The jobs that nag at you most are usually the small ones — the loose handle, the dripping tap, the shelf that’s been leaning against the wall for a month. Here are ten little jobs most people put off, why they’re worth sorting before they get worse, and roughly how long each takes. Most can be knocked out in a single handyman visit.

1. Re-seal the bath or shower

Old, blackened or peeling sealant lets water creep behind tiles and into the floor, and that’s where small problems turn into expensive ones. Fresh silicone takes under an hour and instantly makes a bathroom look cared-for.

2. Fix the doors that stick or won’t latch

A door that drags on the carpet or won’t quite catch is usually a quick adjustment — a hinge tweak, a plane, or a new strike plate. You stop noticing it the second it’s fixed.

3. Put up the shelves still in their box

Everyone has them. Shelves, a mirror, a set of hooks — bought with good intentions and never fixed up. Getting them properly anchored to the wall, level and solid, is the kind of job that’s far quicker for someone who does it every week.

4. Build the flat-pack that’s been waiting

That wardrobe box in the spare room isn’t going to build itself. Flat-pack is one of the most common things people hand over to a handyman — quicker, solid, and with the packaging tidied away after.

5. Sort the dripping tap

A dripping tap wastes water and slowly stains the basin. A worn washer or cartridge is a minor, low-cost fix — and one of those jobs that feels great to finally be rid of.

6. Touch up the paintwork

Scuffed skirting, chipped door frames, a patch where a picture used to hang. A bit of filling and touch-up paint lifts a whole room and is ideal to bundle in with other jobs on the same visit.

7. Mount the TV properly

A TV on a stand is a TV waiting to be knocked. Wall-mounting it — securely, level, with the cables tidied — frees up space and looks far better. Worth doing right, into the right fixings.

8. Clear the gutters

Blocked gutters overflow, and overflowing water ends up against your walls. A clear-out once or twice a year is cheap insurance against damp and is much easier with the right ladder and kit.

9. Replace the failed light fittings

Swapping a like-for-like light fitting or a pull-cord is a minor, non-notifiable job a handyman can handle. (Anything involving new circuits or your fuse board is a registered electrician’s job — but most simple fittings aren’t.)

10. Tighten everything that’s worked loose

Wobbly handles, loose toilet seats, a banister with a bit of give, cupboard doors hanging at an angle. None of it’s urgent — until it is. A quick round of the house tightening and adjusting makes everything feel solid again.

The trick: save them up

Individually, none of these is worth a special trip. Together, they’re a perfect half-day. Saving small jobs up for one visit is the cheapest way to get them done — you spread the call-out across the whole list instead of paying it ten times over. Most people are surprised how much gets ticked off in a couple of hours.

Frequently asked questions

Can you do several small jobs in one visit?

Yes — that’s the best way to use a handyman. Make a list, and I’ll work through as many as we can in a half or full day. It’s far better value than booking each job separately.

How do I know how long my list will take?

Send me a quick message with what’s on it — photos help — and I’ll give you a realistic idea of timing and a free quote before we start.

Is there a minimum charge for small jobs?

There’s a minimum of one hour for short visits, which is exactly why batching jobs together makes sense. A single quick task and a list of ten both start the same way.

Get your list sorted

Write down everything that’s been nagging you and send it over. Ant will work through the lot in one tidy visit — friendly, reliable, fair priced. Covering Cambridge and the surrounding villages.