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Home › Cost Guides › Handyman Cost › Des Moines, IA
🔨 Cost Guide · Des Moines, IAA handyman in Des Moines charges $50/hour for a standard service call — that's 9% below the US median of $55/hour. The differential reflects the IA cost-of-living composite of 90.3 (US average = 100) applied to BLS OEWS national mean wage data for SOC 47-2061.
| Project | Time | Typical cost | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard hourly rate (1-person crew) | per hour | $50 | $41 – $60 |
| TV mount install (drywall, fixed mount) | 60–90 min | $97 | $80 – $117 |
| Drywall patch (one fist-sized hole) | 2 hours + cure | $127 | $104 – $152 |
| Interior door rehang or hardware replace | 1–2 hours | $106 | $87 – $127 |
| Light fixture or ceiling-fan swap (existing wiring) | 1–2 hours | $93 | $76 – $111 |
| Flat-pack furniture assembly (avg piece) | 1.5–3 hours | $99 | $82 – $119 |
| Single room repaint (10×12, 2 coats) | 1 day | $497 | $408 – $596 |
| Driveway + walkway pressure wash | 2–4 hours | $172 | $141 – $206 |
| Whole-house caulk + seal refresh | 4–6 hours | $239 | $196 – $287 |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024 (SOC 47-2061), MERIC State Cost of Living Index 90.3 for IA, NAHB Construction Cost Survey 2024.
At an effective contractor rate of $50/hour, Des Moines sits meaningfully below the national median for handyman work. Homeowners here will see lower-than-average prices on labor-intensive jobs (re-pipes, panel upgrades, full system replacements) where labor is the bulk of the cost. Materials-heavy jobs (water-heater swaps, furnace replacements, large appliance installs) will track somewhat below the national figure because regional materials inflation in IA runs about 10% below the US benchmark.
A handyman handles small to mid-size jobs that don't cross into licensed-trade territory: drywall repair and patching, painting, fixture replacement (where existing wiring is in place), light carpentry, furniture assembly, door rehang, weatherstripping, caulking, hardware installs, mounting heavy items into studs, pressure washing, and basic deck or fence repair. State rules vary on the dollar threshold above which a general contractor license is required — in California it's $500 (labor + materials per project), in Texas there is no statewide license but cities can require permits, and in Florida it's $1,000.
A "handyman" willing to do major plumbing, electrical, or HVAC work without a license — that's how houses end up with insurance-disqualifying defects.
See all Handymans in Des Moines →