Handyman vs. Super: Who Fixes What in an NYC Apartment
The unwritten rules of NYC apartment repairs: what's your super's job, what's your landlord's, what's yours — and who to call when the super stops answering.
Updated
Your super fixes what belongs to the building — heat, hot water, leaks, building-supplied appliances, common areas — for free, because your rent covers it. A handyman handles what belongs to you: furniture assembly, TV mounting, shelves, décor, and upgrades. My flat rates run from $60, with a $90 minimum visit.
That’s the one-paragraph answer. The full picture has more gray zones, a few tenant rights, and one important number: 311. Let’s sort it out.
What Does a Super Fix? (The Landlord’s Side of the Line)
In NYC, your landlord — through the super or the building’s handyman staff — is legally responsible for keeping the apartment habitable and keeping everything they provided in working order. That’s the warranty of habitability plus your lease, and it covers more than most tenants realize.
| Problem | Whose job? | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|
| No heat or hot water | Super/landlord | Free |
| Leak from ceiling or pipes | Super/landlord | Free |
| Building-supplied fridge/stove broken | Super/landlord | Free |
| Radiator banging or not heating | Super/landlord | Free |
| Front door lock sticking (building’s lock) | Super/landlord | Free |
| Mice, roaches, bedbugs | Super/landlord | Free |
| Peeling paint, especially prewar | Super/landlord | Free (required cycles apply) |
| Clogged building drain line | Super/landlord | Free |
| Broken window or window balance | Super/landlord | Free |
| Hallway, lobby, laundry room issues | Super/landlord | Free |
Rule of thumb: if it was in the apartment when you signed the lease and it broke through normal use, report it and let the building fix it. Never pay a handyman — including me — for something your rent already covers. I will genuinely tell you “call your super first” when that’s the answer.
What a Super Won’t Fix (Your Side of the Line)
The super’s job ends where your personal property begins. Anything you bought, brought, or want upgraded is on you:
| Job | Whose job? | My flat price (from) |
|---|---|---|
| IKEA dresser assembly | You | $90 |
| Bed frame assembly | You | $110 |
| PAX wardrobe | You | $180 |
| TV mounting, ≤55” on drywall | You | $120 |
| TV on brick or concrete | You | $160 |
| Floating shelf | You | $60 each |
| Gallery wall, up to 10 pieces | You | $140 |
| Heavy mirror | You | $90 |
| Curtain rod or blinds | You | $80 |
| Video doorbell or smart lock | You | $100 |
| Furniture anchoring (kids, tip-over safety) | You | $90 |
| Window A/C install | You (usually) | $90 install / $70 removal |
Materials extra, cleanup included. Full list on my pricing page.
Some supers will do this stuff as a paid side job, and if yours is good and available, great. The catch: side work usually means cash, no quote until it’s done, nobody to call if your TV ends up on the floor, and “I’ll come by this week” scheduling. I quote flat from photos before I show up, back the labor with a 30-day written warranty, and work evenings and Sundays — which is exactly when supers are off.
The Gray Zone: Jobs That Could Go Either Way
Some repairs sit right on the line. Here’s how they usually shake out in NYC:
- Running toilet or dripping faucet. Building’s plumbing, building’s job — report it. But if the super’s been “getting to it” for three weeks and the water bill or the noise is driving you nuts, a minor plumbing visit runs from $110 for a running toilet.
- Holes in the wall from your shelves or TV. You made them, you own them. Drywall patch and paint from $140 — do it before your move-out inspection, not after the deposit dispute starts.
- Door rubbing or not latching. If it’s warped or settled on its own, that’s arguably the building. If it started after your rug or your humidifier, that’s a coin flip. