Handyman Rates

[Dave-A1]

Re: Handyman Rates

$48 residential, $60 commercial.
Parts on the truck 100% markup.
Parts I need to go out for - I charge labor to/from and shopping & the customer pays actual cost + a small markup to cover handling and putting the cash out.
Startup, setup, cleanup all billed at rate

[Kowboy]

Re: Handyman Rates

All:

My vehicle won't start for less than $200.00. Get a decent minimum.

Kowboy

[Kye GC]

Re: Handyman Rates

bump bump bump

[wizzer85]

Handyman Rates

Hey, my name is Eric. I was just wondering what the current rate per/hr is for a handyman in the North Jersey area. Also, some people have been saying that an average rate is $75 while some more or less. This might be a stupid question, but is that for one person or two and hour? Im asking b/c i know this guy who does really good work, and charges $52/hr...this include himself and his son who is also very good at doing anything. Sometimes, there is ever a third person, so should he be charging the average rate you guys are stating the $75 per worker,or is the 52/hr good enough for the two to split? I could really use your opinion. Thanks a lot.

[Kowboy]

Re: Handyman Rates

Whiz:

I get countertop repair calls from Servicemagic that cost me about eight bucks each .

I tell everyone it'll be seventy-five bucks an hour from the time my garage door goes up until it comes back down with a three-hour minimum.

If you aren't willing to spend $225.00, I don't want to spend any more time talking to you. Most folks are very receptive and happy.

Kowboy

[kreg McMahon]

Re: Handyman Rates

Hey, my name is Eric. I was just wondering what the current rate per/hr is for a handyman in the North Jersey area. Also, some people have been saying that an average rate is $75 while some more or less. This might be a stupid question, but is that for one person or two and hour? Im asking b/c i know this guy who does really good work, and charges $52/hr...this include himself and his son who is also very good at doing anything. Sometimes, there is ever a third person, so should he be charging the average rate you guys are stating the $75 per worker,or is the 52/hr good enough for the two to split? I could really use your opinion. Thanks a lot.

it depends can they live a fair life on that money.? maybe the area they are in will not afford more than that. do they have truck payments for a new vehicle or an old paid for. do they drive far? have advertising? insurance? cell phone? workers comp? tool repair cost? festools? (if they have festools then they have to charge more because they are for professionals and cost more) so as you can see lots of varibles are involved. if the area and there work skill levels are top of the line then increase price. do they clean up? do they garantee there work, and do they go back? go from their

[[email protected]]

Re: Handyman Rates

I think Kreg is correct. A huge number of variables. The bottom line is what do you need to make a living. I was talking to a Handyman I met at a Christmas party and he was lamenting over multiple issues that made his life difficult. One of them being money. I find that many in the construction trades who work for themselves are like artists, and musicians. They are very good at what they do, and very poor business people. Most have no idea about hard costs associated with tools, equipment, and vehicle replacement. They equate salary with profit. They don't keep books, and if they do their chart of accounts is probably only five line items. They wait for a "good" year, to put money away for retirement. With that being said, I suspect the handyman I spoke with is probably working for minimum wage or less and would be much better off as a clerk in a Hardware store. I don't know if he would be happier, but financially he would probably be better off. I really felt bad for him.

[Mueller Construction]

Re: Handyman Rates

[[email protected];347168]I think Kreg is correct. A huge number of variables. The bottom line is what do you need to make a living. I QUOTE]

I think more of the bottom line is "can you charge and get a fair and resonable amount equal to the next guy who is making a decent living in construction". Never undercut yourself. If your truck is paid for and you maintain your tools and keep your overhead down why should that savings go into the customer pocket? The extra is yours for running a lean company, and, why should a job cost more because because the contractor drives a new truck. The customer does not know why one bid is $850 and the other is $1,000. Both should charge $1,000, and the guy with the lean company should reap the profits.

[[email protected]]

Re: Handyman Rates

Hi Brian,

I completely agree with you. My point was that many individuals have no idea what it's costing them to be in business. If Fred down the road is charging $100 dollars per hour it means nothing to you. Once you understand "all" of your costs, you can then make decisions based on that knowledge. It might work out that you can charge $75 dollars per hour and cover everything, and if the market you are in is a $100 per hour market, your profit just jumped $25 per hour and you are way ahead. So many times people are getting the jobs based on market rates and it take years for them to realize that they are actually working for a very low wages.

I also hate to leave money on the table, but my market is kinda strange and that rarely occurs. As I get older I get better. By the time I'm no longer working I'll be a genius. :^)

Just as an addition the contractor that has paid for his truck has also probably fully depreciated it and the tax issues and repairs and down time of an older vehicle may actually be costing him money rather than saving any.

