Handyman in Switzerland: small repairs, prices and rules

A handyman is the person for the list of small jobs that never gets done. Several small tasks can often be combined in one visit.

• Hanging pictures, mirrors and shelves
• Putting up curtain rails, blinds and TV brackets
• Fixing doors, handles and drawers that stick
• Renewing silicone joints in the bathroom or kitchen
• Small carpentry: a shelf, a skirting board, a fence board
• Assembling furniture

Electrical installations, gas and plumbing connections generally require a licensed installer. For electrical work, the federal ordinance on low-voltage installations (NIV) applies. New sockets, switches, water or gas connections are therefore a job for a licensed firm, not for a handyman.

Jobs that do not touch the wiring or the pipes – hanging a picture, fitting a shelf, changing a door handle – are exactly what a handyman is for.

If you rent, check your lease before drilling or making changes to the flat, and ask your landlord if in doubt.

We have not found a reliable Swiss price survey for handyman work, so we do not quote one. For comparison, renovero (September 2026) lists CHF 80–130 per hour for carpenters. Travel costs come on top: CHF 50–100 as a flat fee, or CHF 0.50–1.00 per kilometre.

A private helper sets their own price, by the hour or for the whole job. Agree it before the work starts, in line with minimum wages.

List every task, with photos and rough sizes. Say what the walls are made of if you know – concrete, brick or plasterboard – and whether you have a drill, a ladder, screws and wall plugs. Say who buys the material. If you have several small jobs, put them all in one post: one visit saves time and travel costs.

Posting on Workpop is free and there is no commission. You can write in English: other users can translate your job into their language with one click. People nearby send an offer with a price and a date. When you agree, you both get a digital contract, and you pay the helper directly.

For AHV (Swiss old-age and survivors' insurance), household work also covers helpers in or around the house. In general, a private household that pays someone for household work is their employer and must settle AHV/IV/EO contributions from the first franc. Households must also insure their staff against accidents with an approved insurer (not Suva).

Whether someone counts as self-employed or employed for AHV is decided by the compensation office case by case, based on the actual circumstances, not on the contract. Workpop does not do this for you: check your obligations with your cantonal AHV compensation office.