Handyman service agreement template
A handyman service agreement covers the punch-list kind of job: hang the doors, patch the drywall, replace the faucet, fix the fence gate. It names each task, how you charge, who buys the materials and what you won't do because it needs a licensed trade. Read the template below, then open it in SignMaster, fill in the task list and send it.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
The contract
Gray blanks are yours to fill in before you send. Each signer fills in the blanks in their color.
- You, before sending
- Customer
- Handyman
Handyman Service Agreement
This Handyman Service Agreement (the "Agreement") is made on Agreement date between Handyman business name (the "Handyman") and Customer name (the "Customer") for work at Job address (the "Property").
1. Tasks
The Handyman will do the following tasks on Visit date, arriving between Arrival window:
Task list
Anything not on this list is not included. If the Customer asks for more work, the Handyman will price it and the Customer will approve it in writing, which may be by text or email, before it starts.
2. Price
Labor is charged Labor rates, with a minimum charge of Minimum charge per visit. A trip charge of Trip charge applies to each visit. Hourly work is billed in quarter hours from arrival to departure, including time to pick up materials for this job. The Handyman's estimate of the total, before any added tasks, is Estimated total.
3. Materials
Materials the Handyman buys are charged at cost plus Materials markup percent percent, with receipts on request. Materials the Customer supplies must be on site and suitable for the task. The Handyman does not warrant customer-supplied materials or parts and is not responsible for delays if they are missing, wrong or defective.
4. Licensed work and permits
The Handyman will not do work that the law requires a licensed electrician, plumber, gas fitter, HVAC technician or general contractor to perform, unless the Handyman holds that license. Handyman license or registration number, if any: License number. If a task needs a permit, the parties will agree in writing who obtains it before that task starts, and the permit fee is added to the price.
5. Hidden conditions
If the Handyman finds a condition that could not be seen before work began, such as rot, mold, water damage, pests or unsafe wiring, the Handyman will stop work on that task and tell the Customer. The Customer then decides whether to approve added work at an agreed price, hire someone else, or leave the task undone. The Customer pays for time already spent on the task.
6. The Customer's part
The Customer will clear the work areas, keep children and pets away from them, provide water and electricity, and tell the Handyman about any known hazards. Access notes: Access notes.
7. Workmanship warranty
The Handyman warrants its labor for Warranty in days days from completion and will correct defects in its workmanship at no charge if the Customer reports them within that time. The warranty does not cover customer-supplied materials, misuse, normal wear, damage by others, or work changed by someone else after completion.
8. Payment and cleanup
Payment is due on completion of each visit by Payment methods. The Handyman will leave work areas broom-clean and take away debris from the work, except for large items the parties agree in writing to handle separately.
9. Cancellation
Either party may reschedule with at least 24 hours' notice. If the Handyman arrives and cannot work because of the Customer, the trip charge or minimum charge applies. If this Agreement was signed at the Customer's home, the Customer may have a right to cancel within three business days, and the Handyman will provide a written notice explaining how.
10. General terms
The Handyman carries general liability insurance and will show proof on request, and is an independent business, not the Customer's employee. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the state of State, is the entire agreement between the parties, and may be signed electronically.
Contact details
Customer phone: Customer phone Email: Customer email
Handyman phone: Handyman phone Email: Handyman email
I have read this Agreement, including the task list in section 1 and the materials terms in section 3.
Customer
Handyman
Opens it in SignMaster as a template you can edit and send.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review it for your state and situation.
On this page
When a handyman should use a written agreement
For any visit with more than a couple of tasks, any job where you buy materials, and every job where you're working by the hour. Small jobs grow: a customer who booked two hours of repairs starts adding "while you're here" items, and without a task list it's hard to say which of them were part of the original price.
It also protects you on licensing. Many states and cities cap the size of a job someone can take without a contractor's license, and electrical, plumbing, gas and structural work usually need a licensed trade. The agreement says plainly that those are out of scope unless you hold the license.
What's in the template
- Task list: each job on its own line, with a blank for hourly or per-task pricing.
- Rates: an hourly rate and minimum, or fixed prices per task, plus a trip charge if you use one.
- Materials: bought by you at cost plus a markup, or supplied by the customer, with no warranty on customer-supplied parts.
- Added tasks: anything new gets priced and agreed in writing, even by text, before you start it.
- Licensed-trade limits: what you won't do without the right license, and who pulls permits if any are needed.
- Hidden conditions: rot behind the tile or old wiring behind the wall stops work until the customer decides.
- Workmanship warranty: a short warranty on your labor, with what it excludes.
- Payment and cleanup: when you're paid, how, and that you leave the work area broom-clean.
Common handyman contract mistakes
- Quoting "repairs as needed." A task list with prices is what lets you charge for item seven when the customer adds it.
- Marking up materials without saying so. Disclose the markup in the agreement and nobody feels tricked by the receipt.
- Warrantying parts the customer bought online. Cover your labor and leave the part to its maker.
- Taking on work that needs a license. If the job crosses into wiring, gas or a structural wall, refer it out or bring in a licensed sub.
Check your state's license threshold
Whether you need a contractor's license depends on your state, sometimes your city, and often the total job value including materials. Look it up before you sign a larger job, and add the rule's wording to the template if your state asks for it in the contract.
Sending it with SignMaster
- 1
Open the template
Choose Use this template above. SignMaster saves it in your account with the customer and you set up as the two signers.
- 2
Write the task list
Fill in the gray blanks: each task, your hourly rate or per-task prices, the trip charge, the visit date and your material markup.
- 3
Have the customer sign before the visit
Email it from SignMaster. The customer reads the tasks, adds their phone and any access notes, and signs on their phone with no account. If they're standing next to you, use Sign in person instead.
- 4
Handle added tasks on the spot
When the customer asks for more, write the new items on a change order and get it signed before you pick up the tool.
Doing turnover repairs for a landlord or a property manager with many units? Keep one agreement per unit and bulk send them from a spreadsheet: columns named after the gray blanks, such as Job address and Task list, fill each unit's copy, and the manager signs them from one inbox.
Questions? Answers.
Does a handyman need a contract for small jobs?
It's not always required, but a short written agreement is the easiest way to prove what you agreed to do and charge. Some states require a written contract for home improvement work above a set amount, so check yours.
Can a handyman charge for materials with a markup?
Yes, if the customer agrees. Section 3 of the template states your markup so the customer sees it before work starts.
What warranty should a handyman give?
Many give 30 to 90 days on labor. The template has a blank for the length and excludes customer-supplied parts, misuse and normal wear.
Who fills in which parts?
You fill in the gray blanks: tasks, prices and dates. The customer fills in their phone, email and access notes, ticks the box and signs. You sign last.