Learn the Trades Free.
Learn the trades free — a complete study guide for every HandyRanking certification, with 45 key concepts across 9 skill areas in 13 specialties. Sit an exam later if you want the credential; plenty of people never do, and that is fine.
Read it all. Pay for nothing.
Behind every trade badge sits a full written course — specs, step-by-step field procedures, the mistakes that generate callbacks, and scenario questions to test yourself against. No login, no trial, no email gate. Read the lot on your phone between jobs if you like.
The only thing that costs money is the exam, and that is because the credential has to mean something. Knowledge is free here; proof is $19.99.
General Handyman Fundamentals
The core skill set every call-out depends on.
Drywall & Plaster Repair
Invisible patches, flat walls, no callbacks.
Painting & Finishing
Prep is the job. Paint is the last ten percent.
Carpentry & Trim
Trim, framing, and repairs that look original.
Plumbing Repairs
Fixture-level plumbing done right and done legally.
Lighting & Electrical Basics
Devices, fixtures, and knowing where to stop.
Doors & Windows
Doors that latch, windows that seal.
Flooring & Tile
Flat, level, and dry — before anything gets installed.
Decks, Fences & Outdoor Structures
Outdoor structures that pass inspection and stay safe.
Mounting, Assembly & Fixtures
Anchored correctly the first time.
Gutters, Siding & Exterior
Keeping water out of the building.
Job Safety, Ladders & Code
Go home in the same condition you arrived.
Estimating, Pricing & Business
Charge what the work is actually worth.
Why we give the material away
Because a homeowner's opinion of every handyman is shaped by the last one who did a bad job in their house. Raising the floor is good for everyone already doing this properly, and the directory is worth more when the people in it know their trade. Exam fees keep the lights on; the teaching does not need to be behind a paywall to do that.