How to Become a Handy Worker

Looking for a new way to make some money on your own terms?

Considering getting into the gig economy but don’t want to drive strangers around town or deliver packages or food?

In case you didn’t know, there’s a lot more to the gig economy than driving for Uber or delivering food for GrubHub.

If you’ve got some serious skills and a bit of expertise, it might be time to look into Handy.

Handy is a unique on-demand service that connects buyers that need various tasks done with the experts who can complete them.

From furniture assembly to cleaning bathrooms, Handy offers a new way to apply your best skills to the gig market.

Sound interesting?

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about becoming a Handy worker in 2020.

What is Handy?

Handy makes it easy for customers who need jobs done around the house — whether it’s last minute or not — to find professionals who can do those jobs.

By providing some basic details about the task at hand, customers can spend just one minute booking a professional to do the work.

Handy will then find a local professional that can do that job for you.

On Handy, you can find home cleaners, furniture assemblers, painters, and handymen to do odd jobs.

You can hire people to mount televisions, hang shelves, or help you pack and move.

You can even find pros to complete plumbing projects, tackle electrical projects, or hang your window treatments.

The tasks vary greatly from jobs that call for particular skills to those that don’t require any professional experience.

That makes it a unique opportunity for workers of all levels to find gigs through the Handy platform.

How does it work?

Here’s how it works: Customers submit requests for jobs they need doing and Handy matches them with a professional to do the work.

It’s as simple as that.

But there are a few things you’ll need to do to get started.

You’ll need to apply to work for Handy.

The application process includes submitting your basic information and verifying your credentials.

You’ll also need to provide a valid ID and be able to pass a background check.

As long as you meet all of their requirements, you should be approved to start claiming and completing jobs.

Once you are approved to work for Handy, you will work as an independent contractor.

You will not be employed by Handy – the platform directly connects you with the customers that want to hire you for your services.

As a Handy professional, you’ll work entirely through the app.

The Handy app will give you a list of all the open jobs that are available in your area, and you can claim the tasks you want to do.

The Handy Pro app is available for Android and iPhone users.

The price and the neighborhood of the job are disclosed up front.

That makes it easy to plan your schedule accordingly and know precisely how much you’ll earn before you agree to do the work.

Customers can also select you specifically by viewing and clicking on your profile page.

When it comes time to do the job, head to the designated location as directed by the job poster.

Keep in mind, Handy charges you a penalty if you’re late, so make sure you show up on time!

Also, being a no-show is a quick way to let your ratings drop, too.

Once you’ve done the job and the client is happy with the work, mark the task as complete in the app.

You’ll receive payment, and your customer will have the chance to rate you.

Those ratings are everything because the higher your score is, the more likely you are to get hired for other higher-paying jobs in the future.

What are the requirements?

Before you can apply to work through Handy, you’ll need to make sure that you meet a few requirements:

These are the only requirements listed on Handy.com, but there’s a little more to it than that.

You will also need to attend an online orientation that teaches you how to use the Handy Pro app.

(For Handy workers in the U.K. you’ll need to attend your orientation in person).

Keep in mind, if you are applying to work as a licensed plumber or electrician, you’ll need to provide proof of your license and credentials as well.

You can’t just show up with a wrench and think you can fix a toilet.

You can’t arrive at a customer’s door with wire cutters and install a ceiling fan.

Regardless of the type of job you’re hired to do, there is one other big requirement that you’ll need to meet: You’ll need to bring your own tools.

For example, if you were going to clean a house, you would need to bring cleaning supplies, scrub brushes, gloves, and anything else you’d need.

Are Handy pros required to have a vehicle?

The simple answer is that it depends on where you live.

Some pros report that you must have a car and that Handy will ask you questions regarding your mode of transportation.

Others say that you can work for Handy and use public transportation.

It may be a simple matter of where you live.

For example, if you live in New York City, public transportation is often the most efficient way of getting from place to place.

How much do Handy workers make?

What type of income can you expect to make while working with Handy?

This question isn’t an easy one to answer, because there are a wide variety of factors that go into determining how much you’ll earn.

According to Handy, their “most active pros in top markets are capable of earning more than $1,000” per week.

But if you ask a Handy worker this same question, they’ll give you an answer that’s entirely different.

So what are the factors that determine your earnings?

There are several:

#1 Where you work
The cost of services varies from city to city.

For example, a housecleaning job in San Francisco will pay more than a housecleaning job in Bismark, North Dakota. Where you work makes all the difference.

#2 What type of work you do
The jobs you do play a major factor in how much you can earn.

For example, those who do housekeeping on a regular basis report earning an average of $15-$18 per hour.

Handymen tend to make closer to $29 per hour, and electricians report even higher earnings of about $35 per hour.

