A handyman is someone who is capable of carrying out a wide array of simple and complicated fix-it jobs. The job of a handyman is quite demanding, especially because of the number of skills it requires from a single person. A capable handyman can work with carpentry, wood repair, and remodeling. Handymen also possessing basic skills in the areas of plumbing, appliances, and electronics.
People rely on handymen when they have simple issues in their house that they cannot fix on their own. Handymen can also be called in for a simple and quick routine check to ensure that a small problem does not go out of hand.
Quite often, people rely on the skills of a handyman because the repair or fix-it task at hand seems quite challenging to do. Not to mention, a lot of these tasks are risky and can result in injuries if not done correctly. Likewise, when a handyman undertakes these jobs, he could make a small mistake for which that could incur significant cost. For instance, a handyman is called in to fix a nail on the wall and hang up a painting. Somehow, the nail comes off and the painting falls and gets damaged. In such a scenario, the client may initiate a legal action against the handyman or their employer, seeking compensation for the loss. As lawsuits are quite expensive in Australia, this can create a major financial problem.
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Considering the same, it would be wise to invest in a public liability insurance policy. This policy is ideal for all types of businesses as it can cover legal expenses and compensation costs. It also doesn’t require the insurer to spend excessively. To know more about the costs associated with a public liability insurance policy, check here.
What is the employment nature of a handyman?
Handymen can dabble in work which requires them to be indoors as well as outdoors. Their work is not restricted to particular seasons or weather conditions. Due to this, they are rarely without any work or employment. Handymen can work independently or become employed by any company. There are very few industries that do not require the help of handymen from time to time, which is an advantage for someone who isin this field of work. Several handymen work within traditional hours and some others even take up work after-hours and during the holiday season.
As for the skills required to be a handyman, one can expect employers or clients to hire someone with good problem-solving capabilities, sufficient physical strength, and satisfactory intellectual capabilities.
Another component of being a handyman is that it does not require extensive education. Employers often look for high school graduation as the minimum requirement and don’t necessarily expect the person to have graduated from university. Work experience plays a crucial role in whether a handyman gets hired, as some people are willing to pay more for a job to get done quickly and efficiently.
What are the most common jobs undertaken by a handyman?
As mentioned earlier, a handyman can be hired for a variety of jobs, including –
- General carpentry work – Fixing your deck, setting up shelves, fixing a jammed door
- Tile repair – Fixing small cracks in your tiles
- Small painting jobs – Fixing chipped paint on your door, fence, and the like
- Assembling furniture – If you’ve moved into a new place, a handyman can help you setup the furniture inside your house
- Pressure cleaning – Simple cleaning for your driveway, outdoor seating areas, and more
- Assembling artworks – If you’re looking for someone to hang up your paintings or mirrors, a handyman can do the job well for you
- Small electrical jobs – A handyman can connect the hoses in your washer and dryer, fix a broken light, and more
These are just a few of the jobs a handyman can do. It should be noted that a handyman would not be an ideal person to call for more complex jobs such as heavy plumbing, gas-fitting, structural building work and complex electric work. It is best to find licensed practitioners to carry out these tasks for you.
How much can a handyman earn in Australia?
We have listed out the various jobs that fall under the scope of work for a handyman because their earnings depend on the skills they’re providing services for. A handyman providing maintenance work can earn up to AU$27 per hour, whereas minor plumbing work would fetch them AU$31 per hour. Likewise, tasks like cabinet installation can provide a handyman with AU$28 per hour and kitchen/bath tile repair or miscellaneous fixing work could bring in AU$31 per hour.
A handyman’s annual pay also varies based on their experience levels. A new handyman with 1-4 years of experience can expect to earn an average pay of AU$25.29, whereas a mid-level handyman with 5-9 years of experience would earn about AU$27.41.
More experienced handymen with about 10-19 years of practice would earn about AU$30.1, whereas true experts with about 20+ years of experience would most likely get a compensation of AU$34.
Conclusion
The earnings of a handyman are quite variable and often depend on the work required to be done, the experience of the individual and sometimes, even the region. The one aspect that remains certain is that a more experienced handyman, with good troubleshooting and problem-solving skills, can earn quite well, especially when he is able to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
