Your home’s to-do list is piling up—dripping faucets, peeling paint, a deck that’s seen better days. It’s tempting to hire a handyman who offers a great price and promises quick work. But before you take that deal, let’s talk about the risks of hiring an unlicensed handyman.
At Southern Mesa, we’ve seen firsthand how cutting corners on licensing can lead to expensive, stressful, and even dangerous consequences. In this article, we’ll break down the biggest issues with unlicensed handymen so you can make the best choice for your home.
Legal Risks: The Trouble With Unlicensed Work
Most states require handymen to be licensed for jobs over a certain cost or for specific trades like electrical or plumbing work. Hiring someone without a license isn’t just risky—it could land you in legal trouble.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Fines and Penalties – Some local governments impose fines on homeowners who knowingly hire unlicensed workers.
- Voided Warranties – Manufacturers often refuse to honor warranties if an unlicensed handyman installs or repairs their product.
- Permit Issues – Licensed professionals know when permits are required. Unlicensed workers may skip this step, leaving you with illegal improvements.
If a project is found to be non-compliant, you may be forced to redo the work at your own expense. At Southern Mesa, we’ve helped homeowners fix costly mistakes from unpermitted and unlicensed work—an expense no one wants to deal with.
Financial Pitfalls: Cheap Can Get Expensive
Saving money upfront might sound appealing, but hiring an unlicensed handyman can cost you far more in the long run.
- Poor Workmanship – If the job isn’t done right the first time, you’ll pay twice to fix it.
- No Insurance Coverage – If an unlicensed handyman gets injured on your property, you could be liable for their medical bills.
- Unfinished Jobs – Unlicensed handymen are more likely to walk away from a project when complications arise, leaving you with a half-finished renovation.
- Hidden Costs – What starts as a budget-friendly quote can balloon into unexpected expenses when problems arise.
Real life example from Sage (Handyman Division Director): A customer called about a sewage smell in the bathroom of the house they were trying to sell. After assessing the situation, he found a wrongly installed dry P-trap in their sink. The P-trap is supposed to be filled with water to creak a barrier for gases but because of the poor installation the gases were coming through. This customer had to pay twice for something that should have been installed right the first time and affected their selling timeline.
Quality Concerns: Cutting Corners Can Cost You
Licensed contractors go through training and testing to meet industry standards. Unlicensed handymen? Not so much.
Common issues include:
- Inexperienced Work – Many unlicensed handymen rely on guesswork or outdated techniques.
- Subpar Materials – To keep costs low, they may use cheaper, lower-quality materials.
- No Quality Control – Licensed professionals follow industry standards. Unlicensed workers? Their only standard is “good enough.”
Real life example from our exterior construction team: They were demoing a customer’s current deck on their second story to build them a new one. When the team pulled the posts and piers of the deck, they found that the deck was only supported by 5 gallon buckets filled with concrete. This could have been a huge risk factor the longer the deck was in place.
Safety Hazards: Putting Your Home & Family at Risk
Your home should be a safe place, but unlicensed work can turn it into a hazard.
Common Safety Risks Include:
- Electrical Mistakes – Faulty wiring can lead to fires or electrocution.
- Structural Issues – A load-bearing wall isn’t optional. Removing or altering it without knowledge can lead to dangerous instability.
- Plumbing Problems – Incorrectly installed pipes can cause leaks, water damage, and mold growth.
- Gas Leaks – An improperly handled gas line can create a life-threatening situation.
Real Life Example from our Sales Estimator Carl: My friend built a chicken coop and had an unlicensed handyman run an electrical line underground to the coop. After a while my friend asked me what I thought might be going on with her chickens, during cold spells when it’s sunny she had been finding at least 1-2 chickens dead each day. My friend could not figure out why these perfectly healthy chickens died. Long story short the handyman did not properly install the coop heater. The line was very shallow and unsheathed, there was no ground fault protection. This meant the heater was only coming on during low temperatures for only very short periods of time creating deadly results. Using a handyman instead of a licensed electrician could have led to far worse outcomes, like a barefoot kid getting shocked! Lesson learned by my friend – for electrical, plumbing & mechanical work use a licensed contractor.
