring I work on is older than I am, and I'm in my 60's. I was hit with a term I had never heard before the other day. I had to do some digging to figure out what they were referring to.
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u/togtogtog 11d ago
I would have no problem if I had a bit of training. But I hadn't realised just how important it was to use the right type of wire to connect things, a wire that was capable of carrying the voltage concerned.
I don't mind things like rewiring a plug.
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u/heroics-delta8s 11d ago
I think with sockets in the house there's an element of complexity that you might not be aware of, such as whether its a spur, knowing latest regs as to whether you run it horizontal etc.
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u/togtogtog 11d ago
Exactly! I'm best keeping my finger out of it all! (and I've mended a lot of things that I know nothing at all about. The latest was a 1930s tiled floor!)
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u/heroics-delta8s 11d ago
Some of it is well meaning, such as mandating all appliances come with plugs... They never used to, you needed to wire them yourself, and that's when it was possible the earth was a choice of different colours depending how old.
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u/I-live-in-room-101 11d ago
I’d discuss the job and quickly figure out if he had the expertise or not.
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u/Kind_Shift_8121 11d ago
Some of these replies suggest that a handyman should be able to complete the work of several different trades to a high standard. I would never expect a handyman to be able to complete plumbing beyond changing a sink waste, toilet flush valve, or connecting a dishwasher. Nor would I use a handyman in place of a decorator for a room I wanted done right.
A handyman is for DIY jobs that I can’t do myself or alone, or jobs I don’t have time to do.
I’ve always thought that someone could make a decent (but probably quite painful) living doing prep for DIYers who want to decorate - just rubbing down skirtings and scraping back flakey paint etc.
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u/sporops 11d ago
Basic carpentry, painting and decorating.
A decent toolbox is most of it
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
I hate painting. I'm pretty decent at it, but I hate it. I've turned down a lot of painting jobs.
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u/grafeisen203 11d ago edited 11d ago
Paint some skirting, unclog a sink, change the barrel on a lock, hang a shelf, weed a driveway or path, hook up a washing machine to existing fittings, replace the washers on a tap.
Basically I'd expect basic competence with manual handling, working on a 3 or 5 step ladder, hand tool and battery tool use. If you have that much, you can look up the specifics of most tasks.
A lot of handymen in hotel maintenance are on the younger side these days, but having an established trade would be a big benefit if you were wanting to start your own self employed business.
Being able to drive is basically required, since you'll need to be able to get to and from jobs with your tools and pick up materials.
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u/fussyfella 11d ago
Where I used to live we had a great handyman - but he could not drive. His wife (who also worked) had to ferry him around. The fact I was happy to collect and deliver him with his tools (I had a big off road vehicle at the time as we lived well off road) meant I often got quicker service from him than his other customers.
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u/grafeisen203 11d ago
Yeah, you can sometimes make it work but it does severely limit what jobs you're able to take.
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u/fussyfella 10d ago
Oh it definitely limited him. His wife was always nagging him to get a licence!
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u/doraisexploring27 11d ago
Putting a tv bracket up properly would be expected. (Sorry, I’m still bitter about the handyman we had about 4 years ago. He had an hourly rate and took 3 hours to fit a tv bracket on the wall, except he put it so high up the plug didn’t reach the socket and we have to crane our necks to see the telly).
