How Much do Handymen Charge?

A handyman performs a wide range of basic home projects ranging from fixing a squeaky door and repairing a broken window, to weatherproofing and even simple plumbing. We all need a handyam once in a while, they’re the jack of all trades. But, with all the DIY posts we just recently had, would you still opt to hire a handyman? I mean, if you can do something for free, then do it for free… right? How much can you save doing it yourself? How much do handymen charge anyway?

A handyman I know personally shares that, taking all of the quoting, following up, and driving time into consideration, 25 and 35 hours per week is usually their working hours. With that number however, hourly rates differ greatly. Some handymen charge over $100/hour because they know what their doing and do it efficiently and professionally. However, there are the guys  that only charge $10/hour too! So what determines their price range?

Handymen who work independently have the advantage of setting their own hours and rates. They also gain popularity and reputation by informal referrals or by word of mouth alone. There are also professional handyman firms that have began to rise in number in the past years, either as local businesses with teams of employees or as a national chain.

For independent handymen services, expect to pay about $30-$50 an hour if you live in a rural area. This rate, on the other hand, is believed to be more expensive in urban areas and regions with a higher cost of living with $40-$60 an hour. Again, these rates are just average estimates, and will vary by region and by individual worker. Some handymen charge a lump sum for a specific project, depending on the complexity of the project too.
A handyman working for a professional handyman company, depending on the skills needed, will charge from $60 to $125 an hour. There’s often a $150-$350 minimum charge and there can be a $30-$100 “trip” charge too, that is, if the worker needs to purchase tools and materials elsewhere.