What a handyman can and cannot do, and what it costs

A handyman handles the small home jobs that do not need a licensed builder, electrician, or plumber: hanging shelves and mirrors, assembling flat-pack furniture, adjusting doors and hinges, fixing flyscreens and curtain rails, and working through the list of odd jobs that builds up around a house. Across New Zealand, handyman rates run roughly $50 to $90 an hour, or a fixed price per job, with small jobs like hanging a shelf often $75 to $150. What a handyman cannot legally do is certified electrical or plumbing work or structural building work; those need a licensed tradesperson. On BetweenBells you get a fixed price for the job before you book.

What a handyman can do

The bread and butter is the long list of small jobs:

• Mounting shelves, mirrors, televisions, and artwork
• Assembling flat-pack furniture
• Adjusting or rehanging doors, fixing hinges and handles
• Repairing flyscreens, curtain rails, and blinds
• Replacing mailboxes, gates, and fittings
• General small repairs and the odd jobs on the list

What needs a licensed tradesperson

This part is the law, not a preference. In New Zealand:

• Electrical work must be done by a registered electrician. A handyman can change a lightbulb, but anything wired is off-limits.
• Plumbing, gasfitting, and drainlaying are restricted to licensed people. A handyman can sometimes swap a tap washer, but new plumbing is not their job.
• Structural building work can require a Licensed Building Practitioner.

A good handyman will tell you when a job needs a licensed tradesperson rather than take it on. If you are not sure which you need, describe the job when you send a request and ask.

What it costs

Handyman rates across New Zealand sit around $50 to $90 an hour. Many handymen prefer to quote a fixed price for a defined job rather than charge by the hour: small jobs like hanging a shelf or putting together a flat-pack often land around $75 to $150, with bigger jobs quoted higher. Materials and fittings are usually on top unless you supply them, so it is worth saying whether you have the parts on hand. Central Otago is a smaller market than the main centres, so local rates often sit toward the lower end.

How to get a price

Send a request with a short description of the job and a photo if you can; a photo helps the handyman quote accurately without a site visit. They reply with a fixed price, and payment is held until you confirm the work is done.

You can find a local handyman in your area and send a request in a few minutes.