Handyman Rates

WOW 2 posts in one day.

I got an email today, from the second or third person this week who found me through the BGOSH site ( thanks BGOSH and check for the new link) and I also got one from the Seminole Heights Blog


One of the emails was a question of whether a quantity of hours would get them a reduced price
My reply --

Your inquiry about daily or weekly rates prompted me to do what I usually do when there is no answer in my head -- Google. These were some of the things I found in the first few pages searching for "Handyman rate" or "handyman price."


(double spacing denotes a different website)

The modern home-repair firm typically works on an hourly basis, much as a plumber or electrician would. In order to get the best value for your money, have as many little repairs as possible done at one time. Not only will this approach save you money, it will also greatly reduce the time and headaches associated with finding, arranging to meet and hiring a repair firm


1) Time & Materials. Some companies require the buyer to use a minimum number of hours B
typically 2-4 . Many companies charge more for the first hour in order to compensate for travel time.
Hourly billing rates range: $45-$58
Materials: marked up 35-100%
Subcontractors: marked up 20-40%


Question
--Hi, I am trying to figure out if I am getting hosed...my handman charges $35/hour and seems to work pretty slowly.--
Reply
I wouldn't have made it beyond your front door!
My Professional Handyman rate is:
$65 first half hour.
$55 per hour, per man after that.


Here are some general questions and answers about handyman jobs:

Q: Handyman services in my area often charge $40 or more per hour. This seems awfully expensive. How can I get the work done for less?

A: You probably cannot get the work done well for less, because the economics of contracting has changed over the years. Forty dollars an hour is about the minimum it takes to provide professional service. While you may be able to find "bargain" contractors who will work for less, these firms are rarely licensed and insured, are far less likely to back up their work, and will probably be much more cavalier about returning calls and keeping appointments


Cleveland Handyman Services - Neatnics Cleveland Home Repair, Home ...
Our Cleveland Handyman services are provided on an hourly basis: $79.00 for the first 1/2 hour then $59.00 per hour thereafter, per Cleveland handyman ..


HomeTask's competitive hourly rates are as follows: $139.99* for the initial 2 hours of each day or appointment, $59.99* for additional normal working hours and $69.99* for hours worked outside of the normal working hours.




So to answer your question, no, I think my $40 is fair ( 30% of that is taxes) especially with no "first hour" rate even though in most cases it's a one hour minimum. I don't markup materials at all but I do charge for materials runs at a reduced rate.