Handy is a marketplace designed to pair house cleaners and handymen with homeowners who need help cleaning or completing house projects. Services you can fulfill through Handy include:
- Cleaning
- Furniture assembly
- Electrical work
- Plumbing help
- Moving assistance
- AC/furnace repair
- Painting
- Home renovation work
- Tree removal
- Pest Control
If you’re skilled at any of the above services, Handy might be the side gig for you. To qualify, you must have paid experience with the services you’re applying for, you must be authorized to work in the country you’re applying to work in, and you must possess excellent customer service skills.
Handy is marketplace that connects professionals and customers, so all Handy Pros are independent contractors. That means you aren’t an employee. You aren’t guaranteed a set number of hours, benefits, paid time off, or a yearly salary. However, Handy professionals earn between $12 to $35 per hour, depending on the job. Top professionals earn more than $1,000 per week.
Below, we’ll delve deeper into the question, how much do Handy Professionals make, by exploring Handy’s job rates, common expenses, and paying taxes as an independent contractor.
Browse available locations for your city to see if Handy serves your area.
Advertised Pay Caps for Handy Pros
Handy advertises that you can make up to:
- $22 per hour/job as a cleaner
- $45 per hour/job as a handyman
- $62 per hour/job as a lawn care pro
Handy Job Rates & Processing Fees
Handy is very transparent with available job rates. You can view the job rates and processing fees broken into the type of work and region here. Before claiming a job in the app, you will agree to the actual pay rate, which can vary.
Handy Pro cleaners who work in New York City (NY), Hudson County (NY), Westchester (NY), Sacramento (CA), Orange County (CA), or Los Angeles County (CA) are paid $15 to $22 per hour, depending on their customer ratings and how much they’ve worked in the past 28 days.
Highest-Paying Regions for Cleaners
For the following regions, cleaners earn the most per hour:
| Region | Hourly Rate – 1st Booking with Customer | Hourly Rate – Repeat Customer |
| San Francisco, CA | $20 | $25 |
| Seattle, WA | $20 | $25 |
| Napa Solano, CA | $20 | $25 |
| San Jose, CA | $20 | $25 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $20 | $25 |
| Moosonee, ON | $17 | $19 |
| Boston, MA | $16 | $18 |
| Austin, TX | $16 | $18 |
| Dallas, TX | $16 | $18 |
| Denver, CO | $16 | $20 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $16 | $18 |
| Toronto, ON | $16 | $19 |
| Vancouver, BC | $16 | $20 |
Lowest-Paying Regions for Cleaners
Cleaners who work for Handy in the following regions earn the least per hour.
| Region | Hourly Rate – 1st Booking with Customer | Hourly Rate – Repeat Customer |
| Las Vegas, NV | $12 | $13 |
| Orlando, FL | $12 | $13 |
| Tampa, FL | $12 | $13 |
| Poconos, PA | $13 | $13 |
| Saginaw, MI | $13 | $13 |
| Onslow County, NC | $13 | $13 |
| Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $13 | $13 |
Average Pay by Handyman Job Type in the U.S.
Earnings also vary depending on what type of handyman service you’re completing. Let’s take a look at advertised rates based on the service.
| Category | Job Duties | Hourly Rate |
| Furniture Assembly | Furniture Assembly | $17 to $20 based on location |
| Work Not Requiring Tools | Handy Helper
Moving Help |
$18 |
| Handyman – Basic | Wall Hangings
Window Treatments Hanging Pictures & Shelves Walmart Furniture Assembly |
$20 |
| Handyman – Standard | Knobs and Locks
General Handyman Work Yard/Lawn/Outdoor Smart Home Air Conditioner Installation TV Mounting Walmart TV Mounting |
$25 |
| Handyman – Skilled Labor | Interior Painting | $30 |
| Electrical | Light Fixtures Ceiling and Bath FansOutlets Other Electrical Work |
$35 |
| Plumbing | Drains
Faucets Toilets Garbage Disposal |
$35 |
Ways Handy Professionals Make Money
Handy Professionals earn money from:
Jobs
Handy Pros earn the bulk of their income from job payments. Before claiming a job, you will be able to see the date, the time, the payment amount, the neighborhood, and the frequency.
Tips
Handy Pros keep 100% of tips. Customers can tip in the app or with cash at the time of service. Handy makes tipping easy by prompting customers to tip after giving you a high rating. Customers can retroactively tip too.
Incentives
Sometimes Handy offers weekend or holiday incentives. If you work during an incentive period, you can earn more money. Handy will send out details in the app and via email if there’s an incentive available in your region.
How Much Does Handy Take From Your Pay?
Handy charges the customer more for the job than the rate you see when you claim a job. That’s how Handy makes the majority of its money.
Handy also charges Handy Pros penalty fees to enforce platform standards. All fees are explained in the Service Professional Agreement, which you must agree to before using the Handy platform.
You could encounter four different fee types:
Late cancellation fee: If you cancel a claimed job, you may need to pay a late cancellation fee. Fees vary based on how soon before the job begins that you cancel. Fees range from $10 to $40.
Missed job fee: If you do not show up to a claimed job, you will need to pay a $50 missed job fee. You will also forfeit payment for that job.
Late arrival fee: If you arrive late for a job without informing the customer of your late arrival, you will need to pay a $15 late arrival fee.
