Call a handyman for small, non-specialist jobs — repairs, assembly, mounting, sealing, minor fixes and odd jobs. Call a registered electrician for anything involving your fuse board or new circuits, and a plumber for boilers, heating and major pipework. Gas work must always go to a Gas Safe registered engineer. Knowing which is which saves you time, money and the wrong person turning up.

The quick answer

Most jobs around the home fall into one of three buckets. Here’s the simple version:

Who to call	What they handle
Handyman	Repairs, flat-pack, TV mounting, shelves, blinds, painting, sealant, minor non-notifiable jobs
Electrician (Part P registered)	Fuse boards, new circuits, rewires, anything notifiable under the wiring regs
Plumber	Boilers, central heating, major pipework, bathroom installs
Gas Safe engineer	Anything involving gas — boilers, hobs, gas fires (legally required)

When to call a handyman

A handyman is your go-to for the long list of small jobs that don’t need a specialist trade. That covers most of what goes wrong or needs doing around a typical home:

• Flat-pack furniture and TV wall mounting
• Shelves, blinds, curtain poles, pictures and mirrors
• Door, lock and hinge repairs
• Painting, decorating and patch filling
• Re-sealing baths, sinks and kitchen worktops
• Minor jobs like swapping a tap, a toilet seat, or a light fitting

The handyman’s real value is breadth: one person who can work through a whole list in a single visit, rather than booking three separate trades for three small jobs.

When you need a registered electrician

Some electrical work is “notifiable” — meaning by law it must be done by a Part P registered electrician and certified. This includes new circuits, work on your consumer unit (fuse board), and most work in bathrooms or outdoors. A good handyman will happily change a light fitting, a socket front or a switch, but will stop and recommend an electrician the moment a job crosses into notifiable territory.

If anyone offers to rewire a circuit or swap your fuse board without being registered, that’s a red flag — for your safety and your home insurance.

When you need a plumber or Gas Safe engineer

A handyman can handle minor plumbing — a dripping tap, a new toilet seat, a leaking trap. But boilers, central heating, new bathroom installs and major pipework are a plumber’s job. And anything involving gas — boilers, hobs, gas fires — must legally be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with no exceptions. It’s the one area where there’s no grey zone.

Why honesty about limits is a good thing

A handyman who knows where their job ends is one worth keeping. Plenty of small jobs are perfectly within a handyman’s scope, and you’ll save money having them done that way rather than calling a premium trade. But for the jobs that genuinely need a specialist, the right answer is to use one — and a trustworthy handyman will tell you so, and often point you to someone good.

Frequently asked questions

Can a handyman do electrical work?

A handyman can do minor, non-notifiable jobs like changing a light fitting, socket front or switch. New circuits, fuse board work and bathroom or outdoor wiring must be done by a Part P registered electrician.

Can a handyman fix a leaking tap?

Yes — minor plumbing like a dripping tap, a new toilet seat or a leaking trap is well within a handyman’s scope. Boilers, heating and major pipework are a plumber’s job.

Can a handyman work on a boiler?

No. Any gas appliance, including boilers, must legally be worked on by a Gas Safe registered engineer. A handyman should never touch gas work.

Is it cheaper to use a handyman?

For small, non-specialist jobs, usually yes — and you can get several done in one visit. For notifiable or gas work, you need the right registered trade, and that’s where the money is well spent.

Not sure who you need?

If you’re not sure whether your job is one for a handyman, just ask. Tell Ant what you need doing and you’ll get an honest answer — and if it’s a job I can do, a free quote to go with it. Covering Cambridge and the surrounding villages.