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How many handyman bids should I compare?

Get more than one: the FTC’s consumer guidance says "Get multiple estimates." Compare them task by task on one numbered list, checking materials, repair boundaries and exclusions.

Source: FTC written-estimate and agreement guidance, read 14 October 2026.

Researched by the InstaBids editorial team. Last checked: 14 October 2026

A repaired porch railing beside a front door with a small toolbox on the step.

Key facts

Why do bids for one job differ?

Compare handyman estimates in Florida task by task, using locations, materials and the intended result. A door adjustment, a drywall patch and a wiring fault need different descriptions; ask bidders to identify the repair boundary before you compare their responses.

The FTC's July 2022 consumer guidance says, "Get multiple estimates." It recommends written descriptions of work, materials, completion date and price, and advises asking about large differences. That guidance supplies no numerical target in this passage; use its comparison approach without turning it into a promised bid count.

Source: FTC written-estimate and agreement guidance, read 14 October 2026.

Number your tasks by location: adjust the hall closet door, assemble a freestanding unit or replace specified decorative hardware, for example. These are prompts for your own list, not completed bids. Ask whether you will supply materials, who confirms dimensions and what happens if a supplied part does not fit.

For each proposed repair, describe the symptom separately from your preferred fix. If a door sticks, say where and when it sticks; ask the bidder to explain the intended adjustment. Avoid instructing everyone to replace a part before you have established that replacement is the requested work.

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When is a comparison less useful?

Treat a handyman list as separate task scopes with repair exclusions before comparing a bundled repair proposal. Describe each requested adjustment, replacement or installation, and ask which tasks the response includes and which need a separate discussion.

DBPR distinguishes changing a light bulb, which does not need its licence, from paid installation of a ceiling fan or light fixture, which does. Describe the exact electrical-related task rather than assuming a handyman label settles its scope.

Source: DBPR maintenance and repair examples, read 14 October 2026.

Florida's licence lookup is public at DBPR.

Source: DBPR public search, read 14 October 2026.

Section 489.103(9) is a construction-contracting exemption for casual, minor or inconsequential work, and it has further eligibility conditions, including a limit on the aggregate contract price; read the full provision before relying on it. Paragraph (a) excludes work that is part of a larger operation or split up to evade the law, and paragraph (b) excludes anyone who advertises or represents themselves as a contractor. It is not an electrical exemption: DBPR says paid electrical work, even something as simple as connecting two wires, needs a licensee.

Source: Florida Statutes section 489.103, read 14 October 2026.
Source: DBPR maintenance and repair examples, read 14 October 2026.

Florida Statutes section 489.117(4)(a)1 lists handyman services among job scopes for which a local government may not require a licence; tasks that fall within a licensed trade’s scope are treated separately.

Source: Florida Statutes section 489.117, read 14 October 2026.

How can I ask several companies the same questions?

Use numbered photographs for a handyman request, with one task beside each image. Record the symptom, dimensions, supplied parts and desired finish so a bidder can distinguish an adjustment from replacement and identify work that needs another trade.

For outlet-related work, DBPR lists changing a cover plate as not needing its licence, while paid replacement of an outlet or switch requires one. Use the exact task name in your list; a cosmetic cover change and a component replacement are different requests.

Source: DBPR maintenance and repair examples, read 14 October 2026.

DBPR's drywall example does not require its licence when the contract excludes work on load-bearing parts, plumbing, electrical and air conditioning. Ask any drywall proposal to state those boundaries, along with the size and location of the requested patch.

Source: DBPR maintenance and repair examples, read 14 October 2026.

DBPR also lists changing an air-conditioning filter as not requiring its licence. Name the filter task explicitly, and keep investigation or repair of the equipment outside that request.

Source: DBPR maintenance and repair examples, read 14 October 2026.

  1. Photograph the hall closet door open and closed; describe where it catches and whether you want adjustment or replacement discussed.
  2. Measure the supplied hinge or handle and record its model, so the response can address compatibility before installation.
  3. Give a drywall patch its own task number, with the requested paint finish and any question about hidden damage.
  4. Put wiring symptoms on a separate line for the relevant trade; ask the handyman response to identify the boundary of its proposed work.

If you revise the list, date the revision and give each company the same version. Do not compare a response to your original list with an expanded request without asking what changed.

Should I ask whether a quotation has a charge?

Ask what investigation a handyman appointment would involve and request its written scope before booking a quotation visit. A sticking drawer may need a fit assessment; a dead light may lead to electrical work.

For a light that remains dark after a bulb change, describe what you observed without asking the handyman to open the fitting. Ask who would investigate the wiring and where that investigation ends. Keep the electrical question separate from door alignment or furniture assembly, with its own written scope and appointment terms.

What should my request include?

Describe your handyman tasks individually, attaching a parts list and photographs of each repair location. Keep electrical or plumbing questions as separate, explicit items in the request.

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Source: InstaBids process and privacy, read 14 October 2026.

What should I do when written bids arrive?

Check handyman bids against the numbered repairs and exclusions, starting with parts compatibility and the proposed finish. Mark tasks requiring another trade separately, then ask whether the remaining adjustments can be completed without opening walls or changing building systems.

The FTC advises requesting a written agreement, estimated start and completion dates, and any promises made in conversation about the scope of work and the cost of labor and materials. Ask for spoken clarifications to appear in the document you will actually accept.

Source: FTC written-estimate and agreement guidance, read 14 October 2026.

Mark each task as included, excluded or unresolved. Keep your parts list beside those answers, and note who will dispose of replaced material. Ask for approval steps before substitutions or extra work. If a task disappears from a revised proposal, return it as a question rather than assuming it remains included.

Settle the handoff between trades before adding another handyman estimate. If a patch depends on resolving a wiring fault inside the wall, identify who handles that fault and when the patch can begin. A further handyman response helps only if it addresses a remaining repair choice, such as adjustment versus replacement of the closet door.

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Source: InstaBids process and privacy, read 14 October 2026.
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Sources for the facts on this page

Read the handyman scope rules in sections 489.117 and 489.103 alongside DBPR’s electrical examples. The FTC’s July 2022 estimate guidance helps organize written repair terms; its general advice does not replace the state’s task boundaries.

Sources checked: 14 October 2026.

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