Don

[ARC-Erik]

Re: Handyman Rates

Hey guys, I just wanted to say thank you for all of your advise and input. It's really been helpful and I really appreciate it, Erik-A.R.C.

[G Fresh]

Re: Handyman Rates

All:

My vehicle won't start for less than $200.00. Get a decent minimum.

Kowboy

Maybe you should take it to a mechanic. :)

[drewdawson]

Re: Handyman Rates

What do you guys consider Handyman Services? Is it just a few hours here and there, or can it be a two or three day job? I consider what I do handyman work usually, but it often is two or three days worth of work- do you guys charge these rates for jobs that take that long? I guess I need to explain myself better.

I have been self-employed as a carpenter/handyman since 2001, and have always been happy to get $25/hr for whatever work I do. But after reading this thread, I am realizing I have been giving it away. (I guess that is why I have never had to look for work- it's always found me.)

I am just getting back to working for myself after a year of working as a lead carpenter for a commercial construction company. (Too much traveleling.) I am looking to organize my rate structure. I guess I am more of a contractor than a handyman, but I do a little of everything. I sometimes give a set price for the work, but prefer to charge hourly. However, I don't know if I could get away with charging the rates I am reading about, buy maybe I am naive.

Anyway, I am mainly wondering if the handyman rates you guys are charging are just for jobs that take less than a day, or can you get this kind of money for two-three day jobs?

[ChadMc]

Re: Handyman Rates

When you take your truck to the mechanic does he say "If I can fix it in 6 hours it will be $80 an hour, but if it takes 2 days it will only be $35"?

If X dollars an hour @ however many hours a week you decide to work is what it takes to make ends meet and make a profit, dont deviate from it. You are not running a dog and pony show where you take what you get and be happy. Figure out what your time is worth and stick to it! As long as you provide quality work people will pay, everybody wants a deal but they also realize that nothing good comes cheap.

[Kowboy]

Re: Handyman Rates

Drew:

It is a matter of percieved value.

I billed an out-of-town store fixture manufacturer who was referred to me $65.00 per hour to bail their butts out of trouble before a local mall grand opening.

They made their deadline and I made some money.

I'm doing some fast-food countertop restoration for an out-of-town company. $75.00 per hour bid and I'm starting my third week on Monday. Everyone's making money. They paid me for estimating!

I'm not overwhelmed with work, but I'm making money on everything I'm doing.

Kowboy

[kreg McMahon]

Re: Handyman Rates

What do you guys consider Handyman Services? Is it just a few hours here and there, or can it be a two or three day job? I consider what I do handyman work usually, but it often is two or three days worth of work- do you guys charge these rates for jobs that take that long? I guess I need to explain myself better.

I have been self-employed as a carpenter/handyman since 2001, and have always been happy to get $25/hr for whatever work I do. But after reading this thread, I am realizing I have been giving it away. (I guess that is why I have never had to look for work- it's always found me.)

I am just getting back to working for myself after a year of working as a lead carpenter for a commercial construction company. (Too much traveleling.) I am looking to organize my rate structure. I guess I am more of a contractor than a handyman, but I do a little of everything. I sometimes give a set price for the work, but prefer to charge hourly. However, I don't know if I could get away with charging the rates I am reading about, buy maybe I am naive.

Anyway, I am mainly wondering if the handyman rates you guys are charging are just for jobs that take less than a day, or can you get this kind of money for two-three day jobs?

you can get the kind of money your work earns, the city you live in etc. you drive up to a house with a beat up old truck, look sloopy and ask for 100 per hour, most would not accept that. you live in a small rurel town, not much driving to a job, lower income no overhead per say, 25 an hour would be fine. especially if people in that town only make 20 bucks an hour.

so deciding how much to charge is a variable. just because I get 75 and someone else gets 100 and others 50.. we could all net the same.

maybe the 50 works slower, has to go to HD to get something, that I already carry. my tools are faster and more tuned to the job, vac attach to saw so not much clean up. I could be done in2 hours where the other might take 3 1/2 hours.. so he makes more?

but you drive up in a professional van, lettered with company name, look clean and professional, have printed invoices etc. people will pay more because of the way they perceive you.

you may only be worth 25 bucks an hour (don't take personally, just example)
Yet others charge 75 and they might not be worth that.

so adjust according to what keeps you busy. after all if you are charging 75 bucks and have no work, what good is it? if you charge 25 and are booked up for 3 months raise your rates.

handyman stuff can be from 1 hour to 100 hours.... after 100 hours you become a contractor.... or a pain in the ass