Your home improvement project is around the corner: replacing your bathroom tilework, renovating the kitchen, or fixing your house’s siding. And one question that keeps popping up is: should you hire a handyman vs. a general contractor?
The answer depends on the kind of job you want done. Is it a simple fix, like replacing a kitchen faucet or doing paintwork? Or do you want someone to completely renovate your bathroom or build a new room?
In short, handymen are suitable for small repairs and minor work around the house. On the other hand, general contractors are more fit for challenging, full-scale projects that require expert skills.
Before going into the specifics, you must first learn what separates handymen and general contractors so you can choose the best fit for your project.
What Is A Handyman?
A handyman is a person whose skill set covers multiple small-scale tasks. They can handle a broad selection of small, unchallenging jobs in residential, commercial, or office spaces.
What Does A Handyman Do?
Fixing simple things around the house or workplace is the main description of a handyman’s job. This tradesperson isn’t specialized in one area, taking up odd tasks that don’t require the expertise of a general contracting company.
Handyman Services
The good thing about handymen services is that they’re incredibly varied. Chances are, you’ll find the right handyman for the most unusual maintenance problems in your house!
Handyman services involve minor jobs across different areas:
- Home maintenance: Pressure washing, replacing air filters, and vent cleaning services
- Carpentry: Door and window installation, shelf installation, simple furniture repairs, molding and baseboard repairs, and deck and patio repairs
- Electrical work: Light switch and electrical wall plug repairs, and the installation of light fixtures, ceiling fans, and thermostats
- Plumbing work: Fixing leaks, installing faucets, and bathroom or kitchen appliance installations
- Home repairs: Small paint jobs and drywall fixes
What Is A General Contractor?
A general contractor is a professional skilled in one or several construction trades. This person may work as part of a general contracting company or with a team of trusted subcontractors.
What Does A General Contractor Do?
General contractors take up major home improvement projects (like whole renovations) or the construction of a building from scratch. Their tasks are large-scale, made up of multiple phases, and more refined than those of handymen.
What’s more, a general contractor is responsible for the coordination between different construction teams in a project. They ensure the finalization of each project’s phase on time (as outlined in the contract), the safety of workers, and compliance with local codes.
General Contractor Services
Unlike handymen, general contractor services are more technical and customized. They’re major jobs that an unlicensed worker can’t take up on their own:
- Renovations: Constructing additional rooms, remodeling, building more floors, taking down walls, and raising ceiling heights
- Large plumbing jobs: Replacing a home’s entire plumbing system, re-tiling bathrooms, redoing the shower area, or fixing a sewer line
- Construction projects: Building a new home, constructing extra structures (like an annex), landscaping, or driveway repairs
- Extensive paint, ceiling, or drywall work: Putting up drywall, installing false ceilings, and large-scale paint jobs
- Major electrical jobs: Fixing or replacing an electrical panel, handling large lighting projects, and moving entire electrical lines
- Specialized carpentry projects: Building decks, pergolas, and patios, designing and constructing custom cabinets, or replacing porch columns
Key Differences Between a Handyman and a General Contractor
Aside from their services, other differences like project size, licensing, timeline, and more set a handyman and general contractor apart:
Project Size
A handyman should be enough for small projects, like repairing a simple leak in your kitchen or painting a room.
Conversely, medium-sized and large-scale work that requires adequate planning and coordination among professionals requires a general contractor.
Permits
Handymen don’t require permits for the fixes or installations they make. Their line of routine work includes patching holes in drywall or installing a light fixture; things you can DIY if you’ve got the time and skills.
However, general contractors must have permits for most projects they do because their work is more professional and specialized. They build homes, fix entire plumbing or electricity networks, or install HVAC systems.
Still, whether or not a permit is required also depends on building codes and regulations.
Licensing & Insurance
Depending on the state, a handyman may need to carry a license and insurance, though they likely won’t for small maintenance work.
In the general contractor’s case, most states require insurance to obtain a license. The specifics may still vary, though, based on their specialty trade. For example, HVAC or electrical contractors may need an exclusive license instead of a general contracting one.
Cost
Due to the nature of the projects that each takes, handyman vs. general contractor service costs are vastly different.
Since handymen take up simple installations, fixes, or small maintenance tasks, their expenses could start from $60–$75 per hour for low-cost markets. Their services could average $100 per hour for medium-range areas and all the way to $150 in high-end locations.
The cost could be a flat rate per job, too, with half-day prices at around $300 and full-day costs at $500 to $600.
Of course, these prices can still vary according to the state and the handyman’s skill.
