There are several reasons that floorboards may need fixing or replacing. Some of the main reasons include:
- Squeaky floorboards
- Loose floorboards
- Water damaged boards
- Floorboards that are damaged
- Poorly fitted floorboards
These are just a few of the potential reasons, you may need your floorboards fixing.
So, who fixes floorboards?
The first obvious choice would be a joiner. However, for smaller jobs like replacing one or two boards, or even fixing squeaky boards, a handyman might be another alternative. You may be able to save a little money by hiring a handyman. Also, this type of small job might be more suited to them, rather than a skilled joiner.
With that said, if the job is bigger and you are replacing larger amounts of floorboard, then a joiner will be your best choice, you may pay a little more, but you know the job will be done to a high standard.
When to hire a joiner or a handyman
As we have mentioned small jobs may be more suited to a handyman. This will involve things like replacing the odd damaged floorboard or fixing squeaky boards. These are generally quick and easy to rectify, and would fall into the wheelhouse of a general handyman.
Most of the jobs a handyman carries out are odd jobs. These tend to be smaller one-off jobs, as opposed to larger projects. Due to this, they will usually give a slightly lower price, based on the amount of time the job takes.
These types of in and out, odd jobs, are often a handyman’s bread and butter, so they will price accordingly.
A skilled joiner on the other hand, will often be interested in larger jobs. This doesn’t mean they won’t do the work for you. However, they may charge slightly more, as their time is more valuable.
With that said, if we are talking about larger projects, such as replacing a significant number of floorboards. Or even rectifying more serious damage, to the boards and joists below, then a joiner is definitely the best choice.
A joiner is a skilled trade, where as a handyman is a jack of all trades. As a result, you will generally find the joiner is faster, and the work will be done to a higher standard. They will also have the extra knowledge to notice more serious issues. For example, if you have rot or woodworm present, a joiner will also inspect the joists, to determine if more significant repairs need carrying out.
So, to summarise, for any small jobs a handyman may be the better choice. However, for anything bigger, any difference in price should be negligible based on a joiner’s extra skill and speed.
How much will it cost to fix floorboards
The price of replacing floorboards will depend on the size and scope of the job. It will also depend on your location in the country.
Finally, it will depend on who you hire for the job. Joiner or handyman?
This type of work will usually be priced based on labour, and the amount of time the job takes. When hiring a joiner, the day rate will vary depending on your area. This can range anywhere between £130 – £250+ per day. The average joiner’s day rate in the United Kingdom is around £195.
Whereas, a handyman, will usually be around 20-30% cheaper (based on day rate). However, this might not make much of a difference over a few days, as the joiner will probably be faster. This is based on the fact, that they do more of this specific type of work.
Therefore, anything over a day’s work will be best suited to a joiner. The small saving you could make hiring a handyman is likely to be quite small over 2 or more days.
Where a handyman will shine, is on the odd jobs. If you’re hiring for a few hours work, it might be the difference between paying £50 for a handyman and £75+ for a joiner.
Below are a couple of example jobs and what you might expect to pay:
Example 1
Based on daily and hourly rates. You can expect to pay (on average throughout the UK) between £50 – £200 for small jobs like replacing a few boards or fixing squeaky boards. This is based on work taking between a few hours and one whole day.
Example 2
For a larger job that would last 2-3 days. You would be looking at £400 – £600. A few examples of this would include:
- Replacing floorboards in 2 average sized rooms
- Installing full floorboards in the attic of a 2–3-bedroom house.
These numbers are estimates and will vary through the country. Also, you should factor in the cost of materials and also additional costs such as VAT.
How to save money fixing floorboards
In an ideal world a joiner would usually be your first choice for this type of work. Many people will go with a handyman to save a bit of money, because joinery can be expensive. However, there is a very easy way to get a qualified joiner cheaper, and that is by comparing local quotes.
One of the great things about the internet, is it allows us to shop around and get better prices on products and services. One great way to do this is with comparison sites.
We all know the popular ones for things like car insurance, and anyone that has used them will know you can save quite a bit of money, by allowing companies to compete for your business.
Well, the same is true for construction and skilled trades. There are also comparison sites in this industry, and you can actually save some decent money by using them. We have seen discounts as high as 50% for larger joinery jobs.
Also, the companies are all rated and reviewed on the platform. This makes it really easy to find high quality trades at bargain prices.
Click here to see how much you could save comparing joinery quotes.
Conclusion
Traditionally, the person who fixes floorboards a joiner, and in most cases, this would be your best choice. However, you can still use a handyman for smaller, more simple jobs.
Whoever you do choose, make sure to shop around, comparing quotes from different companies. This will nearly always get you a better price.
