How much does a handyman cost in Pennsylvania?

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What does a handyman cost?

The published surveys put a handyman's hourly rate somewhere between $50 and $150, and a typical job at a few hundred dollars. The four surveys below are national, and they disagree at the edges, so read them as a starting point for comparing quotes rather than as a price you are owed.

• Angi and HomeAdvisor (they publish the same figures): $50 to $150 an hour; most jobs $164 to $647, with an average of $405.
• HomeGuide: $50 to $80 an hour for a self-employed handyman, $75 to $125 for one who works for a company; $150 to $600 a job.
• Fixr: $50 to $100 an hour, most around $65; $150 to $600 a job, with an average of $300.

Angi says its $405 average comes from 103,764 projects. HomeAdvisor publishes the same average and range, so the two count as one source here, not two. HomeGuide splits its hourly figure by who you hire: a self-employed handyman or one who works for a company. Fixr puts the low end of a job at about $75 and the high end at about $1,000.

Is there a Pennsylvania figure?

One. HomeGuide publishes hourly rates reported by homeowners in a list of cities. For Philadelphia it gives $55 to $90 an hour, and for Pittsburgh $50 to $100. No survey read for this guide gives a figure for Bucks, Chester, Delaware or Montgomery County, and this guide does not adjust the national numbers to fit them.

What do common jobs cost?

These are each publisher's own ranges for the job named. HomeGuide notes that its job prices may not include materials.

HomeGuide also lists caulking repair at $150 to $300, weather stripping at $150 to $400, childproofing at $200 to $700 and home safety modifications at $150 to $2,000. Fixr groups jobs by kind: installations $60 to $400, repairs $75 to $700, maintenance $100 to $280 and painting $400 to $1,000.

What extra charges should you ask about?

Small jobs can cost more than the hours alone suggest, because of four charges the surveys describe.

• A minimum charge. HomeGuide puts it at $75 to $200, either as a higher first hour or a minimum number of hours. Fixr says the most common minimum is $130.
• A trip charge. HomeGuide reports $30 to $80 when the handyman has to go out and buy materials.
• Markup on materials. Angi gives 10% to 30% above retail when the handyman buys them; HomeGuide gives 20% to 50%.
• A day rate. HomeGuide lists $320 to $600 a day for longer work.

The simplest way to cut the per-job cost is to put several small jobs in one visit, so one minimum charge covers them all, and to ask whether you may buy the materials yourself.

Why does one quote cost twice another?

Partly because of scope and materials, and partly because of who is quoting. HomeGuide's figures show companies charging more per hour than self-employed handymen. Insurance and registration also cost the business money. A contractor who did $5,000 or more of home improvement work last year must register with the Attorney General and show at least $50,000 of personal injury and $50,000 of property damage coverage, which a one-person sideline under that line does not have to carry. Ask each quoter what insurance they hold, whatever the size of the job.

Lead rules can change the price of the same job in an older house. In a home built before 1978, a paid job that disturbs more than six square feet of paint in a room, or more than 20 square feet outside, falls under the EPA's lead-safe rule, which means a certified firm and extra setup and cleanup. Window replacement is covered at any size.

Hourly or fixed price: what does the law say?

Both are lawful. For home improvement work over $500, Pennsylvania requires a written contract with the total price. If you agree to pay by the hour, the Attorney General's questions and answers say the contractor must give you a written estimate before starting, and the contract must state that the bill will not exceed that estimate by more than 10% unless you both sign a written change order. That rule turns an open-ended hourly job into one with a ceiling, so ask for it on anything that may run long.

On larger jobs, the law also limits deposits. For a project over $5,000, the Attorney General says one-third of the price, or one-third plus the cost of special-order materials, is generally appropriate.

Are there jobs where a cheap quote is a bad sign?

Yes, when the job needs a licensed trade, because the lower price may mean the work is being done by someone not allowed to do it. In Philadelphia, plumbing work must be done by a licensed master plumber and electrical work under a permit by a licensed electrical contractor; elsewhere it depends on the township. The rules are in does a handyman need a license in Pennsylvania.

How do you compare quotes?

Get at least two in writing, for the same list of jobs, and check that each says whether materials, trip charges and cleanup are included. How to choose a handyman covers the checks that go with the price, and local businesses are listed on the handyman services page.

Sources

1. Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Contractors, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2. Get a Master Plumber's License, City of Philadelphia
3. Get an Electrical Permit, City of Philadelphia
4. How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Handyman?, Angi
5. How Much Are Handyperson Hourly Rates?, HomeAdvisor
6. Handyman Hourly Rates, Price List and Average Job Cost, HomeGuide
7. Handyman Cost and Handyman Hourly Rate, Fixr
8. Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General