ArcaMax

One of the hardest working doors in our house is the screen door on the back porch. Day in and day out, the door gets continued use, so we replaced the old worn handle with a new one. It’s a pithy job, and so small a handyman may not want to do it, so it’s a good job to do yourself. It’s positively goof-proof and requires a minimum of tools and talent. A handyman will charge $90, including labor and material, to make the swap. You can buy the handle at a hardware store or home center for $35 and install it yourself, pocketing a whopping 61% saving.

The project involves first removing the old handle with a screwdriver and checking out the holes to see if they can be used for the new one. If not, use the paper template that comes packaged with the handle, as a guide for drilling new mounting holes. Tape the template to the door and drill through it for properly aligned holes. Then follow the installation instructions using the screws provided to secure the inside and outside halves of the handle assembly.

Tip: Before installing the new handle, give the door a good cleaning, especially around the handle — where there are often dirty fingerprints. If the door is painted and needs a fresh coat, do it after you’ve removed the old handle and before installing the new one.

If you want to hire out the job and can’t find a handyman to do it, consider bundling it with other small projects to make it worth his effort.

Pro Cost: $90 — DIY Cost: $35 — Pro time: 0.6
DIY Time: 1.0 — DIY Savings: $55 — Percent Saved: 61%

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To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.

©2025 Gene and Katie Hamilton. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.