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Home Repair Scopebook · Free estimate
Request free written estimates for your repair list
Use this page to send a repair list, photos, and access details to independent local professionals who respond with written estimates. The request is free and creates no obligation. The better the list, the more precise the quotes: symptom-first descriptions, product model numbers, and a marked priority order let a pro give fixed prices instead of hourly guesses. Regulated items should be labeled so the right trade responds.
What to include
- 01A numbered list, room by room, with the symptom described (not the guessed fix) and a priority for each item
- 02Photos of each item plus one of the surrounding area, taken in daylight
- 03Product model numbers and instruction links for anything being installed or assembled
- 04Which parts you already have and which you want the pro to supply
- 05A separate group for items that might need a licensed trade, and a flag on anything urgent
- 06Access notes: parking, gate codes, stairs, pets, and whether you will be home
- 07Your preferred timing and whether you want fixed prices, hourly, or a day rate
- 08The approval cap you are comfortable with for unlisted work found on site
The estimate you get is only as good as the request you send. A list that says "various repairs" produces a phone call and an hourly rate. A list that says "1. Bathroom door does not latch (photo). 2. Wobbly ceiling fan in office, existing box unknown (photo). 3. Assemble IKEA Hemnes dresser, box complete, in room" produces fixed prices on items one and three and a specific question about item two. Thumbtack's data shows simple tasks under two hours totaling $178 to $220 and half-day visits at $316 to $428; a good list is what puts you in the second band with everything done.
This page walks through what to include, how to flag the items that need a licensed trade, and what to expect after you submit. If you are not ready, the services hub and the calculator can help you get the list into shape first.
What makes a request easy to quote?
Specificity per item and a clear picture of the whole visit. Each item needs a symptom, a location, and a photo; the whole request needs the priority order, the access details, and the parts situation. Angi's 10–30% material markup and HomeGuide's $30 to $80 trip fees (on top of minimums of $75–$200) both shrink when the request says which parts you already have and which you want the pro to bring.
Photos do the heavy lifting. A photo of a cracked corner tells a pro whether it is a five-minute fill or a re-bead; a photo of a mounting wall tells them whether to bring toggles or a hammer drill; a photo of the underside of a faucet tells them the hole configuration. Take them in daylight, from a normal distance and then close, and include something for scale.
How should you label items that might need a licensed trade?
Put them in a separate group with a note: "Possibly regulated: please confirm whether you can do these under local rules." A pro who can will say so; one who cannot will tell you which trade to call. That is a better outcome than an unlicensed attempt. The plumbing and electrical page lists the symptoms that usually fall into this group. California's exemption of $1,000 per project is one example of how thresholds work; other states differ, and the pro at your address knows which rules apply.
Also flag anything urgent. An active leak, a loose stair handrail, a door that will not lock, or a smell of gas (call the utility first for that one) needs a different response time than a cosmetic patch, and a pro who knows will often fit the urgent item in sooner and schedule the rest.
What happens after you submit?
The request goes to independent professionals who serve your area. Interested pros respond to you directly, usually within a day or two, sometimes with questions before a price. You may hear from more than one; compare their written estimates using the reviews guide and the published ranges on this site, ask for insurance details, and choose whether to proceed. There is no obligation and no fee.
Expect some pros to decline items or the whole list. That is normal, especially for regulated tasks or work outside their skills, and a decline with a reason is useful information. Houzz's 2025 study found 49% of renovating homeowners used specialty service providers alongside generalists; a mixed list often ends up with two pros, and that is fine.
- Responses come directly from pros, not from the site
- Written estimates should state pricing model, minimum, materials, and approval process
- You can decline all responses; nothing is booked by submitting
- Ask each pro for proof of liability insurance before scheduling
How much should you expect the list to cost?
Use the published benchmarks as a sanity check rather than a target. Angi's national average of $406 and HomeAdvisor's $390 cover a visit with one or two tasks; a list of six to eight small items in a half day runs $316 to $428 per Thumbtack; a full day of complex work runs $701–$1,105. If your estimates cluster near those figures, they are normal. If one is far above, ask which item is driving it; if one is far below, ask what is excluded.
The calculator gives a first number for your list by the hour with add-ons for minimums, material runs, and after-hours work.
What should you have ready on the day?
Parts in the room where they go, rooms cleared, pets contained, the printed list in priority order, and a decision on the approval cap for unlisted work. Know where the water main and the electrical panel are. If you will not be home, confirm access and the cap in writing. A prepared house lets the pro start work in the first ten minutes instead of the first hour, which on an hourly estimate is money directly back to you.
Homeowner polls
What other planners are choosing
How often do you book a handyman for a bundled list?
Fixr finds $130 is the most common handyman minimum charge per visit.
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Questions about requesting an estimate
How many items should I put in one request?
As many as you have. A longer list gets a better per-item price because the visit overhead is spread across more work, and it lets the pro plan a half day or full day rather than a quick call. Mark priorities so the important items are done first if the day runs long. If the list is very long, say whether you would prefer two visits or one long day.
Should I include items I think are too small?
Yes. A smoke detector battery, a loose cabinet handle, or a squeaky hinge takes minutes inside a bundled visit and would never justify its own call. HomeGuide puts typical minimum charges at $75–$200, and the small items are exactly what fills out a visit you are already paying for. Add them at the bottom as low priority.
Will the pros call me or email?
It varies by pro. Most respond in writing with questions or an estimate; some prefer a short call to clarify before pricing. State your preference in the request. The site does not call you; responses come from the independent professionals themselves.
What if I do not know whether an item is handyman work?
Describe the symptom and put it in the "possibly regulated" group. The pro will tell you. Guessing wrong in either direction is common; the point of the request is to let someone with local knowledge sort it. The plumbing and electrical page gives the usual boundaries if you want a rough idea first.
Can I request a specific day or time?
Yes, and it helps to give a couple of options. Non-urgent lists are typically scheduled one to three weeks out; BLS projects 4% job growth in the trade, and spring is the busiest season. A flexible date also makes it easier to book a full day, which Thumbtack prices at $701–$1,105 for a long list. Urgent items can often be fit in sooner at a higher rate. Say what is urgent and what can wait.
Do I need to be home for the estimate?
Usually not; most pros will quote from a good list and photos. For an uncertain item such as a leak with no visible source, a pro may want a site visit and may charge for it. Ask in advance whether any visit fee is credited against the work if you proceed.
What if no one responds?
It happens in some rural areas or during peak season. Check that the request had enough detail to be worth a pro's time (a bare "need handyman" often gets skipped), add photos and priorities, and resubmit. You can also widen the timing window; a pro who cannot do it this week may be able to next.
Not sure which service? Start with a guide
Service guideGeneral Home RepairsGeneral home repairs are the grouped small tasks that keep a house working: sticking doors, loose handrails, failed caulk, cracked trim, wobbly fixtures, weatherstripping, and minor carpentry.
Service guidePainting & DrywallPainting and drywall work through a handyman covers holes, cracks, water-stained sections, corner bead damage, texture matching, and repainting a wall or room once the cause of the damage is handled.
Service guidePlumbing & ElectricalThis scope covers minor plumbing and electrical symptoms a homeowner notices first: a dripping faucet, a running toilet, a slow drain, a dead outlet, a wobbling ceiling fan, a light fixture swap.
Service guideFurniture Assembly & MountingAssembly and mounting covers flat-pack furniture, TV and monitor mounts, floating shelves, mirrors, curtain hardware, and anti-tip anchoring for dressers and bookcases.