How Much Does a Handyman Cost in Melbourne's North?
Written by John Gasiamis, Founder — John's Handyman Service
Most handyman jobs in Melbourne's northern suburbs are charged on time on site, not per task. The minimum booking is 4 hours on site at $360 — that's $90 an hour. Once a job runs past 4 hours, the full-day rate of $640 applies: a flat rate that includes travel to and from the property, to and from suppliers, and a daily break. Both rates are labour-only — materials are quoted separately and confirmed before work starts. Jobs expected to run more than one day are quoted individually before anything begins.
Whether a job needs a half day or a full day usually comes down to how many separate tasks are on the list, how easy access is, and whether materials need to be sourced first. A single repair — a sticking door, a leaking tap — often fits well inside a half day alongside two or three other small jobs. Bigger minor carpentry, a full day of painting prep, or anything requiring a trip to source specific materials tends to run a full day.
Getting an accurate quote before we arrive
Describing the job — or better, sending a couple of clear photos — is usually enough to work out whether it's a half-day or full-day job before anyone visits. Photos help most with anything involving damage (a crack, a leak, a broken fitting) since it's easier to judge scope from an actual image than a description over the phone.
The honest downside of the half-day rate: a single 20-minute fix still costs $360 if it's the only thing on the list. The way to get the most value is to bundle several small jobs — the tap, the door handle, the gutter — into one visit rather than booking separate call-outs.
A homeowner in Coburg called about a single dripping tap. Once we walked the house, we found a sticking door, a loose stair handrail and a cracked bit of wall render — all fixed in the same half-day visit for the price of one call-out. That's the pattern worth planning for: think through the whole list before booking, not just the one thing that's currently annoying you.
Common questions
Yes — it's a 4-hour minimum, the same as most trades charge. The best way to get value from it is bundling a few jobs into the one visit rather than booking separately for each.
No — those rates are labour-only. Materials (a new tap, timber, paint, hardware) are quoted separately and confirmed with you before we buy anything.
← Part of the Complete Home Maintenance Guide
Insured handyman services for homeowners in Preston and surrounding suburbs. No subcontractors — just our own experienced team.