But again, it all depends on where you live.

Before you claim a job, you’ll see a fixed rate for the project.

That is the amount you will earn.

So you can increase earnings by doing many small jobs or a select number of larger jobs that pay more.

#3 How often you work
How frequently you work and how many jobs you complete each week determine how much you can make.

One of the most significant benefits of working for Handy is having the flexibility to work when and where you want.

So the more jobs you claim and complete successfully, the more money you’ll earn.

You have the option to work for Handy once or twice a week to have some extra income, or you can work every day and treat it as a full-time job.

#4 How many tips you earn
Customers have the option to reward Handy pros with tips.

Tips are not required, but you’re more likely to earn one if you go above and beyond expectations.

The more tips you make each week, the more money you’ll put in your pocket.

How to find jobs on Handy

Once you’ve been approved to work as a Handy pro, it’s rather easy to find jobs.

Simply download the Handy Pro app and tap on the “claim” tab.

You’ll see a calendar for each day of the upcoming week and be able to view all available jobs in your area.

Also, you’ll be able to see how long the job will take, how much it pays, and what neighborhood it’s in (but you won’t be able to see the exact address).

The exact details, such as the customer’s name and address, will become available to you two hours before the scheduled start time.

Once you identify a job that you want to do, tap it and claim it as your own.

You can then tap on the “schedule” tab, and you’ll see the job in your weekly calendar.

On occasion, there may not be any available jobs for you to claim.

That could be because you waited too long and other professionals claimed them, or there aren’t any jobs available in your area.

Check back often, as new requests come through all the time.

One other feature that both pros and clients like is the option to work with each other again.

If you complete a job successfully for a client that you enjoyed working for, you can request to be added you to their Pro Team.

Once you’re on a customer’s Pro Team, you’ll have a better chance of being booked by them for another job in the future.

In some cases, customers that liked your previous work may message you directly.

They can ask for your availability on a future job, and you can decide on a booking time that works for both of you.

Keep in mind, when a customer requests you for a job, you only have three hours to claim it.

After three hours, the job will be made available for others to claim.

If you’ve got good clients that you think will want to hire you again, make sure you check your messages!

By building up your client base with customers that want to work specifically with you, you’ll start to feel like you are your own boss.

Just remember:

Before you claim any job, make sure it fits into your schedule.

Don’t overbook jobs.

Don’t book jobs that you aren’t sure you can do.

Don’t book back-to-back projects that are miles apart – it’s essential to be on time for each assignment.

Arriving on time and doing your job thoroughly will result in getting good ratings from customers.

And the better your ratings are, the easier it will be to get additional jobs in the future.

Ready to apply?

If you’re interested in working with Handy and think you’re ready to apply, fill out the sign-up form on their website.

You’ll be asked for some basic information, such as your name, phone number, email address, zip code, and the type of service you intend to perform.

You’ll have to answer a few additional questions about your prior work experience.

You’ll also need to provide any licenses you have that may be required for specific types of work.

To get approved, you’ll also need to submit your social security number and agree to a background check (which you will most likely have to pay for).

Handy will check to make sure that you don’t have any criminal records and that you don’t appear on the sex offender registry or the global watch list.

If your identity is verified and your background check comes back clean, the next step is to attend an orientation program.

That’s where you’ll learn how to use the Handy Pro app and other vital details you’ll need to know before you can start working.

Once you’re approved as a pro, you can create your profile page, upload your photo, and detail your experience.

As you complete jobs, your ratings and reviews from customers will also appear on that page.

With your profile set up, you can start claiming jobs right away.

Handy gets mixed reviews.

Some people love it for the fact that it is flexible work that you can do when you want.

Others think it’s horrible because of the low rates, having to deal with client cancellations, and having to supply your own tools and cleaning products.

But for some people, it’s a viable opportunity to make some extra money.

Wherever you live, whether it be in Canada, the UK, or in a US city such as Tampa, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York City, Baltimore, Atlanta, or any other city, you can partake in the gig economy.

Handy Professional FAQs

Customers aren’t the only ones with questions.

Occasionally, their cleaning professionals have inquiries, too.

If you’re a Handy pro (or want to be one), you might have questions for the company.

You can find answers on the ProHelp section of their website.

Or, you can read below.

We might already have the answers you need:

Enter your name, email address, and zip code.

Choose the area you want to work in.

Next, click “Get Started.”

Handy will run a background check (it takes a few days).

Once that’s done, you’re free to start taking gigs!

For more information, check out this full guide on becoming a Handy pro.

Wrapping Up

As with every gig economy job and on-demand platform, Handy has its pros and cons.

However, if you put in the hard work, do a great job, and are punctual, you can make great money with Handy.