Handyman Services near you

Handyman work is varied by nature, but most requests fall into a handful of families. What they share is scale: each task is small, mostly functional or cosmetic, and leaves the structure and the building's systems alone.

The line is drawn by risk, not by how long the job takes. Swapping a light fixture or adding an outlet can look like a quick task, but a mistake can mean a fire or a shock years later, so electrical work goes to a licensed electrician. Connecting a range, a dryer or a fireplace to a gas line is work for a licensed gas technician. Plumbing beyond simple upkeep, such as adding a fixture, moving a drain or replacing a water heater, belongs to a licensed plumber and may need a permit.

Structural changes, like removing a wall or notching a joist, need a contractor and often an engineer, and materials suspected of containing asbestos or large areas of mould call for specialists. A good handyman says so before starting. If your list mixes a new ceiling fan, a leaking shut-off valve and a series of small repairs, expect a suggestion to hand the first two to the right trades and keep the rest.

In Quebec, the RBQ states that anyone who carries out construction work, or has it carried out, must be licensed unless the law exempts them. A person who does construction work for someone else for profit is considered a contractor, and the RBQ reads profit broadly, to include any direct or indirect benefit. Residential renovation work done for you is covered, so the person you hire needs a licence with the subclasses the job requires.

The RBQ doesn't publish a general exemption for small jobs. Its list of work that needs no licence is short and specific, covering activities such as inspections, delivering construction materials and installing self-adhesive film. Whether a particular repair counts as construction work isn't always obvious, so for anything that touches the building itself, such as replacing a door, redoing a section of drywall or rebuilding steps, ask whether the handyman holds an RBQ licence, check the number in the RBQ's online register and, when in doubt, ask the RBQ before work begins.

Outside Quebec, the rules for general repair work vary by province and municipality. Check with your city whether a business licence applies, and remember that a building permit is needed whenever the work calls for one, whoever does it.

Grouping small jobs into one visit means the travel, setup and cleanup happen once instead of for each task, and the handyman can plan the order of the work. A clear list sent ahead of time does most of that planning for them.

Handymen usually price work in one of two ways. Hourly billing charges for the time spent, which suits a varied list or a repair whose extent only becomes clear once it's opened up, such as a door that may need more than a new hinge. A per-job price is set in advance for a well-defined task, like assembling a given piece of furniture or mounting a television on a bracket you supply. It protects you if the job drags on, but it's only as reliable as the description it's based on.

Many handymen blend the two, quoting common tasks at a set price and billing the rest by the hour. Whatever the model, get the estimate in writing, with what's included, how materials and supply runs are billed, and how any extra work will be approved before it's done.

Small jobs can still cause real damage: a drill bit through a hidden pipe or wire, a television that comes off its bracket, a ladder that gouges a hardwood floor. Liability insurance is what pays for that kind of damage, so ask for proof of coverage before work starts, ideally a certificate showing the insurer and the policy period. Condo managers often ask for the same document before letting a worker into the building.

It's also fair to ask how the handyman stands behind their work. A reputable one will come back to redo a caulk bead that lifts or a shelf that sags, and will put that promise in writing along with the estimate.

A fall from a ladder can cause serious injury even from a modest height, and many handyman tasks, from hanging curtain rods to recaulking a window, happen off the ground. Whether you're watching a handyman work or doing a quick job yourself, these habits separate safe ladder work from risky shortcuts.