Price guide
How much does a handyman cost per hour in the Cotswolds?
Short answer
Local firms publish rates from £35 an hour in Oxford to £50 an hour on weekdays in Tetbury. Many have a minimum charge: one Carterton firm charges £70 for travel and a first visit. A national cost guide puts the typical rate outside London at about £30 an hour. Get a written price before work starts.
What local firms charge per hour
Published local rates run from £35 to £50 an hour on weekdays. Few local handymen publish prices. Most quote after they see the job.
Out-of-hours work costs more. Tetbury Handyman charges £80 an hour at weekends and outside normal hours.
| Firm (base) | What the price covers | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Tetbury Handyman (Tetbury) | Hourly rate, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm | £50 an hour, no call-out fee |
| Tetbury Handyman (Tetbury) | Hourly rate, weekends and outside normal hours | £80 an hour |
| Oxfordshire Handyman (Carterton) | Minimum charge: travel, first visit and small repairs | £70 |
| Oxfordshire Handyman (Carterton) | Emergency call-out out of hours, with travel and the first hour | £100 |
| Oxford Flatpack (Oxford) | Hourly rate in the Oxford area | £35 an hour |
| Oxford Flatpack (Oxford) | Extra charge beyond 5 miles of Oxford | £10 |
Prices that each firm publishes on its own website, checked on 15 October 2026. No page states VAT or a price date. These are published rates, not quotes for your job. Sources: Tetbury Handyman (Tetbury): prices, Oxfordshire Handyman (Carterton): price list, Oxford Flatpack (Oxford): hourly rate.
National handyman rates
National figures sit a little lower than the local published rates. These are national figures, not Cotswold quotes. Use them only to see if a price is in a normal range.
Figures from the Fantastic Services 2026 cost guide and the rates page of York Handyman, a firm outside the area, checked on 15 October 2026. Neither states VAT. They are not local prices. Sources: Fantastic Services: handyman prices 2026 (national cost guide), York Handyman (York): rates.
How time is charged
Most firms charge a minimum of one hour, or a higher first hour. Fantastic Services in Gloucester charges at least one hour, then bills in 30-minute steps.
A day rate can work out cheaper per hour for a long list of jobs. York Handyman counts any job under half a day as small works, and prices longer jobs at a day rate.
What adds to the cost
The rate is only part of the price. These things add to the bill.
- Parts and materials, which most firms charge on top.
- Travel to rural villages, or a surcharge beyond a set distance.
- Evening, weekend and emergency work.
- Taking waste away.
- VAT, if the firm is VAT registered.
How to compare prices
Ask each firm the same questions, and get the price in writing. If you agree no price, the law says you pay a reasonable price, and no more.
- What is the hourly rate, and is there a minimum charge?
- How is time charged after the first hour?
- Are parts, travel and waste included?
- Does the price include VAT?
Questions
Is it cheaper to book a handyman for a day?
Often, per hour, yes. York Handyman, for example, charges £275 for a full day against £75 for the first hour. A day rate suits a long list of jobs.
Do Cotswold handymen charge for travel?
Some do. Oxford Flatpack adds £10 beyond 5 miles of Oxford. Oxfordshire Handyman includes travel in its £70 minimum charge. Ask before the visit.
Why are handyman rates higher at weekends?
Work outside normal hours costs the firm more. Tetbury Handyman charges £80 an hour at weekends against £50 on weekdays.
Sources
- Tetbury Handyman (Tetbury): prices
- Oxfordshire Handyman (Carterton): price list
- Oxford Flatpack (Oxford): hourly rate
- Fantastic Services (Gloucester): handyman
- Fantastic Services: handyman prices 2026 (national cost guide)
- York Handyman (York): rates
- legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 51