How much does a handyperson make?

Perhaps you’re employed as a handyman or woman and are curious as to how much you could make if you became self-employed? Or maybe you have your own handy trade business and you’d like to know the going rate to hire an apprentice in this line of work?

So how much does a handyperson make a year in the UK? Let’s take a look.

How much does a handyperson make a year?

The average annual salary of a handyperson is around £9,271.68 for an apprentice and up to £74,504.27 for the owner of a handyperson business (trading as a limited company).

If you’re fairly new to the trade, you might expect to earn around £13,152.44, increasing to £24,960.00 once you’ve established yourself in the role.

When looking at how much a handyperson can earn, as with any trade, it can be affected by a number of factors:

• The amount of experience you have
• The range of skills you possess
• The qualification you may have
• The type of work and any specialisms you undertake
• The area in which you work (for example, a handyperson salary in London is likely to be more than that of a handyperson in a more rural area)

How much does a handyperson make an hour?

Handyperson jobs range from those taking an hour or two putting up shelves or clearing out gutters, to projects that’ll take a number of days, for example, prepping and painting a room.

So how much should you charge as a handyperson per hour?

• Apprentice – £5.28 per hour
• Newly qualified – £7.49 per hour
• Employed – £12.00 per hour
• Sole trader – £35.00 per hour
• Business owner (Ltd company) – £50.51 per hour

Van jobs: I have a van and need work

What’s the average self-employed handyperson salary (UK)?

If you’re thinking of branching out on your own as a self-employed handyperson, you’ll be keen to know your earnings potential.

Setting up a handyperson business

A self-employed handyperson hourly rate normally sits around £35.00 per hour for a sole trader, which translates to a salary of around £51,626.40 per year before taxes and expenses.

There’s scope to make even more money as the owner of a handyperson limited company, perhaps working with a team underneath you, taking on contracts for larger clients.

The owner of a handyperson (Ltd) company, can earn in the region of £74,504.27 per year.

What about business costs and expenses?

Remember, when self-employed, you will have to cover your own business costs. We’ve estimated these in the table below so you can see the average take-home pay for those wanting to set up their own handyperson business.

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Is a handyperson business profitable?

So far, we’ve covered the earnings potential of a handyperson at the various stages of their career. But to know whether a handyperson business is profitable, you must factor in your business costs and expenses too.

Whether you run your handyperson business as a sole trader or a limited company, you will have tax liabilities and certain costs involved in the running of your business (fuel, workwear, tools and equipment etc.)

• As a sole trader, we estimate the costs associated with your handyperson business to be around £6,453.30, resulting in a take-home salary of approximately £34,113.63*
• For the owner of a handyperson company trading as a limited company, we estimate your costs to be £13,038.25, resulting in a take-home salary of approximately £47,852.71*

What are the most profitable handyperson jobs?

One of the most profitable handyperson jobs is carpentry. Good carpentry skills will always be in high demand, with people willing to shell out for your enviable woodworking abilities.

Whatever handyperson jobs you undertake, your profitability will hinge on a few factors:

• Your pricing – make sure you cover your costs
• Your area of expertise – you could charge a premium for specialist skills
• Your location – a handyperson salary in London will always be more than elsewhere
• Your outgoings – try to run your business efficiently to maintain your profit margins

And don’t forget to drive your revenue forward with effective marketing to attract lots of customers.

How to help your handyperson business thrive and grow

With plenty of potential from an earnings perspective, you might be thinking about taking the plunge and setting up your own handyperson business.

We say go for it! You’ll have creative licence over your hours, the projects you take on, and your future career path.

As a Checkatrade member, we can help to get your handyperson business off to the best possible start and provide the support you need to run a thriving company. Here’s how:

Get more leads

Checkatrade members receive more than 100,000 leads each week. 3 million homeowners used our trades last year. A third of all trade work comes through Checkatrade**.

Build your reputation

8 out of 10 people would choose a trade endorsed by Checkatrade compared to one that isn’t endorsed***. The tick that homeowners trust, helping you to win more business.

Discounts and benefits

Get exclusive access to trade deals, saving money on business essentials to help you stay profitable. Checkatrade members save on average £470 per year each**** on everything from equipment, van leasing, insurance, workwear, and more.

FAQs

What do most handypeople charge per hour?

Most handypeople will charge between £5.28 and £50.51 per hour depending on their level of experience, skill set, and location.

How much does a self-employed handyperson make in the UK?

A self-employed handyperson in the UK will typically earn around £51,626.40 per year as a sole trader, before taxes and expenses.

Can you make a living as a handyperson in the UK?

You can make a living as a handyperson in the UK. The starting salary of an apprentice is around £9,271.68 per year, but the earnings potential for a handyperson in charge of their own limited company can be as much as £74,504.27 per year.

*Estimate costs for vehicle, fuel, tools, and insurance

**Checkatrade brand tracking survey April 2021

***Claims are sourced from a survey conducted by Deep Blue Thinking on a nationally representative UK sample in November 2021.

****Year runs from April 21’ to March 22’. Saving calculation based on average spend across 12,505 members in 2020/2021/2022. Discounts differ depending on the partner. Products range from low value items to high value items. Some exclusions will apply on products.