The short answer
Walk the house room by room and note each small job, how many items it involves and how soon you’d like it done.
How the job list sorts your jobs
The list puts rooms in alphabetical order, then sorts the jobs in each room by priority: Soon, then Normal, then Flexible. Jobs with the same room and priority stay in the order you added them.
Say you add Kitchen “Tighten loose cupboard handles” × 3 (Soon), Bedroom “Fix sticking wardrobe door” × 1 (Normal) with the note “Sliding door, rubs at the bottom”, Kitchen “Replace cupboard hinge” × 2 (Flexible) and Laundry “Put up a shelf” × 1 (Normal). The list reads Jobs: 4 · Total quantities: 7, with Bedroom first, then Kitchen (the handles, then the hinge), then Laundry.
Show the rules each job card follows
| Field | Rule |
|---|---|
| Room or area | Required. Up to 80 characters. Spaces at either end are ignored. |
| What needs doing? | Required. Up to 200 characters. |
| Priority | Normal (the default), Soon or Flexible. Sorts Soon, Normal, Flexible within each room. |
| Quantity | A whole number from 1 to 100. Starts at 1. |
| Notes | Optional. Up to 200 characters. |
| Blank card | Ignored while every field is empty, quantity is 1 and priority is Normal. Change anything and the room and job become required. |
| Number of jobs | Up to 50 cards. |
These are list rules, not figures from a source. Nothing about price, time or materials is worked out.
Also available as a free WordPress plugin: RoomJotter Handyman Job List.
Small jobs to look for in each room
- Doors and cupboards that stick, swing open or have loose hinges and handles: door repairs.
- Torn mesh, loose spline or a screen door that drags: flyscreen repairs.
- Small holes, dents and old fixing holes in plasterboard: plaster wall repairs.
- Shelves, mirrors, pictures and wall hooks to put up: shelf and picture hanging.
- Scuffs, marks and patched spots to paint over: painting touch-ups.
- Gates that sag or won’t latch, and loose fence palings: gate and fence repairs.
- Curtain rods, tracks and blinds to fit or refit: curtain and blind installation.
- Furniture still in the box: flat-pack assembly.
What a handyman needs to quote your list
Count the items, because three loose handles is a different job from one. Take a photo of each job and note rough sizes: the width of a shelf, the height of a door, the size of a hole. Say who is supplying parts, and mention stairs, parking, pets or anything that makes access harder.
A handyman prices the whole list together, so one clear list beats a string of separate messages. The handyman cost guide shows published hourly rates and task prices and what changes them.
Jobs that need a licensed trade
Electrical, plumbing and gas work needs a licensed trade in NSW, whatever the size of the job. Structural work, such as anything load-bearing, belongs with a licensed builder rather than a handyman. Put those jobs on a separate list for the right trade and leave them off the handyman’s. The guide to what a handyman can do in NSW explains where the line sits, including the $5,000 whole-job limit.
Renting? Ask before the work starts
In a rental, report repairs to the landlord or agent first, and get written permission before adding fittings such as shelves or curtain rods. See small repairs in a NSW rental home. If something is broken and serious, the urgent repair checker shows whether NSW treats it as urgent. Moving out? The end-of-lease repairs checklist separates fair wear and tear from damage you’d need to fix.
Jobs to add each season
Doors, screens, gates and walls are easier to fix before they get worse. The home maintenance checklist for Sydney homes sets out what to check monthly, every six months, before storm season and once a year.
Questions about this tool
How do I group jobs by room?
Type the same room or area name on every job you want together, such as Kitchen or Front porch. Rooms are matched on the exact name, so “Kitchen” and “kitchen” become two headings.
What do Soon, Normal and Flexible mean?
They record your preference for the quote conversation. They don’t assess safety, promise a visit or set a repair deadline. Ask the handyman to confirm what suits the job and when it can be done.
What does quantity count?
The number of items for that job, as a whole number from 1 to 100: 3 for three loose handles, say. Total quantities adds those numbers up; it doesn’t measure labour, materials or cost. Use a separate job when the work differs.
Is my list saved or sent anywhere?
No. The list stays on this page and is lost when you reload or leave, so download a copy. Nothing is sent unless you choose “Add these jobs to a quote request”, which copies the list into the enquiry form in this browser tab for you to check and send.
Is the job list a quote?
No. A handyman still needs to confirm the scope, whether each job suits them and the price. The list helps you prepare; it isn’t a quote, a scope agreement, a safety assessment or an instruction to carry out repairs.
Sources and date checked
- NSW Government: categories of building and trade work (contractor licence over $5,000; specialist work regardless of cost)
- NSW Government: electrical work licences (page updated 23 June 2026)
Information checked 22 October 2026. Guides explain the source’s published scope; a job needs its own assessment.