Know what your repair should cost — before anyone knocks.
Describe the job, add a few photos, and get an instant AI price range based on real NYC rates. Then compare up to 5 bids from vetted local pros, licensed where NYC law requires it. No spam, no pay-per-lead games.
How it works
- 1
Describe the job
Add a few photos and a sentence or two. Our AI compares your job to real NYC rates and gives you a price range in seconds.
- 2
Get up to 5 bids
Vetted pros who work in your borough — licensed where NYC law requires it — see your request and bid with a price, their earliest start date and a short note. Free, no obligation.
- 3
Pick your pro
Compare price, reviews and availability side by side. Choose one, and you both receive each other's contact details. You pay the pro directly.
Why we don't sell leads
Lead-selling apps charge pros for every phone number, whether or not the job is real. Pros pass that cost on to you, and the best ones stop answering. SmartHandy.men was built by a handyman who got burned by that model.
Up to 5 bids, then it closes
Your request never turns into a spam list. Five pros at most, and only ones who can legally do the work.
Price range first
You see a realistic NYC range before anyone contacts you, so you can tell a fair bid from a fishing expedition.
Licensed where the law requires it
Electrical goes only to DOB-licensed electricians. Plumbing goes to DOB-licensed plumbers; light plumbing items such as a faucet swap also go to HIC-licensed contractors, never in co-ops or condos. Jobs of $200 or more go only to HIC-licensed contractors, or to a DOB-licensed electrician or plumber for their own trade. We check the licenses by hand.
Pros pay nothing to see your job
No pay-per-lead, no pay-to-rank. Bids are sorted neutrally, and the pro who wins is the one you chose.
What the badges mean
Every license badge is a document we checked by hand against the official NYC register, with its number and verification date on file; the Insured badge is a current certificate of insurance we checked by hand.
- HIC licensed
NYC DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license
Required by NYC law (Admin Code § 20-386) for home-improvement work costing $200 or more. We verify the license number against the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection register and keep the number and verification date on file.
- DOB Electrician / DOB Plumber
NYC Department of Buildings trade licenses
Electrical work needs a DOB-licensed electrician and plumbing work needs a DOB-licensed plumber, at any price. Pros with these badges have a DOB license number on file with us, verified against the Department of Buildings register.
- Insured (COI)
Certificate of Insurance
The pro has a current general-liability Certificate of Insurance on file with us. Most co-ops and condos require one that names the building as additional insured — ask your pro before the job starts.
Questions people ask
›Is the AI estimate a quote?
No. It is a preliminary price range for labor, based on typical NYC rates, so you know what is reasonable before you talk to anyone. Materials are usually extra. The pro sets the actual price in their bid after reviewing your job.
›What is the $200 rule?
NYC Administrative Code § 20-386 requires a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection for home-improvement work costing $200 or more; only work under $200 is exempt. If the top of your estimate range is $200 or higher, only HIC-licensed pros (or a DOB-licensed trade that covers the job) can bid on it.
›Can a handyman do small electrical or plumbing jobs?
In NYC, electrical work requires a DOB-licensed electrician and plumbing work requires a DOB-licensed plumber, regardless of the price. We route electrical jobs to DOB-licensed electricians and plumbing jobs to DOB-licensed plumbers. Light plumbing items, such as swapping a faucet or a toilet, also go to HIC-licensed contractors — never in co-ops or condos, where they always go to a DOB-licensed plumber.
›Are the pros insured?
Pros with the Insured (COI) badge have a current general-liability certificate on file with us. Insurance is not mandatory to join, so check the badge, and for a co-op or condo ask your pro for a certificate naming the building as additional insured.
›What happens after I select a pro?
You and the pro receive each other's phone number and email, on screen and by email. From there you arrange the details and pay the pro directly; SmartHandy.men does not process payments. The other bids are marked not selected. When the job is done, come back to mark it complete and leave a review.
›Can I cancel a request?
Yes, any time before the job is marked complete, from your dashboard, at no cost.
›What if I don't pick anyone?
A request stays open for bids for 14 days. If you have not selected a pro by then, it expires automatically and nobody is contacted. You can get a fresh estimate whenever you are ready.
›What does SmartHandy.men cost?
Nothing for clients. Pros pay nothing to see jobs or to bid, and nothing per lead. Pros are independent businesses, not our employees, and your contract is with them.