The Difference Between A Professional Home Service Contractor And A Handyman

Many homeowners have heard of both handymen and contractors, but not many know what each profession does. It’s important to distinguish each role’s duties, so you know who to call for each situation you may encounter. This raises the question: what is the difference between a professional home contractor and a handyman?

Despite the blurry line between the two, you don’t want to make the mistake of calling a handyman when you need a contractor or vice versa — even though there are surface-level similarities between the two jobs, such as licensing requirements, clients, and qualifications, among others.

To compare the two, it’s ideal to set them side by side and see the significant differences between them.

What Is A Contractor?

A professional home service contractor performs extensive tasks in various industries. They are licensed specialists who can be promoted to a general contractor in a few years’ time and manage their own teams and projects they specialize in. Examples of contractors are plumbers and electricians.

Large renovations and other major projects require the expertise of a contractor. Their job responsibilities include setting budgets and deadlines, delegating work to other contractors, overseeing the entire project operations, monitoring logistics, and bearing liability on their shoulders.

Contractors may also be experts in fields of carpentry, roofing, plumbing, HVAC, masonry, gas installation, and many more. Before a contractor can be certified and licensed, they need to complete an apprenticeship, provide their business registration information, and get insurance. These licensing requirements vary from state to state.

What Is A Handyman?

A handyman is paid to perform small and minor residential projects. These may include maintenance work and repairs. Contrary to professional home service contractors, handymen do not need any license or certifications to work. However, they will need proven hands-on experience to work for certain households.

Handymen acquire their skills through practice — where they learn their craft through repairing their own homes and taking courses if they have the time. They are self-learners who look for resources to fix household issues and apply that knowledge in practice.

Some of the repair and maintenance work they perform includes mounting shelves, pressure washing, painting walls, cleaning gutters, replacing light bulbs, caulking bathtubs or showers, and assembling furniture. They are usually paid according to the size of the project.

When To Hire A Contractor Or Handyman

Now that you see the difference between a contractor versus a handyman, you can determine the scope of your project first by setting the budget or the timeline for it. If the budget is hefty, and the timeline is long, you’ll probably need a contractor. However, if the project only requires simple tweaks and less cash, then you need a handyman.

Also, it’s important to determine whether your project needs a permit. If it does, then you need a contractor. If not, employing a handyman is the solution. As you can see from these differences, distinguishing the two is not so difficult as long as you have a plan for your project in place.

Call Pacific Construction Builders

We at Pacific Construction Builders are one of Hawaii’s most reliable and professional construction and home improvement service companies, serving clients for over three decades. We provide a wide range of contract work and provide excellent results for each project. Our contractors’ dedication and perseverance to get the job done right are the reasons we have returning clients who trust us with major projects.

Learn more about our construction and home improvement services and how Pacific Construction Builders can serve you here.

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The Difference Between A Professional Home Service Contractor And A Handyman

Many homeowners have heard of both handymen and contractors, but not many know what each profession does. It’s important to distinguish each role’s duties, so