Plumber or Handyman? Who to Call for Common Home Repairs

A dripping tap, a wobbly door, a leaking pipe under the sink — small home repairs rarely come labelled with the right tradesperson to call. Book the wrong one and you either pay more than you needed to, or worse, end up with work that isn't legally allowed to stand.

What a handyman can generally take on

Handymen are well suited to general maintenance and repair work that doesn't involve regulated trades: fixing squeaky doors and cupboards, patching small areas of plaster, minor carpentry, assembling furniture, mounting shelves and TVs, and general tidy-up jobs around the house.

What needs a licensed plumber, electrician or gasfitter

Work involving water supply, drainage, gas fittings or electrical wiring is regulated in every Australian state and territory, and for good reason — done badly, it can be dangerous or cause serious damage. That includes tap and toilet repairs beyond a basic washer replacement, any pipe work, power point or switchboard work, and gas appliance installation.

• Leaking pipes, burst fittings or anything affecting the water supply
• Toilet, hot water system or gas appliance installation and repair
• Power points, light circuits, switchboards and anything behind a wall
• Structural work, including load-bearing walls and roof repairs

When you're not sure, ask before you book

If a job touches water, gas, electricity or the structure of the house, it's worth a quick call to confirm whether it needs a licensed trade. Our guide on what to check before you hire a tradie covers how to verify a licence once you've found the right person.