Handyman Estimate Template
A task list with flat prices or hours, a visit minimum, materials at cost plus markup or client-supplied, in one PDF the homeowner can approve by text.
- Free, no signup
- PDF in about two minutes
- Works on a phone
What makes a handyman estimate different
A handyman estimate is a task list. A contractor estimate covers one project in phases; a handyman visit covers six unrelated jobs in one afternoon. The customer wants to see each task and its price so they can cut one or add one. You need the estimate to protect three things that eat a handyman's margin: the drive for a 20-minute job, materials runs, and the extra tasks that show up once you are in the house.
Structure line items as tasks
One row per task, with a flat price where you can:
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount TV up to 65 in on drywall, customer bracket | 1 | ea | $175 |
| Patch drywall hole up to 6 in, texture and prime | 2 | ea | $140 |
| Kitchen faucet swap, customer-supplied faucet | 1 | ea | $185 |
| Recaulk tub surround | 1 | ea | $160 |
| Assemble flat-pack furniture | 2 | ea | $90 |
Typical 2026 flat prices for common tasks:
- TV mount up to 65 in on drywall: $125 to $250
- In-wall cable concealment: $100 to $200
- Small drywall patch, up to 6 in: $125 to $200
- Faucet swap, customer-supplied: $150 to $250
- Tub or shower recaulk: $125 to $250
- Interior door adjustment: $60 to $125
Use hours for anything without a clear end: "Investigate and repair sticking sliding door, est. 2 hrs at $95/hr." Give an estimate of the hours and a not-to-exceed amount if you can. Customers accept hourly work much more easily when the top end is written down.
Put the visit minimum on the estimate even if this job clears it. A one- or two-hour minimum of $150 to $250 is common, and seeing it in writing is what gets customers to save up a list instead of calling you for one picture hook.
Materials
There are two clean ways to handle materials. Bill them at cost plus a markup, usually 10% to 25%, on a single line: "Materials: patch compound, caulk, anchors, strike plate." Or have the customer buy the parts, and write "customer-supplied" on each task that uses them. Avoid mixing the two on one task, because when something is missing nobody knows who was supposed to buy it.
Worked example: half-day task list
A homeowner has a list ready for a Saturday morning visit:
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount 65 in TV on drywall, customer bracket | 1 | ea | $175 | $175 |
| In-wall cable concealment kit, installed | 1 | ea | $125 | $125 |
| Patch drywall hole up to 6 in, texture, prime | 2 | ea | $140 | $280 |
| Kitchen faucet swap, customer-supplied faucet | 1 | ea | $185 | $185 |
| Recaulk tub surround | 1 | ea | $160 | $160 |
| Adjust interior door and replace strike | 2 | ea | $75 | $150 |
| Materials at cost plus 20% | 1 | lot | $48 | $48 |
Subtotal: $1,123. Booked as separate calls, these would be five trips and five minimums. Bundled, it is one morning, and the customer can see why.
Free download
Handyman estimate template, ready to edit
The worked example above as a file, with its line items and terms already filled in. Change the prices, add your details and send it.
Or skip the file: fill it in above and download a PDFAll trade templates
Licensing limits
Know where your work stops before you price it. Many states require a contractor license once a job passes a set dollar amount, and the threshold often counts labor and materials together. Electrical, plumbing and gas work beyond like-for-like swaps usually needs a licensed trade, and anything that needs a permit is a sign to check. Do not split one job into several estimates to stay under a limit; licensing boards generally treat that as one job.
Terms that fit handyman work
- Validity: 14 to 30 days.
- Minimum: "Visit minimum of $150 applies to every visit."
- Added tasks: "Tasks not listed above are billed at $95 per hour in 15-minute increments, after the listed tasks are done and with the customer's approval."
- Customer-supplied parts: "Customer-supplied parts are not warrantied by us. A return trip for missing or defective parts is $75."
- Payment: due on completion; deposits are rare on small jobs.
- Exclusions: paint matching on patches unless listed, and any work that requires a permit or a licensed trade.
The common dispute: while you're here
The listed tasks are done by 11, and the customer starts walking you to other rooms: a loose towel bar, a running toilet, a light that flickers. Each one is small. Together they are two hours you did not price, and the customer thinks they were included.
The added-tasks line above settles it. Say it out loud too: "Happy to do it. It is $95 an hour on top of today's list, do you want me to go ahead?" Then add the task to the estimate and have them approve it before you start.
Prices on this page are ballpark US figures in US dollars for early 2026. They show how a quote is put together, not a rate survey: price from your own costs and your local market.
How to use
Three things, then download
Your business name, the client and the line items are all a PDF needs. Tax, dates and terms are there when you want them.
- 01
Header and license status
Business name, phone and email, and your license number if your state requires one for the work you do, plus a line saying you are insured.
- 02
List every task
One row per task, such as "Mount 65 in TV on drywall" or "Patch drywall hole up to 6 in," so the customer sees the whole visit at a glance.
- 03
Price flat or hourly
Flat prices for tasks you do every week, hours for anything open-ended, and a materials line at cost plus your markup.
- 04
Lock the terms
Visit minimum, rule for tasks added on site, customer-supplied parts and validity window. Then download the PDF.
Use cases
Frequently asked questions
In 2026 most independent handymen charge $65 to $125 per hour, with higher rates in large metro areas. Handyman companies often charge $100 to $150 per hour for the first hour or include it in a trip minimum.
Flat prices work best for tasks you know well, like TV mounts, faucet swaps and small drywall patches, because the customer gets a firm number. Hourly fits work you cannot see the end of, such as tracing a sticking door or repairing rot, ideally with a not-to-exceed amount.
A one- or two-hour minimum is common, usually $150 to $250 per visit. It covers drive time and setup, and it gives customers a reason to bundle several small tasks into one trip.
Either bill materials at cost plus a markup of 10% to 25% to cover pickup time, or let the customer supply them. If the customer supplies parts, write that on the line and say you do not warranty their parts.
It depends on the state and sometimes the city. Many states require a contractor license once a job passes a set dollar amount, often counting labor and materials together, and most require licensed trades for electrical, plumbing and gas work beyond simple swaps. Check your state contractor board before pricing larger jobs.
Typically $125 to $250 for a TV up to about 65 inches on drywall with the customer's bracket, more for brick, stone or over a fireplace. Hiding cables in the wall usually adds $100 to $200.
Related tools
Estimate templates by trade
Each page loads the line items that trade actually bills, in the units it bills them. Ballpark US figures, there to show the structure.