Handymen are nonprofessional individuals who can undertake a range of home repairs including plumbing, woodwork and security measures. Handymen usually rely on experience rather than professional certification. Handymen are usually self employed but are often employed as janitors in apartment blocks or caretakers in schools and universities.

Woodwork and Carpentry

Handymen usually undertake a range of basic woodwork tasks, including making and repairing cupboards, fitting shelves on walls and repainting or sanding damaged window frames. A handyman might also fit or repair wooden flooring, perform grouting work and fit new tiles in windows or bathrooms. Adjusting the hinges on doors so they hang straight and open smoothly is another common task performed by handymen.

Painting and Decorating

Many handymen offering plastering as a service, which involves coating walls with plaster to make them smooth and ready for painting. A handymen often paints the room once plastered as part of the job. They also paint doors, window frames and cupboards.

Plumbing

Many household problems involve issues with plumbing that can cause leaks that can damage the structure of a house of left untreated. Most handymen can sort out basic plumbing complaints such as leaking kitchen or bathroom taps, fitting taps for use in the garden and replacing faulty radiators. Some handymen can also plumb in water-based appliances such as dishwashers or washing machines and repair or replace guttering around a house’s perimeter.

Electrical Work

Most electrical work, such as work on fuse boxes and generators, should be undertaken only by professional electricians. However, handymen often perform a range of minor tasks involving electrical work such as removing older doorbells and fitting new ones, repairing damaged light fittings, fitting new plugs and installing new wall outlets for use with electrical appliances.

Safety Work

Home safety is a prime concern to most families. Handymen can usually fit locks to interior doors and safety catches on windows. They can also test and install smoke alarms to alert you to the presence of fire and carbon dioxide detectors, which alert residents when the odorless gas is present. Installing motion-sensor lighting or surveillance cameras is another task sometimes undertaken by handymen.

Miscellaneous

The scope of work undertaken by handymen is vast and varied according to skill sets and demand for work in specific areas. In addition to more common jobs, handymen often assist with fitting nails and brackets to hang up heavy pictures, mirrors or large, wall mounted televisions. They can also help with the often daunting prospect of assembling flat pack furniture and fitting curtains or blinds.