Handyman quoteslocalhandyman.directory
Check a handyman quote, or scope the job first.
For homeowners with a quote for small repairs in hand, or a list of repairs that still needs quoting. A person at finalist.cc, which we run, reads what you send and writes back by email.
See a sample benchmark note See a sample scoping document
- Quote in hand: a benchmark note. What the quote includes, what is missing or vague, the arithmetic, questions to send back, and a plain scope so a second quote prices the same job.
- No quote yet: a scoping document. What the job is, measurements still needed, what a bid should price line by line, and questions contractors will ask. You send it to contractors yourself.
No handyman list is published here, and we do not send your request, your quote or your details to contractors. We run this site and finalist.cc, and take no payment from contractors for referrals.
Before you ask for quotes: the handyman punch list
Write each repair on its own line, with the room and the kind of work. Print it, download it, or copy it for any contractor. Or send it at the bottom of this sheet for a scoping document.
Your list
Nothing on it yet
Start with the thing that bugs you most. One problem per line.
What happens next
Sending doesn't book anyone or start a job. A person reads what you send and writes back. What you do with the note or the scoping document is up to you.
You send it: your quote on finalist.cc, or your job or this punch list for a scoping document.
A person at finalist.cc reads it against a standard handyman scope.
You get a reply by email: a benchmark note, a scoping document, or questions first. If a file or photos would help, we ask for them.
You decide who sees it. We do not send it to contractors.
Jobs that usually need a license
A good handyman covers a lot of ground. These jobs usually go to a tradesperson who holds a state or city license, and many need a permit and an inspection too. Rules differ by state and city, so check yours.
The punch list marks items like these as you add them. This site doesn't check anyone's license: ask for the number before work starts and look it up with your state or city.
Smell gas? Leave the house first, then call your gas company or 911 from outside. Don't put it on a list.
Write it so a tradesperson can picture the job
Whoever reads your list has to picture the job without standing in your house. A few more words per line does it.
- Say where. The room, and which wall, door or window.
- Say what's wrong, not what you think the fix is.
- Give a size. Inches, feet, or how many.
- Say what you already have: the new faucet, the paint, the mount.
- One problem per line. Two leaks are two lines.
- Instead of:
fix bathroomwrite:Hall bath: tub spout drips, about a cup an hour. Two-handle faucet. - Instead of:
drywallwrite:Bedroom 2: doorknob hole behind the door, fist size, orange-peel texture. - Instead of:
doorswrite:Back door drags on the sill, and daylight shows at the top corner. - Instead of:
hang TVwrite:Living room: 65-inch TV over the fireplace, brick wall, mount already bought.
Handyman words, explained
- Punch list
- A list of small unfinished or broken items, one per line, usually room by room. Builders use one at the end of a job; it works as well for a house you live in.
- Honey-do list
- The household version of a punch list: the small jobs that pile up until someone writes them down.
- Texture match
- Blending a drywall patch into the wall's existing finish, such as orange peel or knockdown, so the patch disappears once it is painted.
- Strike plate
- The metal plate on the door frame that the latch catches in. When a door won't latch, the plate is often out of line.
- Weatherstripping
- The seal around a door or window that keeps out drafts, water and bugs. A door sweep does the same job along the bottom.
- Shutoff valve
- The valve under a sink or behind a toilet, or the main one for the house, that stops the water. Worth finding before you need it.
- GFCI outlet
- An outlet with test and reset buttons that cuts the power when it senses a fault. Common in kitchens, baths, garages and outside.
- Permit
- Permission from your city or county to do certain work, followed by an inspection. Electrical, gas, plumbing and structural jobs often need one.
Questions
Are you a handyman company?
No. We run Local Handyman Directory and finalist.cc. We don't do the work, we don't price it, and we publish no list of handymen.
What do I get back?
With a quote in hand, a benchmark note: what the quote includes, what is missing, what is vague, the arithmetic, questions to send back, and a plain scope so a second quote prices the same job. With no quote yet, a scoping document: what the job is, measurements still needed, what a bid should price line by line, and questions contractors will ask. A person writes it and sends it by email. See a sample note.
Do you send my request to contractors?
No. We do not send your request, your quote or your details to contractors, and we take no payment from contractors for referrals. You decide who sees your note or scoping document.
Do you check licenses or insurance?
No. Before anyone starts work, ask for proof of insurance and, for any job that may need a license, the license number. Your state or city licensing office can look it up.
Can I send photos?
The forms take words only. Write what a photo would show in the notes: sizes, brands, what the wall is made of. If photos would help, we ask for them when we reply.
Is this for emergencies?
No. We can't send anyone out. For running water, close the shutoff valve. For sparks, smoke or a burning smell, call 911. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas company or 911 from outside.
What counts as a handyman job?
Repairs and small installs: patching drywall, fixing doors and locks, swapping fixtures, caulking, mounting, fence and deck boards. Remodels, additions and structural work go to a general contractor. The license list on this page covers the trades that usually need their own license.
What happens to my list and my details?
They come to us (we run this site and finalist.cc), and we use them to answer your request. We don't sell them and we don't send them to contractors. The privacy page has the rest.
Detailed handyman scope guides
- How to Write a Handyman Punch List for Quotes
- Five details every line on a room-by-room punch list needs so a tradesperson can price repairs accurately.
- Handyman vs Plumber or Electrician Trade Scope Guide
- How to separate general handyman repairs from electrical, plumbing, gas, and HVAC work that requires a state or city trade license.
- Drywall Patch & Texture Match Scope Guide
- What a quote should specify for doorknob holes, plumber cutouts, wood backing cleats, orange-peel or knockdown texture matching, and priming.