Most people who book a handyman are not calling about one job. They have a list: a shelf that needs putting up, a door that catches, a curtain pole that came out of the wall, a tap that drips and a bathroom light that needs a new fitting. General handyman services are built around that list, so several small jobs are dealt with in one visit instead of waiting for a different tradesperson for each.
Voltify Contractors has 15 years of hands-on experience with this kind of mixed work, and because we also carry out plumbing, electrical and decorating work, the list does not have to stop where one trade ends. This page explains how to put a job list together, what fits well into a handyman visit and what is better booked as its own job. For the full range of repairs, fitting and upkeep we cover, see our handyman and property maintenance hub.
What Handyman Services Usually Cover
- Walls: hanging shelves, mirrors, pictures, coat hooks and TV brackets; filling small holes before redecorating.
- Windows: fitting curtain poles, tracks and blinds; replacing loose or broken window handles.
- Doors: easing a sticking door, tightening or replacing hinges and handles, fitting door stops.
- Furniture: assembling flat-pack furniture and fixing tall units to the wall so they cannot tip.
- Bathroom and kitchen: resealing around a bath, shower tray or worktop; replacing a toilet seat or a cupboard hinge.
- Minor plumbing and electrical items: swapping a tap or a light fitting, or replacing a damaged socket faceplate, within the same visit.
- Walls: hanging shelves, mirrors, pictures, coat hooks and TV brackets; filling small holes before redecorating.
- Windows: fitting curtain poles, tracks and blinds; replacing loose or broken window handles.
- Doors: easing a sticking door, tightening or replacing hinges and handles, fitting door stops.
- Furniture: assembling flat-pack furniture and fixing tall units to the wall so they cannot tip.
- Bathroom and kitchen: resealing around a bath, shower tray or worktop; replacing a toilet seat or a cupboard hinge.
- Minor plumbing and electrical items: swapping a tap or a light fitting, or replacing a damaged socket faceplate, within the same visit.
Where a job turns out to be a repair to something damaged rather than a fitting task, our property repairs page goes into the fixes that come up most often. If you are not sure whether something belongs on a handyman list at all, our guide to what a handyman does and where the line falls explains the difference.
Building a Job List That Works
A good list saves time on the day and gives a far more accurate picture of cost beforehand. For each job, it helps to note:
- What the item is and where it is going, for example “80cm floating shelf, living room, above the radiator”.
- What the wall or surface is made of, if you know. Solid brick, plasterboard and tiled walls each need different fixings, and plasterboard may need the fixing to go into a timber stud behind it for heavier items.
- Whether you already have the parts. Shelves, poles, blinds and furniture are usually bought by the customer. If you need fixings or other materials supplied, say so when you book so it can be confirmed.
- Any measurements or photos. A photo of a sticking door or a loose handle often shows the likely fix before anyone arrives.
Put the jobs in order of importance. If the visit runs longer than expected on one item, the most important ones are done first.
When a Job Needs More Than a Handyman Visit
Some things that start on a handyman list are better booked separately, not because they cannot be done but because they need proper planning, materials or a longer booking:
| On your list | Why it may need its own booking |
|---|---|
| “Fix the damp patch on the ceiling” | The patch is a symptom. The source, often a leak above, needs finding first through our plumbing service. |
| “Replace all the sockets in the kitchen” | Several sockets, or anything involving new wiring, is an electrical job in its own right, handled through our electrical services. |
| “Paint the hallway” | A full room is a decorating job with preparation and drying time, better planned through painting and decorating. |
| “Plumb in the new washing machine” | Appliances have their own checks for water, waste and power, covered by our appliance installation service. |
Structural alterations, gas work and anything requiring specialist equipment are outside a handyman visit. If you are not sure where a job fits, describe it and we will tell you how it would be handled.
How Handyman Visits Are Priced
The documented minimum call-out is £80 for the first hour; materials and parts are not included. A longer list is priced on the work involved, which depends on:
- The number of items and how spread out they are across the property.
- The walls and surfaces involved. Hollow plasterboard, old crumbling plaster or tiled walls take longer to fix into securely than sound brick.
- Height and access. High ceilings, stairwells and work behind heavy furniture add time.
- What turns up on the day, such as a shelf position that has a pipe or cable behind it and needs moving.
Standard visits run 7am–5pm, Monday to Friday. For a property with ongoing needs rather than a one-off list, such as a rental or a small commercial unit, ask about regular visits so jobs are dealt with before they build up.
Before the Visit
Clear the areas where work will happen and move anything fragile out of the way. If shelves, blinds or furniture are being fitted, have them unpacked and checked for missing parts, because a missing bracket is a common reason for a job not being finished. If you know where pipes or cables run in a wall, mention it.
Send your list, with photos where they help, and get in touch with Voltify Contractors to arrange a visit. You can also check the areas we cover across East and South-East London.