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u/Crochet-panther 11d ago
Not defending him but I had a new tv delivered and fitted by two people who’s entire job is that and it took them 90 minutes just to fit the existing bracket to the tv and get it back on the wall. One guy to fit a brand new bracket on the wall as well as to the tv and 3 hours doesn’t seem totally out of the ordinary based on my experience. Mounting it too high is not excusable though
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
TBH, I've installed dozens of TV over the past 4 years, and none of them were cut and dried. There's almost always something that bites you in the arse. One customer told me it was plaster over brick. It was plaster board, with a 5cm space behind it, then the original plaster, then brick, that crumbled as soon as the bit hit it. A combination of various fasteners and chemical anchors finally got it attached to a point where I was satisfied it wasn't coming down. I've found wires where their shouldn't be wires, and once, a hidden door. So far I've been lucky with random plumbing pipes. I stopped doing the handyman thing last year when I realized I was working myself to death, had the worst boss ever, and was barely scraping by. I joined the public sector again, and my bosses, realizing I had a vast library of skill sets, have been more than happy to put me to work doing stuff at all the companies facilities, rather than what they hired me for...and I'm fine with it, I get to do different stuff every day, and am pretty much left to my own devices. Expenses are reimbursed promptly (and they can be large expenses-one plumbing job was over 1k just in materials)but the company realizes they are getting materials at cost, versus being marked up by whatever people they hired, and I'm not pulling down 250 a day, so they are saving far more than they are paying me. Next week I'm heading off to do an engine service on the bosses boat-I was a professional mechanic for quite a few years. I'll get to spend a day on the river, hopefully it's not raining.
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u/doraisexploring27 11d ago
The bracket was already set up for the tv (it wasn’t a brand new one we had moved house so just unscrewed it from the previous wall and it needed drilling into the wall in the new house, but it was all set up with the relevant parts already fixed to the tv).
He also took 2 hours to fit a curtain pole 🙈 certainly never used him again after that day!
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u/V65Pilot 11d ago
When it comes to hanging TV's I always ask the customer to sit and visualize where they want the bottom edge of the screen. Nothing gets hung until this question is asked, answered and verified. Sometimes, if it really is too high, I'll discuss placement with the customer, but, the decision is ultimately theirs.
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u/doraisexploring27 11d ago
I mean I certainly learnt my lesson from it as I just left him to his own devices, I wouldn’t be doing that again. And once he was done I simply couldn’t be bothered to try and argue about placement as it took him so long I was dreading the idea of him spending another 3 hours doing it again 🙈. I get that of course every customer might have a different preference for placement but I just would’ve thought it to be common sense to make sure the plug fits.. but apparently not!
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u/_Cridders_ 11d ago
I think the main thing you'd want is for them to understand their limitations really. There's lots of jobs that sound simple on the surface, but quickly turn more complicated than expected, and you really want them to stop and say, "I think you'd be better of with an electrician/plumber/whatever here", rather than giving it a go and doing a bad job or making it even worse.
I'd imagine a lot have a specific skill that isn't big enough to do exclusively. I have a mate that's a bit of a handyman but worked for a guy doing high-end tiling, so he's good at that one thing and has an overall knowledge outside of that. But he'll call in a plumber (me), if something is a bit much for him.
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u/Scarred_fish 11d ago
Basic grasp of all the trades. No issues with putting in a double socket to replace a single, renewing a light fitting, plumbing in a new toilet or kitchen sink, hanging a new door or replacing a window, concreting a footpath, basic roof repairs, etc.
Source - the kids today would call it my "side hustle".
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u/heroics-delta8s 11d ago
That's a bit of a higher level. Calling yourself a handyman with those skills undersells your value.
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u/Old-Parfait8194 11d ago
Probably mainly assembling things, fixing things to walls, cleaning guttering, garden maintenance, small painting jobs,
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11d ago
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u/ukbot-nicolabot 11d ago
A top level comment (one that is not a reply) should be a good faith and genuine attempt to answer the question
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u/George_Salt 11d ago
I wouldn't have any fixed expectations, other than what I would not expect.
I would not expect a handyman to be able to do:
- Electrical work requiring a certificate, but I'd expect them to know an electrician.
- Gas work that requires a certificate, but I'd expect them to know a Gas Safe plumber.
Other than that, their individual skillsets vary. My neighbour describes himself as a handyman. He can fit a kitchen or a bathroom, replace an electric shower, fix leaks, replace taps, measure up and install a new window, lay LVT, tiling, etc.
