A handyman visit works best when everyone knows what needs doing before the van pulls up. A few minutes of preparation means the right materials come on the day, jobs are done in a sensible order, and nothing is forgotten. Here is how to plan a visit to your home in Warragul, Drouin or anywhere in West Gippsland.

Walk through your home

Start at the front door and walk through every room, then around the outside of the house, the garden, the shed and the fences. Look for anything that:

• Sticks: doors, windows, drawers, sliding doors and gates.
• Rattles or moves: loose handles, towel rails, balustrades and steps.
• Is cracked or holed: plaster, cornices, tiles, flyscreens and fence palings.
• Leaks or stains: marks on ceilings, mouldy silicone, overflowing gutters.
• Is missing or broken: door stops, blinds, hinges, latches.
• Is waiting to be done: a TV to mount, pictures to hang, flat-pack in boxes.

Write it all down, however small. Small jobs are easy to add to a visit and annoying to book separately.

Take useful photos

A photo saves a lot of explanation. For each job, take one photo showing where it is and one close-up of the problem. For a sticking door, photograph the whole door and the gap or rub mark. For a crack, include something for scale. For a fence or gate, show the posts and hinges. Photos help us judge the time and materials and spot anything that needs another trade.

Measure what matters

Some jobs need measurements so the right parts can be brought:

• Window width and height for blinds and curtain rods, and whether they fit inside or outside the frame.
• Door height, width and thickness for replacement doors.
• Length of shelves, skirting or fence sections.
• TV size and wall type for mounting.
• Flyscreen frame sizes.

Note materials and preferences

If you want a particular handle, towel rail, blind or light fitting, buy it before the visit or send us a link so we can source it. Find any leftover paint, tiles or timber from when the house was built or last renovated; matching colours and profiles is much easier with originals.

Know what is licensed work

In Victoria, electrical, plumbing, gas and structural work must be done by licensed or registered trades. Asbestos must be handled by licensed professionals. If your list includes these jobs, we will tell you which items need another trade so you can book them separately. Check current Victorian guidance if you are unsure about a particular job.

Plan access

Let us know:

• Who will be home, or how we can get access.
• Where to park, especially on rural properties with gates and long driveways.
• Pets and livestock, and which gates to keep closed.
• Any areas to avoid, such as a sleeping baby’s room.

Prioritise

Mark the jobs that matter most. If the list is long, we can do the important items first and plan a second visit for the rest. Safety items, such as loose steps or grab rails, should come first.

Send it through

Send the list, photos and measurements through our free quote form. We will reply with a written scope and free quote, and any questions. We do not publish prices online, because every job is different.

On the day

Clear the area around each job where you can, such as moving items away from the wall where a TV will go or emptying a cupboard that needs new hinges. We will lay drop sheets, work through the list, keep you informed and clean up as we go.

After the visit

Keep a running list on your phone or the fridge for the next time. Regular visits, such as one in autumn and one in spring, keep your home in good order. See property maintenance.