Deposit starts at zero because most handyman work is paid on the day — turn it up when you are buying materials up front. And if your hourly rate is a number you inherited rather than worked out, the charge-out rate calculator is the place to start: this trade has more unbillable travel than almost any other, and a rate that ignores it loses money quietly.
A worked example: a booked half-day of odd jobs
Four tasks at one address, materials supplied by the handyman, GST registered.
| Task | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang 3 internal doors — plane, fit, adjust hardware | 3 | $110.00 | $330.00 |
| Assemble and wall-fix wardrobe unit | 1 | $180.00 | $180.00 |
| Gutter clean — single storey, front and rear | 1 | $220.00 | $220.00 |
| Patch and sand plaster — 4 small holes | 4 | $45.00 | $180.00 |
| Materials — hardware, fixings, filler (at cost + 15%) | 1 | $96.00 | $96.00 |
| Subtotal | $1,006.00 | ||
| GST (10%) | $100.60 | ||
| Total inc GST | $1,106.60 |
Every task has its own price, so the customer can drop the gutters and keep the doors — and so anything they add on the day is visibly an addition rather than "while you're here". That is the whole trick of quoting this trade well.
What to put on a handyman quote
- Business name, ABN, and your public liability insurance details — customers and agents ask, and having it on the quote saves a phone call.
- A task-by-task list with a price against each. Not "odd jobs, $900".
- Your hourly or half-day rate, stated even on a fixed-price quote, so anything added on the day has a number attached already.
- Your minimum charge. A one-hour job across town costs more to reach than it earns.
- Who supplies materials, and how they are charged — at cost, or at cost plus a stated percentage. Saying it up front stops it looking like a surprise on the invoice.
- What you cannot do. This is the line that matters most in this trade: electrical and plumbing work generally require a licensed tradesperson, and many states also set a contract value above which building work needs a licence. Naming it builds trust rather than costing you work.
- Exclusions. Work at height without a platform, roof access, asbestos, anything structural, and rubbish removal.
- Whether GST is included, and how and when you are paid.
- The variations sentence — in this trade, phrased as: extra tasks added on the day are charged at the hourly rate, quoted before they start.
Common mistakes, and what each one costs
- One lump sum for a list of tasks. The customer remembers the price and forgets the list, and every disagreement afterwards is unwinnable.
- No minimum charge. Half an hour of work and fifty minutes of driving, for the price of half an hour.
- Travel absorbed. Three jobs in three suburbs is most of a billable hour lost, every day.
- Materials at cost. You fronted the money and made the run. A stated markup is normal — see the markup and margin calculator.
- Taking on licensed work to be helpful. Swapping a light fitting or moving a tap is licensed work almost everywhere, and doing it uninsured and unlicensed is a risk out of all proportion to the fee.
- No insurance line. Real-estate and strata work often will not proceed without evidence of public liability cover, and being able to attach it wins the recurring work.
Three things that win the job
Reply fast and price the list. Handyman enquiries are usually urgent-ish and low-value-per-job; the first clear quote very often wins simply by being first and legible.
Bundle into a half-day. "Four of these will fill a morning — book the half-day and I'll do the lot" is easier to say yes to than four separate call-outs, and it is far better for your week.
Ask for the next one. This trade lives on repeat work and referrals more than any other. A short message after the job, and a follow-up on unaccepted quotes, does more than advertising — wording in the quote follow-up templates.
Yamate keeps your task prices, your minimum charge and your terms, so a quote is a few taps rather than a blank page — then turns the accepted quote into the invoice without retyping it. Sign up before 30 September 2026 and lock in the Founder plan at $19/mo — forever. It's $29/mo after that. No lock-in, cancel anytime. Prices in AUD.
FAQ
What should a handyman quote include?
A task-by-task list with a price against each, your hourly or half-day rate, your minimum charge, who supplies materials and how they are charged, what is excluded, whether GST applies, and how and when you get paid.
What work can a handyman legally do?
It depends on your state and the work. Electrical and plumbing generally require a licensed tradesperson everywhere in Australia, and many states set a contract value above which building work requires a licence. Check your own regulator before taking work near those lines.
Hourly or per job?
Hourly or half-day for variable work; fixed price per task for repeatable jobs like flat-pack assembly or gutter cleaning. The strongest quote does both — a fixed price per task, with the hourly rate stated for anything added.
Do I need a minimum charge?
Generally yes. A stated minimum of an hour or two is standard, and it is far easier to apply when it was written on the quote than when it is raised on the day.
Do I charge GST on a quote?
Only if you are registered, which is generally required once turnover reaches $75,000. See when a sole trader has to register.
Next steps
General information for Australian tradies, not tax, legal or financial advice. Every figure this page produces is an estimate based on what you type in. Licensing rules — what work needs a licence, and above what value — are set by each state and territory. Check yours before relying on this page.