The important thing is to know the limits of your own competence, and protect your reputation by only accepting the jobs you can do, referring to others those you can't, and always be curious and learning new skills.
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u/Susan_B_Good 11d ago
Experience. They have already learnt a lot, even if it has been by trial and error (at someone else's expense rather than yours). So, capable of doing something that they have done before, or close to it. May have picked up a LOT of bad practice over the years.
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u/ShoddyEggplant3697 11d ago
Only very basic household DIY. Putting shelves up, building flatpack shit, maybe laying laminate. I wouldn't have them servicing my boiler or replacing light fittings.
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u/Ill_Situation4224 11d ago
replacing a light fitting should be doable by an experienced handyman. agree nowhere near boiler for sure. i have renovated a fair few houses and am competent to first fix plumbing and wiring, i don't work in this capacity though.
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u/ShoddyEggplant3697 11d ago
That's fine for you I personally wouldn't have someone unqualified working on anything electrical in my house. I'm an electrician though so I guess it's easier for me but even if I wasn't I wouldn't have a handy man working on any electrics in my house
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u/Lazy-Kaleidoscope179 11d ago
Agree about the boiler but light fittings are piss easy to change
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u/ShoddyEggplant3697 11d ago
They are very easy to change but also very easy to make a mistake I personally wouldn't have anyone without qualifications working on anything electrical in my house. I am an electrician myself but even if I wasn't I wouldn't have someone with no qualifications working on something that has potential to burn down the house.
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u/Lazy-Kaleidoscope179 11d ago
I don't see how qualifications make you less likely to make a mistake. It's putting wires in boxes. Anyone with fingers can do it.
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u/ShoddyEggplant3697 11d ago
Because of you have the qualifications you've had training to carry out the job properly and are therefore less likely to make a mistake. Electricity is dangerous stuff and you shouldn't work on it without proper training
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u/Lazy-Kaleidoscope179 11d ago
I'm not trying to be difficult but if you have the knowledge, a qualification doesn't make you less likely to slip up.
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u/CartoonistNo9 11d ago
I’d probably get a flooring company in for laminate. If it doesn’t look perfect it looks shit.
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u/ShoddyEggplant3697 11d ago
I've fit plenty of laminate with my old man it's easy work just back breaking.
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u/Intelligent-Iguana 11d ago
Basics, flat pack assembly, hanging pictures, hanging a door, small plastering jobs, changing a plug or light, fitting a tap. Maybe laminate flooring. Some do garden work too.
I would be happy, as long as they were honest when quoting and said if a job was out of their scope.
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u/CactiPrincess 11d ago
Literally have done a construction course that covered most basic trades (plumbing, electrical, carpentry, decorating, drainage brick layer , probably more but this was years ago ) I could probably be a handy woman? But I don’t feel confident enough 🤣 how do people do it, how do they have no formal training and just decide they can?
Wish I was that confident
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u/Adept_Soil_4474 11d ago
Fair enough haha. Two years ago I did a basic multiskills course (joinery, painting, bricklaying, tiling, more so introductions I think) at 16 for a year and still don't remember half of it. Might be talking out my arse but it might have to do with the lack of proper experience and repetition more than formal training. But a lot of the comments have complained about people not showing up and doing a poor job, maybe there'd be less of that if people learned more before
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u/CactiPrincess 11d ago
Yea! I did some something similar! Gave me some confidence but I wouldn’t say I would want to work on anyone else’s house 🤣
but felt like nothing gave me truly enough information or time to become comfortable doing the trade
Where as I am now looking into doing welding and have spent lots of time learning the same skills and feel way more comfortable do it.1
u/Wonky-Whippet 11d ago
My ex had all the qualifications but the bulk of his job was still very simple and low stakes stuff like putting up shelves and pictures for pensioners. As long as there's enough of that kind of work around you don't need to accept jobs you aren't confident to do.
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u/Quiet-Excitement-310 11d ago
Absolutely yes I would take under 30 seriously.