General contractor prices may likely start at $100–$150 per hour, based on the job’s complexity and whether it’s custom. Another way a contractor’s costs are calculated is by percentage (10%–20% of the entire project’s costs).
However, you can expect additional costs, like $200–$500 for site cleanup when the work is done or extra permits. If you’re going to hire specialized contractors, they may charge up to $200 an hour.
For an entire project, handymen might cost $100–$5K on average, while GC expenses may range from $30K–$500K.
Timeline
A handyman’s job can be finished in one day (quick installation work), several days (home maintenance), or a couple of weeks. On the contrary, general contracting work is multi-stage and may take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
In both cases, the timeline heavily relies on the size of the project, permit requirements, supply chain, and complexity.
Team Size
Handymen usually work solo, while general contractors hire and coordinate between subcontractors. Typically, there will be 4–6 employees in the core team, with larger projects requiring up to 20–40 specialized subcontractors.
Code Compliance & Inspections
Handymen have limited code responsibility because the tasks they complete are insignificant regarding code compliance. Similarly, no inspections are necessary because small jobs don’t need them.
General contractors must comply with building codes, or else their work will be considered illegal and may be reported. They also manage inspections.
| Handyman | General contractor | |
| Project size | Small | Medium to large |
| Permits | Not necessary (but some states may still require them) | Must have general contracting permits |
| Licensing & insurance | Based on the state (but not required for simple tasks) | Must have licensing and insurance |
| Cost | $100–$5K per project | $30K–$500K per project |
| Timeline | Days to weeks | Weeks to months |
| Team size | Usually 1 | 4–6 in-house team or 20–40 specialized personnel for multi-stage projects |
| Code compliance & inspections | Yes | No |
When You Might Need Both a Handyman and a General Contractor
The cases where you might need both a handyman and a general contractor may be rare, but this doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
For example, you can hire a general contractor to work on a complex project, like doing your home’s landscaping. You might then need a handyman to take care of minuscule tasks after the GC is done, like a small gardening or trimming detail.
You can apply the same mindset to all projects, from renovations to full-on construction work.
How to Decide Between a Handyman and a General Contractor
To be extra sure about who to hire, think about the kind of project you need to be handled:
When Should You Hire A Handyman?
Hire a handyman when you want someone to complete an uncomplicated task around the house. Small maintenance tasks or repairs (to your drywall, paint, carpentry, etc.) are good examples.
Also, consider a handyman if:
- It’s a one-trade job.
- The project may likely cost under $3K.
- Only one person can finish the job in less than a week.
- You don’t need a special building permit.
When Should You Hire a General Contractor?
Multi-tier projects that require a high level of skill are where general contractors are needed. Hiring a general contractor is necessary if:
- The job contains multiple trades (plumbing, electrical work, lighting, etc.)
- The total cost will amount to $20K or more (which means the job is complex).
- An entire team of professionals is required to complete the work.
- You need building permits.
- The job takes weeks or months.
- The project is detailed and highly specialized, requiring proper coordination.
FAQs
Is hiring a handyman cheaper than a contractor?
Yes. A handyman is suitable for small, one-day jobs. Their hourly rates can start at $50 or $60 for low-cost markets, to $100 for medium markets, and $150 for upscale communities.
General contractors may charge an hourly rate starting at $100 to $150, although they typically take 10%–20% of the total project’s costs.
Can a handyman do the same work as a contractor?
No. A handyman isn’t qualified or permitted to do the same work as a contractor.
Doing contracting work is illegal for a handyman.
What types of jobs should a handyman NOT do?
A handyman shouldn’t do construction work, structural projects, multi-stage renovations, or major electrical and plumbing projects.
Handyman services don’t require state-licensed credentials. They can’t do gas line repairs, demolitions, specialized HVAC jobs, and the like.
Can a handyman serve as a project manager for small construction projects?
It might be possible for a handyman to serve as a project manager for small construction projects.
However, the work needs to be minor and shouldn’t require a special permit or license.
Can one company handle both handyman and contractor services?
Yes, the same company may have a team of professional handymen as well as contractor services, which is an ideal situation. This ensures well-coordinated jobs that have a smooth workflow.
THS (Tuck Home Services) is an example of a company that has the best of both worlds. Based in Campton, NH, and founded in 2015, it offers a variety of handyman and contractor services. It does property maintenance like snow removal, trash pickup, and lawn care.
Plus, THS is ready to take up interior and exterior painting jobs, rot repairs, driveway construction, and remodeling. Other general contracting services involve deck installations, roofing, and other home additions.