What should a handyman contract include?
By OwnerKits Editorial · Reviewed before publishing · · 4 min read
Short answer
A handyman contract should name both parties and the job address, describe the work and what is excluded, and set out the price, payment terms, dates and how changes get approved. It should also cover hidden damage, cleanup, any warranty and cancellation. Some states have required contents once a job passes a set amount, so check your state's rules before you rely on a template.
General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ from place to place, so check with a licensed professional before you act on it. Our sources are listed below.
What to put in it
Who and where. Your business name, address, phone and license number if you have one. The customer's name and the job address.
The work. Each task in plain words, with the materials and who buys them.
What is not included. Spell out the likely assumptions, such as painting after a drywall repair or hauling away old fixtures.
The price. A fixed price, or an hourly rate with a minimum charge and how materials are billed.
Payment. Any deposit, when the balance is due, how you accept payment and any late fee.
Dates. An estimated start and finish, and what can move them.
Changes. Extra work starts only after the customer approves the added cost in writing.
Hidden problems. If you find rot, mold, bad wiring or a leak behind a wall, you stop and agree on what happens next before you continue.
Cleanup and disposal. What you remove and what stays.
Warranty. What you guarantee, for how long and what voids it.
Insurance. Whether you carry liability insurance.
Cancellation. How either side can cancel and what is owed for work already done, plus a three-day notice when the law requires one.
Signatures and date. Give the customer a signed copy before you start.
Laws that can change what you need
The FTC Cooling-Off Rule gives buyers three days to cancel certain sales made at their home. It generally covers home sales of $25 or more, and the seller must give a copy of the contract and two copies of a cancellation form. It doesn't cover sales needed to meet an emergency, or a visit the customer asked for to repair or maintain personal property. Anything you sell beyond that repair request can still be covered.
New York requires covered home improvement contracts over $500 to be in writing and signed, along with any changes to them. The law lists required contents, including start and completion dates, a description of the work and materials, the price and a notice of the right to cancel.
California allows unlicensed minor work only up to its $1,000 limit, and only if the job needs no permit and no one else works on it. Advertising for that work has to say you aren't licensed.
Other states have their own rules. Call your state's contractor licensing board or attorney general's consumer office, and ask a local attorney to review your contract before you rely on it.
Steps
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Check your state's rules first
Look up your state's contractor licensing board or consumer protection office. Find out what license you need, whether small jobs have a dollar limit and what a written contract has to say.
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Start from one standard contract
Build one contract or proposal you use on every job, so you aren't writing terms from memory.
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Fill in the job details
Write the tasks, materials, price and dates for this job. Be specific enough that someone who wasn't at the walkthrough would know what you agreed.
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Go through it with the customer
Point out what is excluded and how changes work. Both of you sign and date it, and the customer gets a copy before work starts.
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Keep the record
Save the signed contract, any changes and your before and after photos together. You will need them if anyone disagrees later.
Worked example
Say a customer asks you to re-caulk a tub and adjust two sticking doors. Here is how the key lines could read. The numbers are examples, based on an hourly rate of $75 and a 25% materials markup. Work: Remove old caulk and re-caulk one bathtub. Adjust two interior doors so they close freely. Not included: Repairs to tile, walls or door frames, or replacing door hardware. Price: Labor 1.75 hours × $75 = $131.25. Materials $15.00 × 1.25 = $18.75. Trip charge $12.16. Total $162.16, due when the work is finished. Dates: Start Saturday at 9 a.m. and finish the same day. Changes: Any added work needs the customer's written approval of the added price before it starts. Hidden problems: If there is rot or mold behind the caulk line, work stops until we agree on a plan and price.
Common mistakes
- Writing "fix bathroom" as the whole scope. Vague descriptions invite arguments about what was promised.
- Starting extra work on a spoken yes.
- Copying a template from another state without checking your own rules.
- Leaving out what happens when you find hidden damage.
- Writing up work your state says needs a licensed trade, such as some electrical or plumbing jobs.
Everything for handyman businesses
Guides to read next
- How Much to Charge for Handyman Services (2026 Pricing Guide)
What US handymen charge per hour and per job in 2026, how to build your shop rate from your real billable hours, and a worked quote for a 4.5-hour punch list with trip and minimum charges.