Do I need a permit for handyman work in Metro Vancouver?

Most small repairs do not need a permit. Permits come into play for structural changes, additions, major electrical or plumbing, and anything that alters the building. Permit rules are set by each municipality, so Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey can differ. When a job needs a permit, that is usually a sign it has crossed into contractor territory.

Why won't a contractor call me back about a small job?

Small jobs are not worth a general contractor's time when they are booked on bigger builds. So they quote high to make it worthwhile, or they never call back. That gap, the job too big to ignore but too small for a contractor, is exactly the work a handyman crew is built for.

Can a handyman do electrical or plumbing work in BC?

Minor work like swapping a faucet or a light fixture is routine handyman work. Anything that ties into the gas, the main electrical panel, or new plumbing lines has to go to a certified, ticketed trade by law in BC. A good handyman knows exactly where that line is and tells you before starting, not after.

Handyman vs Contractor in Vancouver: When to Call Which

Handyman vs contractor in Metro Vancouver: where the line really is, which one your job needs, and why small jobs get ghosted by contractors. From a local crew.

The handyman vs contractor question comes up on almost every call we get in Metro Vancouver. People are not sure who to hire, so they either overpay a contractor for a half-day job or wait weeks for a callback that never comes. The line between the two is simpler than it looks, and knowing it saves you both.

Not sure which side your job falls on? Send photos and we will tell you straight, even if the honest answer is “that one needs a contractor.”

What is the difference between a handyman and a contractor?

A handyman handles repairs and small projects that take hours to a few days and need no permit: fences, decks, drywall, tile, doors, fixtures. A general contractor runs the big, permitted builds that change the structure and need several licensed trades scheduled and managed together. The line is about permits, structure, and trade count, not about skill. Most of what goes wrong is hiring the wrong one for the job in front of you.

Forget job titles for a second. Three things decide which one you need.

Permits. If the work needs a municipal permit, it is contractor territory. Structural changes, additions, anything that alters the building.
Structure. Moving a load-bearing wall is a contractor job. Patching the drywall on it is ours.
How many trades. One or two skill sets, a handyman crew covers it. A job that needs framing, electrical, plumbing, and tile all scheduled in sequence needs someone managing the whole thing.

If your job clears all three, no permit, no structural change, one or two trades, you almost certainly want a handyman. Hiring a general contractor for it means paying for project management you do not need.

Real examples from our jobs

It lands better with actual work, so here is the kind of thing we see.

Handyman calls: a fence with three rotten posts and a leaning panel. A bathroom vanity and sink swap. A cedar deck with soft boards that need replacing and sealing. Drywall and a cabinet rebuilt after a slow under-sink leak. Garage door spring gone. Tile backsplash. These are hours-to-days jobs, no permit, and they make up most of the work we do.

Contractor calls: taking the wall out between a kitchen and living room. A basement suite with new plumbing and electrical and a permit. A full addition. We will tell you when a job is one of these, and sometimes we will point you to the right kind of trade for it.

The in-between, which is most of it: a multi-day, multi-trade refresh that still does not need a permit. A kitchen that needs cabinet work, tile, a counter, and paint, but no walls moved. That middle ground is where an owner-led crew fits best. Big enough to handle the whole list, small enough that the same people see it through.

Why small jobs get ghosted

If you have ever had a contractor not call back about a small job, it was not personal. The math just does not work for them.

A general contractor booked on a renovation is not going to break that up to come hang your doors. So one of two things happens. They quote high enough to make the interruption worth it, which makes you wince. Or they take your number and you never hear back.

That is the whole reason a dedicated handyman crew exists. The job that is too big to keep ignoring but too small for a contractor to bother with is precisely our work. We answer the phone for it.

The one line a handyman should never cross

A handyman who knows their limits is worth more than one who says yes to everything.

In BC, gas work, anything tied into the main electrical panel, and new plumbing lines have to go to a certified, ticketed trade. That is the law, and it protects you. Swapping a fixture or a faucet is normal handyman work. Re-running the circuit feeding it is not.

When a job crosses that line, the right answer is to tell you up front and bring in the proper trade, not to wing it and leave you with work that fails an inspection or an insurance claim. We would rather lose the line item than do work that should have a ticket behind it.

So which one do you call?

Run your job through the three questions. Does it need a permit? Does it change the structure? Does it need more than a couple of trades coordinated?

Three nos, call a handyman. Several yeses, call a general contractor. Somewhere in the middle, which is where most home jobs actually live, call us and we will give you a real answer. And once you have picked, our guide to hiring a handyman without getting burned walks through what to check before you book.

Call (604) 996-0969 or book a free estimate. If your job genuinely needs a contractor, we will say so. That honesty is most of why people call us back.