Insurance Nightmares: Who’s Liable When Things Go Wrong?
Most licensed contractors carry liability insurance and workers’ compensation, protecting both you and their workers. Unlicensed handymen? Not so much.
If an unlicensed handyman gets injured on your property or damages your home, you might be on the hook for:
- Medical bills if they get hurt while working
- Repair costs for damages they cause
- Legal fees if they sue you for injuries
Many homeowners insurance policies won’t cover damages caused by unlicensed work. That means if something goes wrong, you could be left paying out of pocket.
Code Violations: The Long-Term Consequences
Building codes exist for a reason—safety. Unlicensed work often fails inspections, which can create major problems when you:
- Sell Your Home – Home inspectors flag unpermitted or substandard work, reducing your home’s value.
- Apply for Home Insurance – Insurers may deny coverage if they find unpermitted work.
- Face City Enforcement – Some areas require homeowners to tear down non-compliant work, leading to major financial losses.
Real life example from Kyle (owner): We completed a job for a client that hired an unlicensed handyman to install floors on the main and upper level of the house, which included the stairs. The handyman did a “fair” job on the floors but then totally botched the staircase. The handyman cut all of the stair noses off of the existing stair treads, installed LVP on the treads and risers, and then set metal L trim over the nose. This technique created a very shallow step that was much less functional. On top of not being functional the shallow step was under the code minimum for stairs and therefore a massive safety concern. The client was told by the handyman that this was the only way to do these stairs and that there was nothing wrong with the installation. A few weeks later, the client fell down the stairs and had to go to the hospital. They ended up with minor injuries that needed rehab and the costs were extensive. I will leave the rest out of the story for legality reasons, but the client was obviously very displeased. When we came into the picture, there was only one solution – completely rebuild the staircase, resulting in an additional 25K to the client
Scams & Fraud: Spotting the Red Flags
Unfortunately, not all handymen operate with good intentions. Unlicensed handymen are more likely to pull scams like:
- The Vanishing Act – They take your deposit and disappear.
- The Bait-and-Switch – They quote one price but tack on extra charges later.
- The Upsell Trap – They claim they “found” more issues, pressuring you into spending more.
- No Written Contracts – Without documentation, you have little recourse if they do a bad job.
Sadly we hear this way too often in the construction world, especially when it comes to restoration work. This is one thing we, at Southern Mesa, are trying to change in our industry. Everything we plan to do is documented before the start of your project and then completed to industry/legal standards. At the end of your project you have all of the documents in hand including warranty information for everything we installed.
Protect Your Home: Choose a Licensed Professional
Hiring a licensed contractor may cost more upfront, but it protects you from legal, financial, and safety risks.
Why Choose a Licensed Contractor Like Southern Mesa?
✅ We’re insured – You’re protected from liability.
✅ We follow building codes – No failed inspections or costly fixes later.
✅ We stand by our work – Our reputation depends on quality craftsmanship.
✅ We provide contracts – Clear agreements mean no surprises.
At Southern Mesa, we’ve spent years fixing problems caused by unlicensed work. Choosing a licensed professional from the start ensures your home remains safe, secure, and valuable.
Final Thought:
The next time you’re tempted to save money with an unlicensed handyman, ask yourself: Is the risk worth it? Investing in a licensed professional means peace of mind, quality work, and long-term savings.
Need a trustworthy, licensed contractor for your home project? Contact Southern Mesa today!
FAQ: Hiring a Handyman
Q: Is it illegal to hire an unlicensed handyman?
A: It depends on the type of work and your state’s regulations. Many states require a license for work above a certain dollar amount or for specialized trades.
Q: How do I verify if a handyman is licensed?
A: Check your state’s contractor licensing board website, ask for their license number, and verify insurance coverage.
Q: What should be included in a handyman contract?
A: A clear scope of work, total cost, timeline, payment schedule, and warranty terms. Licensed professionals provide written agreements.
