You can build a shortlist of highly rated handymen by searching through profiles and reading reviews on Yell. Look for high ratings, detailed reviews, and feedback on their professionalism and quality of work. Once you have a shortlist, make sure to ask them these questions before hiring anyone.
One of your local handyman services might have hundreds of 5-star reviews, but if they only do carpentry work and you need plumbing repairs, that doesn’t hold any real value. Start by making sure they know how to do the task you need completed – this is the most basic requirement.
Beyond that, you need to understand how much experience they have in that type of work. A handyman might have done some plumbing before, but to make sure you’re getting a great outcome, perhaps you’ll want to hire a professional with tons of experience in plumbing – not just a little.
Getting prices from handymen is a good start. It allows you to weed out the professionals you can’t afford. But you need to get into the details to really tell whether you’re getting a good deal or not. Ask for a breakdown of what’s included in their price, including material and labour costs, plus additional fees – like short notice or cancellation charges. You also need to know their accepted payment methods.
Make sure you get everything in writing, since this gives you something concrete to point to if there are any disputes or disagreements later on. By taking this approach, you’re making sure you fully understand the value you’re receiving, not just the total amount you’re paying.
You can do everything possible to hire a reliable professional and, unfortunately, things can still go wrong. You can make sure you’re financially protected in the event of shoddy workmanship or accidental damage by asking whether handymen provide warranties or guarantees on their work before hiring them.
Most reputable handyman services are willing to stand behind their work in this way. If the handyman you’re talking to isn’t willing to provide any guarantees or warranties, it’s a sign that they are behaving dishonestly, or that they don’t have confidence in the quality of their work. Either way, it’s best to find a more trustworthy professional.
Generally, handymen should be covered by public liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance. This kind of insurance coverage helps protect both you and the handyman in case something goes wrong either during or after the work.
If you’re talking to a handyman and they reveal they are not covered by insurance – or they aren’t willing to say whether or not they have insurance – this is shaky territory and you’re better off choosing another professional. This is a situation where you should hope for the best and plan for the worst.
It’s always good to know how long a task is going to take a handyman to complete. This is especially true if you have a long list of small tasks for your handyman, as many people do. While minor work doesn’t usually take long for a professional, a daunting list of tasks could stretch into days or even weeks.
You’ll want to know how long the tasks will take, but also how soon the handyman can come to your home and get started. If they don’t give you a concrete day when they’ll visit your property, they might be prioritising other projects elsewhere instead of you. In cases like these, it’s best to find another handyman service.
Getting payment terms and job expectations down in a written quote is valuable, but having a written contract holds even more weight. This ties the handyman to the project, and can be called upon to settle disputes, should they arise during or after the work is completed.
Many handymen are willing to provide written contracts, but that isn’t always the case. If you’re dealing with someone who is unwilling to offer a written contract, you might consider another professional. Of course, if you’re only hiring them briefly, for a small job, you might feel a written contract isn’t necessary.
Having a disagreement with a handyman? Read TrustMark's guide on what to do if a project goes wrong now.
Online reviews are valuable and worth reading, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask for references. Experienced handymen can usually offer several references to prove their competence. If they don’t have any references, they’re either inexperienced and just starting out, or someone that doesn’t provide high-quality work.
You could also ask for photos of work they’ve completed previously. Naturally, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting photos of work relevant to the task you’re giving them. Again, professionals should be able to show evidence of their abilities, and a lack of photos could suggest inferior workmanship or a lack of experience.