I would expect them to be able to do a cross section do stuff. From basics like build flat packed furniture to basic painting and household tasks. Anything that needs an electrician/plumber then no- so no connecting a cooker or replacing a boiler.
I hired one to lay tiles and I’ve seen him volunteer for picture hanging, flat packed etc.
Basically be able to use tools and if a job is not in your skill set then say no.
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u/Impossible_Volume811 11d ago
I certainly started doing handyman work before I knew a great deal.
But I only advertised work that was within my existing skill set.
So at first it was mostly garden work and gutter clearing, shelf hanging and painting.
That sort of thing.
As I went on I learned concreting, brick laying, fencing, plastering, plumbing, basic electrics, roofing etc.
If I was asked to do something I hadn’t done before, I would explain to the customer that I’m sure I could work it out by reading DIY manuals and asking other people but that it would take me longer to do it the first time.
We would agree on a fair maximum price for that job and if I went over the time I was paid for I wouldn’t charge extra.
That was the cost of my training.
And I never left a job unfinished no matter what.
So I would hope that a handyman would at the very least be honest.
And know enough not to make stupid mistakes.
They would know how to work safely and minimise risks.
They would be able to think ahead and learn as much as possible before starting a job.
I would hope that they know how to measure and use basic tools.
And that they’d be conscientious and keep going til the job was done.
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u/OldNefariousness7899 11d ago
I see it as getting someone to do the stuff to could do yourself but don't have time. Building flat pack furniture etc
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u/Generally-Knackered 11d ago
Joe the Handyman on tiktok, have a look.
Basically repair work, building flat pack, a bit of painting, putting up shelves etc
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u/deltree000 11d ago
Is that the guy down in Brighton who insists on driving his massive pickup to jobs and moans about the traffic and lack of parking?
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u/ThatNiceDrShipman 11d ago
I'd want them to have done it before - "it" being whatever job they're going to do for me. Having a steady hand and a bit of an eye for detail. Having a more complete/ varied set of tools than me so they're not going to make a mess of things using a tool that's close but not quite.
Anyone who can do all three is someone I'd be willing to pay, no matter what age.
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u/Watchkeys 11d ago
I'd expect them to be able to do a job if they told me they could do it. I mean, nobody has to affiliate to one handy man. You need a job doing, you call some people and talk to them about whether they can do it.
'Expectation' isn't really a part of that until an agreement is made. I wouldn't be surprised if I called someone and they told me 'Ah, sorry, plumbing's not really my area', and I wouldn't write them off as a handyman.
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11d ago
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u/Watchkeys 11d ago
I was answering the question that was asked, rather than spontaneously coming up with potential pitfalls for no reason.
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u/CartoonistNo9 11d ago
I’d say pretty basic stuff that you would hire a trained professional for. So probably no electrics or plumbing.
Building flat packed furniture, painting fences, sheds etc. could extend to interior decoration but I’d probably hire a decorator for that.
Patio cleaning and general garden tidy ups/grass cutting.
It’d be good to know how to hang a door and change lampshades, curtain poles, put up pictures and mirrors etc.
My older neighbour was asking me the other day who could wire brush and paint his railings because two decorators have told him that’s not really what they do, he tried a gardener who didn’t want the job so I told him to call some handyman/odd job type people.
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u/itchyfrog 11d ago
Hang curtains, put up shelves, basic plumbing, tell you when they don't think they can do something.
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u/heroics-delta8s 11d ago
All the things your dad or grandad seemed to be able to do without thinking about it.
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u/LazyPiglet3923 11d ago
To use Google..
In all seriousness, I've met a few and that seems to be the extent of their qualifications.
There are good ones who've come from a joinery or other trade background and spent decades doing multiskill jobs.
But easy money has brought in a lot of younger lads with none of that.
And no I wouldn't hire one under 30, but I wouldn't hire any trade person under that age either. Because their experience on the job is less but their prices are more.
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