FairangeHandyman · IA
Handyman costs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Last updated from data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · PPI construction materials 2026-09 · estimates only
How this market compares
Skip the generic national blog post — this page is the Des Moines-West Des Moines Handyman slice of OEWS May 2025. Mean hourly pay here sits about 1% above the national OEWS mean.
Mean Handyman pay here is $26.20/hr — national rank 139 of 530 areas that publish this occupation. Inside IA, that is rank 5 of 12 published areas. The published p10–p90 band runs $18.09 to $36.04 (a $17.95 spread around the $26.20 mean; median $24.41).
OEWS counts about 3,780 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General jobs in this area. Nationwide that occupation is about 1,529,700. Sample jobs: Garage Door Replacement mid estimate $1,164 here vs $1,157 U.S. (1% above); Garage Door Spring Repair mid estimate $238 here vs $235 U.S. (1% above); Gutter Cleaning mid estimate $157 here vs $155 U.S. (1% above).
Same-state comparison: Dubuque (about the same, $26.18); Davenport-Moline-Rock Island ($26.12, 0.08 lower); Ames ($26.45, 0.25 higher).
Local tip: Local code, permit fees, and how busy crews are this month move numbers as much as wage rates do.
Sample project ranges
| Project | Low | Mid | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garage Door Replacement | $596 | $1,164 | $2,684 |
| Garage Door Spring Repair | $94 | $238 | $561 |
| Gutter Cleaning | $54 | $157 | $446 |
| Pressure Washing (driveway & siding visit) | $87 | $231 | $591 |
| Handyman Hourly (general) | $36 | $59 | $90 |
Getting quotes without the circus
- Screenshot our mid/low/high band.
- Ask three licensed, insured pros for written scopes.
- Compare exclusions — permits, haul-away, thermostats, flashing — before crowning a winner.
What usually moves the number
- Scope surprises: duct repairs, panel upgrades, extra roof layers.
- How booked local crews are this season.
- Materials choices — we only nudge materials with a dampened regional factor. See methodology.
Rebates (verify; don’t trust a random Facebook ad)
Check IRS, ENERGY STAR, and DSIRE for any incentives that apply to this project. Start with IRS, ENERGY STAR, and DSIRE.
Check our math
BLS OEWS May 2025 · local hourly means the calculator uses
| Handyman (49-9071) | $26.20/hr mean |
Source: official BLS OEWS data for this area · area index: oessrcma.htm.
Contractor markup (2.0× / 2.25× / 2.5×) and the regional materials factor are ours — see methodology.
Paid listing for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Handyman. Partner.
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