Handyman in Portsmouth

No — for small jobs, pay on completion. A deposit is only reasonable when the handyman must buy significant materials for you, and then it should roughly match the materials cost. Full prepayment for labor is a red flag on any small job.

Either works, but agree upfront. Handymen typically add 10-20% to materials they buy — fair payment for their time sourcing them. For anything specific (a particular light fitting, tap, or shelf bracket), buy it yourself first and let the visit be pure labor. Always ask for receipts if they buy on your behalf.

All three models exist. Hourly suits a list of small tasks; most handymen have a 1-2 hour minimum. Half-day and day rates are cheaper per hour and suit longer lists. Fixed per-job quotes are common for standard tasks like TV mounting or door adjustment. For anything over 2 hours, ask for a fixed quote so scope creep is the handyman's risk, not yours.

Platforms (Airtasker, Taskrabbit, local equivalents) are competitive for one-off standard tasks because providers bid. Direct hiring wins on repeat work — an independent handyman without platform fees often charges 10-20% less once you are an established customer. Many people find a handyman via a platform once, then book direct.

As a rule of thumb in most markets: hanging a shelf or a few pictures is under an hour; mounting a TV is 1-1.5 hours; re-sealing a bath is 1-2 hours; adjusting or rehanging a door is about an hour. Multiply by the local hourly rate on this page and add materials. If a quote for one such task equals a half-day rate, get a second quote.

Use a handyman for small, low-risk, multi-skill jobs. Use a specialist when the job is regulated (gas, most electrical, structural), when it needs a permit, or when a failure is expensive (waterproofing, roofing). A good handyman will tell you when a job is beyond their scope — treat willingness to take on clearly regulated work as a warning sign, not a convenience.

Gas: nothing — any work on gas appliances or pipework requires a Gas Safe registered engineer. Electrics: minor like-for-like work (replacing an existing socket faceplate, light fitting, or damaged switch) is generally allowed; new circuits, consumer unit work, and most bathroom/outdoor electrics are notifiable under Part P and need a registered electrician.

Around £150-£250 per day outside London and £200-£300 in London, versus £25-£50 per hour for shorter visits. A day rate becomes better value than hourly once your task list passes about 4-5 hours.