Cammo · City of Edinburgh
Launch a Handyman Business in Cammo
The four boundaries, insurance and your first jobs -- covering Cammo and the surrounding City of Edinburgh area.
Open the Handyman Business Launch Kit to see everything included — £22Starting a handyman business in Cammo? The trade itself is wide open legally, but four specific activities are strictly off-limits without the right registration. Here's what to know before working around City of Edinburgh.
What the rules say
There's no general licence, registration or protected title required to operate as a handyman in the UK. Instead, the law draws hard lines around four specific activities a general handyman must never cross: gas work (Gas Safe registration only -- a criminal offence otherwise), notifiable electrical work (a registered competent person or building control sign-off), structural work such as load-bearing walls (Building Regulations approval), and asbestos in pre-2000 properties (never drill, sand or remove suspected material). Stay within general repairs, assembly, carpentry and decorating and you're operating entirely lawfully with no qualification required.
Note for Cammo: the England & Wales Part P rules above don't apply directly in Scotland -- Scotland runs its own building standards system, so check that instead before taking on any electrical work.
Quick answers
Can a handyman in Cammo do electrical or plumbing work?
Simple like-for-like minor work is generally fine, but notifiable electrical work -- new circuits, consumer unit changes, any work in a kitchen or bathroom -- must go through a registered competent person or building control, whether you're working in Cammo or anywhere else in the UK.
How do I find my first handyman clients in Cammo?
Many handymen in Cammo start with flat-pack assembly and small repair jobs sourced through local referrals, community groups and word-of-mouth, building up to larger regular clients over time.
Do I need insurance to start a handyman business in Cammo?
Public liability insurance isn't a legal requirement for a sole trader, but it's strongly recommended given the range of jobs involved, across Cammo and City of Edinburgh. Employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement once you employ any staff.
Can a handyman in Cammo remove a load-bearing wall?
No -- structural work such as removing or altering a load-bearing wall needs Building Regulations approval and typically a structural engineer's calculations, wherever you're working, including Cammo. A handyman should refer this on rather than attempt it.