Small jobs · Long Island
What can a handyman get done in 90 minutes?
Rough times for common small jobs, what fits together in one visit, and what quietly turns a 20-minute job into a two-hour one.
Updated · By Profixter, Lindenhurst, NY · 2 min read
The short answer
Usually two to four simple jobs, or one involved one. A light fixture swap and a couple of shelves fit comfortably; a TV mount on brick, a door that needs re-hanging, or a fixture on an old box with tired wiring can each take most of the time. What decides it is less the job than the conditions: parts on hand, the wall behind it, and whether anything has to be bought mid-visit.
Typical times for common jobs
These are rough planning ranges from general trade experience, for a straightforward job with parts already on site. They are not quotes or measurements, and every house has its own surprises.
| Job | Often takes | Runs long when |
|---|---|---|
| Replace a light fixture (existing box) | 30–60 min | Old or undersized box, brittle wiring, heavy fixture |
| Install a ceiling fan (rated box in place) | 45–90 min | Box isn't fan-rated, high ceiling, balancing |
| Mount a TV on drywall | 45–75 min | Brick, plaster or metal studs; hiding cables |
| Hang two or three shelves | 30–60 min | Uneven walls, heavy loads, no studs where needed |
| Replace a bathroom faucet | 45–75 min | Corroded supply lines or shut-off valves |
| Fix a running toilet | 20–45 min | Old fill valve parts no longer made |
| Re-caulk a tub or shower | 45–90 min | Old caulk is stubborn, mildew under it |
| Patch a small drywall hole | 30–45 min, plus a return visit to paint | Several coats needed to blend |
| Adjust a sticking door | 20–45 min | House has shifted, frame needs work |
| Replace a lockset | 20–40 min | Door needs re-boring for a different lock |
| Assemble a dresser or bookcase | 45–120 min | Large pieces, many drawers |
Drywall patches and caulk often need drying or curing time, so a good visit plan starts them first and finishes other work while they set.
Combinations that fit well
- A light fixture swap and a new lockset.
- A running toilet and a loose towel bar in the same bathroom.
- A small drywall patch started first, then curtain rods and a door adjustment while it dries.
- A TV mount plus a couple of pictures and a mirror in the same room.
What makes a visit run long
- A missing part. A store run can take half the visit. Buy the fixture, mount or hardware ahead, or agree who brings what.
- The wrong wall. Brick, plaster and tile take longer to fix to than drywall.
- Old house conditions. Seized valves, undersized electrical boxes and out-of-square frames are common in older homes.
- An unclear request. Ten minutes spent working out what "fix the closet" means is ten minutes not fixing it. A photo of each job helps more than anything else.
- Scope creep. "While you're here" is reasonable, but it competes with the jobs you booked. Put new items on the list for next time.
When 90 minutes isn't the right unit
If the list adds up to a day, book a day: one long visit wastes less time than several short ones. If it is one big job, like replacing a run of trim through a whole floor, it is a project. And if the jobs never stop coming, the useful question is not how much fits in one visit but how to have visits happen regularly. That is the problem a recurring handyman membership solves.
Profixter visits are 90 minutes
Profixter's standard visits, for members and for One-Time Visits, cover up to 90 minutes of work, and a Full Day covers about eight hours. Members can split a bigger job across visits. A One-Time Visit is built around one small job from a set list; member visits can cover several tasks.