6 Times Hiring a Handyman Saved Thousands—And 3 When It Didn’t
Although we don’t own our home yet, I know that there are plenty of additional costs that come along with having your name on a deed. Home repairs are nearly constant and, let’s face it, they never come at a good time. Sometimes, hiring a handyman can save you a lot of money (and I mean a lot). However, there are times when it can backfire. Here are several examples.
1. Saved: Fixing a Sagging Fence Before It Fell
Looking out your back door and noticing a lean to your fence? Rather than ignoring it or replacing the whole thing, you can call a handyman. Most of the time, they’ll be able to reinforce the fence with new posts and treated wood for a few hundred dollars. In contrast, a total replacement could run over $2,000.
2. Saved: Caulking Around Windows and Doors
Resealing the windows and doors can help you decrease your energy bill. Hiring a handyman to do the work will typically cost less than $300, but it will save you $480+ in the first year. Not to mention, better sealing will keep pests and moisture out, too.
3. Saved: Gutter Cleaning and Realignment
Cleaning your gutters is a crappy, but necessary, job. If you don’t do it, it could cause water to pool around your foundation. Enlisting the help of a handyman could help tremendously. They can not only clean out the gutters, but they can also adjust the slope to direct the water away from the house. Typically, this costs less than $200, whereas repairing foundation damage can cost thousands.
4. Saved: Quick Kitchen Cabinet Reinforcement
Have you noticed that your kitchen cabinets are pulling away from the wall? This usually means that you’ve overloaded your cabinets, but where else are the plates supposed to go? Calling a handyman can save you a ton of money. You don’t necessarily need new cabinets, which can cost thousands. They can come in and secure your cabinets with longer screws, wall anchors, and brackets.
5. Saved: Deck Repairs That Prevented Collapse
If you’ve ever added a deck to your house, you know how expensive it is. So, you want to ensure you are taking care of that investment and, more importantly, that it is a safe place to sit/walk/stand. A handyman can come in and reinforce parts of your deck without you spending too much money. If the deck were to collapse because you decided to ignore the issues, though, it could have resulted in serious injuries and liability, costing you thousands. Calling a handyman is worth the peace of mind!
6. Saved: Door Rehanging That Improved Security
We’ve all dealt with doors that don’t latch quite right. This can leave your home vulnerable, but it doesn’t mean you need a new door altogether. A handyman can make some adjustments to ensure the door hangs properly, and it only costs about $120. A replacement exterior door could cost you $1,000+.
7. Didn’t Save: Tile Repair Gone Wrong
Consider this scenario: a homeowner had a few loose bathroom tiles and thought it would be a simple patch-up. They hired a handyman without checking his experience. The result? Mismatched grout and uneven tiles. Eventually, a licensed contractor had to rip everything out and redo the work, for triple the original cost. Hiring a handyman, in this case, did not pay off.
8. Didn’t Save: Electrical Work Without a License
You might not want to hire a handyman to do any electrical work either. This work requires a licensed professional. While it might seem fine at first, a breaker could trip and leave your home without power altogether. Then, you’ll have to call an electrician to redo the work and update the fuse box, costing over $1,000. Electrical jobs are a risky place to cut corners.
9. Didn’t Save: Paint Job That Peeled After One Season
Exterior painting takes special work. While the price might be great for a handyman to do the work, they don’t always do the necessary prep for the work to stay put for longer than a year. This can lead to peeling and chipping due to unprimed wood and cheap materials. A professional painter will cost more, but the results will last much longer.
Know When to Spend and When to Save
Hiring a handyman can be one of the smartest ways to stretch your home maintenance budget—if you pick the right jobs. For cosmetic fixes, routine maintenance, and small repairs, the handyman savings are real and worthwhile. But for specialized work like plumbing, structural integrity, or electrical systems, cutting corners could cost you far more down the line. Knowing the limits of a handyman’s scope is key to protecting both your home and wallet.
Have you had a handyman save or cost you money? Share your experience in the comments and let’s compare notes!
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