Early departure fee: If you leave a job before completing the full service AND without the customer’s approval, you must pay an early departure fee. Customers book an hourly service when using Handy, so they expect the pro to stay for the full scheduled time. Fees vary based on the job type and how early you left.
What Affects How Much You Can Earn as a Handy Professional?
Services You Offer
Handy Pros who can complete more technical tasks like electrical or plumbing work can earn the most per hour. Handymen also have a higher earning potential than cleaners.
Payment Tier
Handy uses three different payment tiers. Which tier you’re in affects how much you will make or whether or not you can boost your per-job earnings.
Weekly tiers: If you’re paid on the weekly tier, you can earn more per job if you complete a lot of jobs within the week. Each time you complete a job, you’ll get closer to a benchmark. When you reach the benchmark, you make a higher rate per job for any jobs you have on your schedule or claim for the rest of the week. Weekly tiers reset Mondays at 12:01 AM.
Rolling tiers: If you’re paid on the rolling tier, your weekly pay is determined by your average customer rating and how many jobs you’ve completed in the past 28 days. The more jobs you finish and the higher your average rating, the more you’ll earn per job or per hour.
Flat rate: In markets where the flat rate tier is available, all handyman professionals earn the same hourly or per-job rate no matter how much they work in a week. However, handymen sometimes earn extra for repeat customers.
Location
As noted above, some locations pay more than others per hour for cleaning jobs. If you live near an area that offers better pay, consider working in that location to boost your hourly rate.
Tips
Handy customers can leave tips for a job well done. Following all customer directions and cleaning up after yourself if you’re a handyman can help you increase tips.
What are Some Common Expenses for Handy Professionals?
Handy customers expect you to bring many of the supplies needed to complete a job. Below are some common expenses you’ll face as a Handy Professional. Some are reimbursed by the customer, and others can be claimed on your taxes.
Cleaning Supplies
If you’re a Handy cleaner, you need to bring along cleaning supplies. You can communicate with customers ahead of time to confirm that you’re bringing the right supplies.
According to Handy, top cleaning professionals arrive with:
- Multi-purpose cleaner
- Tub and tile cleaner
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- Wood cleaner
- Glass cleaning solution
- Floor cleaner wet refills
- Rags and towels
- Floor sweeper/mop combo
- Vacuum
Keep track of what you spend on cleaning materials along with receipts so that you can deduct these expenses come tax time. Customers will not reimburse you for cleaning supplies.
Handyman Materials
Handymen should bring along a toolkit, nails, screws, and other small items, depending on the task. If you don’t already have the tools needed for the jobs you’ve claimed, you will need to purchase them. Communicate with the customer ahead of time to ensure you’re bringing the right supplies.
For larger jobs, a customer will either provide building supplies or ask you to purchase supplies—like paint or drywall—on their behalf. Keep receipts for any supplies purchased at the customer’s request so that you can submit them to Handy for reimbursement.
Handy Apparel
Some Handy Pros like to wear Handy branded merchandise so that their customers immediately know who they are. Handy sells polo shirts and aprons for $14.99 and $9.99, respectively. Wearing Handy apparel isn’t required.
Medical Insurance & Other Benefits
Handy does not provide any of its Pros with health insurance or benefits. If you decide to work full-time hours on Handy, you miss out on health insurance and other benefits you’d get with a traditional full-time job. Handy Pros who want health insurance and/or other benefits need to purchase those benefits independently.
Benefits you might want to purchase include health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance. Costs vary, depending on how much coverage you need and where you live.
What Taxes Do Handy Professionals Need to Pay?
Since Handy Pros are independent contractors, not traditional employees, Handy doesn’t withhold any taxes. You need to track your income and expenses so that you can make your own tax payments. For specific tax advice about working as an independent contractor, consult a tax professional in your area.
Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments
Handy Pros who earn above a certain amount per year need to make quarterly estimated tax payments for federal, state, and local taxes. The payments cover what you expect to owe in income taxes for the year. Each quarter, you pay 25 percent of your total expected tax burden for the year. Make sure you’re putting money aside to cover the tax bill.
Thankfully, you won’t need to pay taxes on everything you earn from Handy. As an independent contractor, you would be eligible to deduct certain business expenses to reduce your overall tax burden. These expenses might include gas for a lawnmower, lawnmower maintenance, equipment depreciation, cleaning supplies, new tools purchased for your Handy business, Handy fees, and any other supplies used exclusively for your business.
Self-Employment Taxes
In addition to income taxes, Handy Pros need to pay full Social Security and Medicare taxes, also called self-employment taxes. This combined tax rate is 15.3%. You’re allowed to deduct the employer portion (7.65%) as a business expense.
Is Becoming a Handy Pro Worth It?
Handy gives cleaners and handymen who already have paid experience the opportunity to reach a new client base. If you work as a Handy Pro, you can work when you want and as much as you want, making it a great part-time or full-time opportunity. And, since you’re doing jobs you already have experience with, you likely already have the needed tools or supplies, so you can get started right away.
Plus, Handy offers excellent transparency. You’ll know exactly how much a job pays and how long it will take before you claim it.
Before deciding if Handy is worth it for you, do the following:
- Review rates for your area and skillset
- Talk to a tax professional about tax deductions and self-employment taxes
- Research the cost of health insurance and other benefits you want
- Compare your estimated earnings to what you could make from another job or side hustle
