What a handyman costs in Leicester depends on the jobs on your list: how many there are, the materials, your wall types and how easy things are to reach. Many handymen charge by the hour or half day, which leaves the final bill open. A fixed price per job, agreed from photos before work starts, tells you the total up front. Typical job ranges are below, and a clear job list with photos gets you the most accurate price.
Prices at a glance
| Job | Typical price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| TV wall mounting, one TV, cables in trunking | Fixed price per job | Usually 1–2 hours |
| Flat-pack wardrobe assembly | Fixed price per job | Usually 2–4 hours, depending on size |
| Fitting shelves, up to three | Fixed price per job | Usually 1–2 hours |
| Curtain pole or blind, per window | Fixed price per job | Usually under an hour |
| Sticking internal door eased and adjusted | Fixed price per job | Usually under an hour |
| Kitchen or basin tap replaced | Fixed price per job | Usually 1–2 hours |
| Socket, switch or light fitting replaced like for like | Fixed price per job | Usually under an hour |
How do handymen usually charge?
There are three common ways: by the hour, by the half day or day, or a fixed price per job. Some add a minimum call-out charge, and many add materials on top at cost or with a mark-up.
Hourly and half-day rates look simple, but they only tell you the price of time, not the price of your job. The final bill depends on how long things take on the day, how many trips to the merchant are needed and how the time is rounded. Two quotes with the same hourly rate can end in very different totals.
- Hourly rate
- You pay for time; the total is unknown until the end.
- Half-day or day rate
- Fine if the list fills the time; poor value if not.
- Fixed price per job
- One agreed total before work starts.
Why is a fixed price per job better for the customer?
Because you know the total before anyone picks up a drill, and the risk of a job running long sits with the tradesperson, not with you. If a wardrobe takes longer to build than expected, that is not your problem.
A fixed price also makes quotes easy to compare. You can put three prices for the same list side by side, instead of guessing how many hours each person will take. It suits landlords and letting agents who need a cost approved before work, and anyone working to a budget.
A fixed price is only as good as the description behind it. If the job turns out different from the photos, such as a wall that is hollow where it looked solid, a fair tradesperson stops, shows you and prices the change before doing it. That is how we work: one fixed price per job, agreed in advance, and nothing extra without your approval.
What makes a handyman job cheaper or dearer?
The biggest factors are the number and type of jobs, the materials, the walls and the access. Travel and setting up are part of every visit, so several jobs done together usually work out better value than the same jobs booked one by one.
- Number of jobs
- One visit for a full list beats several single visits.
- Materials
- Who supplies brackets, fixings, poles or taps changes the price.
- Wall types
- Brick, plasterboard and dot-and-dab each need different fixings.
- Access
- High ceilings, stairwells and ladder work take longer.
- Size and weight
- Large wardrobes or TVs may need two people.
- Old items
- Removing old brackets, poles or fittings and filling holes.
- Making good
- Filling, painting or patching after the job.
How do I write a good job list for a handyman?
Number each job, say exactly what you want done and where, and add at least one wide photo and one close-up per job. A good list gets you an accurate fixed price without a survey visit, and avoids surprises on the day.
For example: '1. Mount 55-inch TV on living room chimney breast, bracket supplied, model number attached. 2. Build IKEA double wardrobe in back bedroom, product link attached. 3. Fit curtain poles to two bedroom windows, 1.8m each, I have the poles.' That is enough to price all three.
- What and where
- Room, wall and position for each job.
- Measurements
- Window widths, shelf lengths, door sizes.
- Model numbers and links
- TV model, flat-pack product page, tap make.
- Who supplies what
- Say which parts you have and which you need.
- Photos
- A wide shot for context and a close-up of the detail.
- Anything you already know
- Hollow walls, past problems, parking or access.
What jobs can a handyman do?
Most small fixing, fitting and assembly jobs around the home. These are the ones that come up most often on job lists.
- TV wall mounting
- Bracket, level and cable tidy; wall type sets the fixings.
- Flat-pack assembly
- Wardrobes, beds, desks, drawers, anchored to the wall where needed.
- Shelves and storage
- Floating shelves, alcove shelving, garage racking.
- Doors
- Sticking doors, new handles, hinges and latches.
- Curtain poles and blinds
- Level, secure, sized to the window.
- Small plumbing
- Taps, toilet parts, appliance hoses, silicone.
- Small electrical
- Like-for-like sockets, switches and light fittings.
When do you need a qualified electrician or plumber instead?
When the work goes beyond like-for-like small jobs. A general handyman can legally do some minor electrical and plumbing work, but it must still meet the rules, and some work must only be done or signed off by a qualified, registered tradesperson.
For electrics, new circuits, consumer unit changes and most new work in bathrooms are notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations. They must be done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, or notified to building control before work starts. Even minor work, such as adding a socket, must meet the current Wiring Regulations (BS 7671, 18th Edition). You can check any electrician on the Electrical Competent Person register, or with the scheme they say they belong to, such as NICEIC or NAPIT.
For plumbing, all work must meet the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. Hidden pipework, new supplies and soldered joints are best left to someone with plumbing training, and unvented hot water cylinders need a specially qualified installer. Anything on a gas supply, boiler or gas appliance needs a Gas Safe registered engineer. We do not do gas work.
- Electrician needed
- New circuits, fuse boxes, bathroom electrics, outdoor supplies.
- Plumber needed
- Hidden pipework, new supplies, cylinders, persistent leaks.
- Gas Safe engineer needed
- Boilers, gas hobs, gas fires, gas pipework.
Can one person do the electrical, plumbing and handyman jobs on my list?
Yes, if they are qualified for each trade. That is the main advantage of a multi-trade business: one visit, one person and one fixed price, instead of booking a handyman, an electrician and a plumber separately.
So a list like 'mount the TV, add a socket behind it, replace the kitchen tap and fit a curtain pole' can be priced together and done in one visit. Electrical work that needs a certificate comes with one.
How do I compare handyman quotes?
Check that each quote covers every job on your list, says who supplies the materials and gives a total, not just a rate. Then look for the warning signs.
- A rate with no total
- You carry all the risk of the job running long.
- 'Materials extra' with no detail
- Ask what is needed and what it costs.
- No insurance
- Ask for public liability cover before work starts.
- No paperwork for electrical work
- Notifiable work needs a certificate and notification.
- Gas work offered
- Only a Gas Safe registered engineer may do it.
Questions
Do I need to buy the materials myself?
Either way works. If you already have the bracket, pole or tap, say so on your list and we price the fitting only. If you want us to supply parts, we name them in the quote so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Can a landlord send a job list for a rented property?
Yes. Send the list with the tenant's photos and access details, and we reply with one fixed price for you to approve. Once the work is done, we can send photos of the finished jobs for your records, which helps if you manage homes across Leicester remotely.
What if a job takes longer than expected?
With a fixed price, the price stays the same. It only changes if the job turns out different from what was described, such as a hidden pipe where the shelf needs to go. Then the work stops, you are shown the problem and any change is priced first.
Can you finish a DIY job I've already started?
Usually, yes. Describe what has been done and send clear photos, including any half-fitted parts. A part-finished job is priced as we find it, and sometimes it is quicker to undo part of it and start again, which we will explain in the quote.
Can I add a job on the day?
Ask. If it is small, the right tools and parts are on hand and there is time, it can often be priced on the spot and done once you agree the price. Otherwise it is priced and booked for another visit.