If you are good at something people pay for, such as cleaning, gardening, DIY, moving or tutoring, you can turn it into regular income without taking on a full-time job. The hardest part is usually deciding what to charge. This guide covers both.

Skills people already pay for

• Cleaning and end-of-tenancy clean-ups
• Gardening, hedges, lawns and clearing
• Handyman jobs such as mounting TVs, flat-pack furniture, small repairs
• Painting and decorating
• Removals, man-and-van and rubbish clearance
• Tutoring and lessons

How to choose what to sell first

Pick the job you can do well, repeatedly, without buying much new equipment. Three questions help:

1. Do people near you already pay for it? Cleaning, gardening and small repairs are needed in every area, every week.
2. Can you do it reliably in a few hours? Short, well-defined jobs fit around other work and are easy to price.
3. Do you already own the tools? A job that needs nothing new has the lowest cost and the quickest payback.

You can add more services later. Most people start with one or two and grow from their reviews.

What to charge: a starting point

Published UK price guides put handyman rates at roughly £40 to £60 an hour, or £240 to £360 for a full day. Small jobs such as mounting a TV often come in around £40 to £60, and bigger jobs more. Your rate will depend on your skills and on where you live, so check what local providers charge for the same job.

How to set your price

1. Start from what you need to earn, then add your costs: materials, fuel, tools, insurance and tax.
2. Compare with local rates. Look at what similar providers near you charge.
3. Use flat prices for predictable jobs and an hourly rate for jobs you cannot size up.
4. Set a minimum charge so a quick job is still worth your trip.
5. If you are new, start near the lower end of the local range and raise your prices as your reviews grow.
6. Do not undercut just to win work. Compete on reliability and quality.

Fitting it around the rest of your life

One advantage of local service work is that you choose when you work. Some people take a few jobs on weekday evenings. Others take weekends only, or fill the gaps between shifts or school runs. Decide how many hours a week you can realistically give, and only accept jobs you can do properly. Cancelling or turning up late costs you more in reviews than turning a job down.

Costs people forget

• Travel time. A job 30 minutes away is not worth the same as one next door.
• Materials and consumables, such as cleaning products, bin bags and fixings.
• Insurance. If you work in other people's homes, public liability cover is worth considering.
• Tax. Set a little aside from every job. See our guide to the £1,000 trading allowance and tax on side income.

Setting prices on Pluggerzz

There is no sign-up fee and no monthly fee on Pluggerzz. A simple service fee is taken from each job payment, and when you type your price you can see exactly what you will receive. Payouts are made every Monday once the job's seven-day customer problem window has passed.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be self-employed?

If you are paid for your own work, it is usually self-employment for tax. Read our guide to the £1,000 trading allowance and tax on side income.

What is the best way to win my first customers?

Be specific about what you offer, price fairly while you have no reviews, reply fast and turn up on time. We cover this step by step in how to get your first 5 bookings on Pluggerzz.

How quickly can I start?

You create a profile, verify your details and add your services and prices.

See how earning on Pluggerzz works or start your stall.

Rates are typical UK figures from published guides such as Airtasker UK, checked October 2026. They are a guide, not a promise of earnings.