Handyman Quote Guide: Tasks, Hours, Materials and Minimums
Handyman work is a list of small jobs, and small jobs are easy to underprice. A forgotten supply run or an uncharged service call can eat the profit on a short visit. Here's a way to build a handyman quote line by line. Every number on this page is an example to show the math, not a real price. Use your own costs and rates.
1. List every task as its own line
Walk the job with the customer and write each task separately, for example: hang a door, patch and paint a wall, fix a dripping faucet, mount shelves. Note sizes, finishes and anything the customer is supplying. Separate lines let the customer see exactly what's included, and make it easy to remove a task if they ask.
2. Labor hours
For each task, work out the hours and the crew size, then multiply:
- Labor hours = hours on the task × number of people
Count setup, protecting floors and furniture, and cleanup inside those hours. On small jobs they take a real share of the time.
Example (not real numbers): a task that takes 1.5 hours with 2 people is 1.5 × 2 = 3 labor hours.
If a task depends on what you find once you open it up, say so on the quote and price the unknown part as an allowance, or say it will be quoted in writing before you continue.
3. Materials: markup vs margin
Material lines should cover the part plus the time to buy it, returns, and the risk of a wrong part. There are two common ways to add that, and they give different results:
- Markup: price = cost × (1 + markup %)
- Margin: price = cost ÷ (1 − margin %)
Example (not real numbers): a material cost of 100.
- 20% markup: 100 × 1.20 = 120. That's a margin of 20 ÷ 120 ≈ 16.7%.
- 20% margin: 100 ÷ 0.80 = 125. That's a markup of 25 ÷ 100 = 25%.
Pick one method and use it every time, so your quotes stay consistent.
4. Trip charge and minimums
Small jobs need a floor. Common approaches:
- A trip or service charge on every visit
- Your own minimum number of billable hours
- Both, with the trip charge waived on larger jobs
For a minimum, the billed hours are whichever is larger:
- Billed hours = the larger of (total labor hours, minimum hours)
Example (not real numbers): if your minimum were 2 hours, a 1.5-hour job bills as 2 hours, and a 3-hour job bills as 3 hours.
Whatever you choose, put it on the quote as its own line so it's not a surprise on the invoice.
5. Repair or replace as options
Many handyman calls come down to repair or replace. Put both on one quote as labeled options, for example Option A repair, Option B standard replacement and Option C upgraded replacement, each with its own lines. The customer sees every choice side by side.
6. Know where your license ends
Many states and cities require a licensed electrician, plumber or general contractor for certain work or above a dollar amount. Check your local rules, and say on the quote that work needing a licensed trade isn't included unless it's listed.
7. Exclusions and hidden conditions
- Hidden damage found after opening walls or floors
- Electrical or plumbing work that needs a licensed trade
- Matching discontinued finishes or paint
- Moving heavy furniture or appliances
Add a hidden-conditions term: if you find damage or a code issue once work starts, you stop and price the extra work in writing before you continue.
8. Terms worth including
- Deposit, if any, and when the balance is due
- The hidden-conditions term above
- Any change to the task list is priced in writing first
- How long the quote is good for
Have your terms reviewed for your state. This page is general information, not legal advice.
FAQ
Should I quote by the hour or by the task?
Either works if it's written down. A price per task is easier to read, with your hours worked out behind it using the labor-hours formula above.
Is a trip charge the same as a minimum?
No. A trip charge is added to the visit. A minimum sets the lowest number of hours you bill. Some contractors use both.
Do small jobs really need a signature?
A signed task list records the scope the customer agreed to.
Quote it in the app
QuoteMaven supports A/B/C options on one quote, which you can use for repair and replacement choices. Its AI quantity helper shows its math, so check it before you send. Customers sign through a private link, with nothing to install. You get view and sign alerts, and a signed quote becomes an invoice automatically.
Free to download, with 30 days free, no card needed. I'm a fence and concrete contractor in Slidell, LA. QuoteMaven is a quote app built by contractors.
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