How much does it cost to have a handyman do a punch list in Virginia?

No Virginia agency publishes a punch-list rate, so the honest answer is a written quote for your own list. What you can control is how clearly the list is written, how many items go into one visit, and whether the trade items are pulled out before anyone quotes. Do that, and the quotes you get back can be compared line by line.

How handymen usually price a punch list

By the hour, with a minimum. Common for a long list of small, mixed items. The minimum covers the trip, setup and cleanup, so a one-item visit costs close to the minimum whatever the item is.

By the item. Some businesses price each line: rehang a door, patch a set of nail pops, recaulk a tub. This is the easiest way to compare quotes, as long as every quote describes the same work.

By the day or half day. Useful for a new-home list or a move-in list with dozens of touch-ups. Ask what happens if the list runs over or finishes early, and which items come first.

Materials and store trips. Ask whether parts are billed at cost or with a markup, and whether time spent buying them is on the clock. Paint is a common surprise: matching an existing color can take a trip of its own.

What makes one list cost more than another

How much travels together. Ten items in one visit almost always cost less than ten separate calls. Group the list by room so the work flows.

The kind of items. Touch-up paint, loose hardware, sticking doors and caulk are quick. Drywall patches need drying time between coats, which can mean a second visit. Anything that uncovers rot or water damage turns into a larger job, and a good quote says what happens if that happens.

A fixed deadline. A list that must be finished before a closing or a move-in date leaves the business less room to schedule, and some price that in.

The age of the house. In an older home, paint is part of the price. The EPA's rule says "anyone paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices."^[7] The EPA adds: "This includes all firms, even sole proprietorships."^[7] Lead-safe setup and cleanup take time, and a certified business will include it.

Trade items. Virginia defines a tradesman as anyone who does electrical, plumbing or HVAC work for the general public for pay,^[2] and no individual may do that work without a tradesman licence unless working under the supervision of a tradesman licensed in that specialty.^[3] The Board for Contractors' rules for the home improvement specialty many handyman businesses hold are blunt: "The HIC specialty does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting functions."^[4] A list with a dead outlet, a dripping shutoff valve and a noisy air handler may need a licensed electrician, plumber or HVAC business for those lines, priced separately. See what jobs a handyman can do without a contractor licence.

When the total crosses $1,000

A Class C licence covers a single contract or project over $1,000 but less than $30,000,^[1] and for this purpose "the contract price shall be prima facie evidence of value."^[1] So a punch list quoted at more than $1,000 should go to a business with a contractor licence whose class and specialty fit the work. Read how to check a contractor's licence before you sign.

Under the Board's rules, residential contractors, other than those doing routine maintenance or service contracts, must use a legible written contract.^[5] Among its required terms are when work is to begin and the estimated completion date, the total cost, the payment schedule, the work to be performed, and the contractor's name, address, licence number and class,^[5] and any change to the cost, materials, work or completion date must be in writing and signed by all parties.^[5] For a punch list, a numbered list attached to the contract is the cleanest way to define the work.

Comparing quotes

The Board for Contractors advises homeowners to "get at least three written bids or estimates"^[6] for the same work, and warns: "Beware of any bid substantially lower than the others."^[6] A low quote often leaves out materials, a second coat of paint, cleanup or the trade items.

On payment, its rule of thumb is "an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less."^[6] It adds: "Do not pay 100% of the total bill until the work is 100% complete."^[6] Walk the list with the business at the end and tick each line before the final payment.

Doing part of it yourself

Many punch-list items are reasonable to do yourself, and every one you take off the list saves time on the clock: touch-up paint, a loose cabinet hinge, new caulk, a door that will not latch. See how to make a punch list, how to fix a door that won't latch and how to patch a small hole in drywall.

Stop and call a pro if

• An item involves wiring, a gas line, a water heater, a furnace or anything on the roof. Those are licensed trade jobs, not handyman items.
• A repair uncovers soft framing, a spongy floor or water damage you cannot trace.
• The house was built before 1978 and the work will sand, scrape or cut through old paint.
• The list is on a new home still under the builder's warranty; ask the builder to fix warranty items before you pay anyone else.

Getting quotes on Loclis

On Loclis you describe your punch list once and local businesses quote it. A business that needs to see the work first can offer an estimate visit, and a paid visit's fee comes off the price of the work. Plumbing, HVAC, electrical and gas work need a licence on Loclis at any job size. Loclis's own fees are on the pricing page. You can also find handyman businesses around Blacksburg, compare general handyman costs, or read the other handyman answers.