Handyman or specialist — where is the line?
A handyman suits repairs, fitting, assembly and finishing across several trades in one visit. Gas work, fixed electrical work, structural alterations and most roofing need certificated specialists — some of it by law. The best handymen are defined by the jobs they refuse.
The lines set by law
Some of the boundary is not judgement but regulation. Gas work — boilers, hobs, fires, pipework — must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, full stop; there is no handyman version. Fixed electrical work splits: swapping a socket faceplate or a light fitting on an existing circuit is routine handyman work, but new circuits, consumer units, and work in bathrooms mostly falls under Part P of the Building Regulations and needs a registered electrician who can certify it. Structural alterations — removing or breaching load-bearing walls, steel beams, chimney breast removal — need design input and building control, not improvisation.
The practical lines
Beyond the law, the sensible boundary is about depth. A handyman reseals a bath and repoints a shower's grout; a tiler re-tiles the wall. A handyman fixes a sticking door and changes its lock; a joiner builds you a staircase. A handyman replaces a tap washer or reseats a basin's sealant; a plumber moves the pipework. A handyman repairs a gate and felts a shed; a roofer goes on the house roof, because working at height over a building is a different risk category with different insurance. The pattern: repairs and fitting in reach, handyman; installation, alteration and height, specialist.
Why the honest no is a feature
The most valuable sentence a handyman can say is "that one needs a specialist." Anyone willing to have a go at your consumer unit or your boiler is not saving you money — they are moving risk from their invoice to your house, and in the gas and electrical cases, breaking the law to do it. When a quote declines part of your list and explains why, that is the person you want doing the rest of it. It is also written into how this site works: enquiries that need a specialist trade are referred on rather than fitted in.
The grey area, decided sensibly
Plenty of jobs sit between the columns, and the decider is usually certification and consequence. Replacing a like-for-like light fitting: handyman. Adding a new circuit for a garden office: electrician. Resealing a shower: handyman. Moving the shower's plumbing: plumber. Easing a sash window: handyman. Replacing the window: a window fitter. When you describe the job for a quote, say what outcome you want — "the door closes properly" rather than "plane the door" — and let the diagnosis decide which trade it belongs to. The cost guide shows the price difference the decision usually makes, and the hiring checklist covers what to ask before anyone starts.