People often ask what I actually do all day. "A bit of everything" is the honest answer, but let me show you what a real day looks like.
A Typical Wednesday
Here's last Wednesday - a pretty average day.
7:30am - Van Check and Load
Before anything else, check the van's ready. Yesterday I used the last of my masonry bits, so restock from the garage. Load the impact driver batteries on the charger overnight, so they're ready.
Coffee. Always coffee.
8:15am - First Job: St Leonard's
An older couple want some grab rails fitted in their bathroom. Mum's moving in and needs extra support.
The job:
- Two grab rails by the toilet
- One long rail in the shower
- One by the bath
What's involved:
- Find the studs/solid wall - this bathroom is plasterboard with studs behind
- Mark positions (they've already decided where based on mum's needs)
- Drill and fix - into studs where possible, heavy-duty fixings where not
- Check everything's solid - give each rail a proper pull
Time: About 75 minutes Challenge: One rail needed to go where there was no stud. Used hollow wall anchors rated for the weight - explained to them why and checked they were happy.
9:45am - Travel
Quick drive to Heavitree. Check messages - nothing urgent.
10:00am - Second Job: IKEA Wardrobe
A single mum bought a PAX wardrobe for her daughter's room. She'd started building it but got stuck.
The situation:
- Base was built but wonky (turned out it wasn't on level floor)
- Doors delivered separately, still boxed
- She'd spent three hours and was ready to cry
What I did:
- Checked what was already built - one panel was actually on the wrong side
- Easier to partly disassemble and rebuild correctly than bodge it
- Shimmed the base to level (old house, floor nowhere near level)
- Built up the carcase properly
- Fitted internal shelves and rails
- Hung the doors and adjusted until they closed perfectly
Time: 2 hours 15 minutes Best part: Her daughter came home from school while I was finishing. Watching a kid get excited about their new wardrobe is genuinely great.
12:15pm - Lunch
I keep a cool box in the van. Sandwich, bag of crisps, scroll through emails. One quote request for a fence repair - I'll look at that tomorrow.
12:45pm - Third Job: Pinhoe
A letting agent I work with has a property where the tenant's reported a "broken toilet."
The diagnosis:
- Toilet works fine
- But the seat is cracked and the flush handle is wobbly
- Plus there are some cracked tiles behind the toilet and a missing bath panel
The job:
- Replace toilet seat (I carry standard ones in the van)
- Tighten flush handle (just needed a spanner)
- Bath panel was in the airing cupboard - previous tradesperson clearly couldn't be bothered
- Cracked tiles - siliconed over the cracks for now, note for landlord they'll need replacing eventually
Time: 40 minutes Reality: "Broken toilet" = "toilet seat is cracked" 9 times out of 10.
1:45pm - Fourth Job: Topsham
A retired teacher wants her garden shed assembled. It was delivered flat-packed a week ago and has been sitting in pieces on her lawn.
The shed:
- Standard 6x4 overlap apex from a garden centre
- OSB floor, felt roof, pre-hung door
What's involved:
- Lay out all pieces and check nothing's missing
- Build floor frame on existing concrete base
- Attach floor boards
- Build up walls one panel at a time
- Lift roof panels (careful - they're awkward solo)
- Felt the roof
- Hang door, fit handle and hasp
- Apply treatment (she'd bought fence paint)
Time: 3 hours The challenge: Solo shed builds mean being creative with supports while you fix panels. I use ratchet straps to hold things in place - looks ridiculous but works.
5:00pm - Drive Back
Traffic through the city is slow. Listen to a podcast.
5:45pm - Admin
Back home. Update job notes, send the letting agent a quick report with photos, write up tomorrow's job list. Do a rough quote for the fence repair - I'll need to see it first but ballpark £150-£200 for what they've described.
Check stock - running low on 5mm rawlplugs and red ones. Add to shopping list.
6:30pm - Done
That's it for today. Four jobs, happy customers, no disasters.
What Varies
Not every day is like this. Some days it's:
- One big job (full day kitchen fitting or bathroom refresh)
- Six tiny jobs (the "while you're here" day)
- A disaster response (burst pipe, fence blown down)
- A quote-only day (measuring up and pricing jobs)
- A supply run (if I need specific materials for tomorrow)
What I Like About It
Variety: I never do the same thing twice. Yesterday was a picture gallery and some shelves. Tomorrow is fence posts and a dodgy door.
Completion: Most jobs are done in one visit. That satisfaction of leaving something finished and working is great.
People: Genuinely, most customers are lovely. Tea offered at nearly every house.
Independence: I decide my schedule, my routes, my methods.
What's Hard About It
Weather: Can't escape it for outdoor work. Devon has plenty of rainy days.
Bodies: Kneeling on hard floors, reaching into awkward spaces, lifting. It adds up.
Uncertainty: Quiet weeks happen. January's always slow.
Unseen problems: Sometimes you open up a wall and find a mess someone else left. That changes the job.
Want something done? This is what your job will be part of - a day of varied work, done properly. Call 01392 964094 or get a quote.
Sam Hembury
Sam is the founder of Hembury Contracting, providing professional handyman services across Exeter and Devon. With years of experience in property maintenance, he shares practical tips to help homeowners tackle common tasks.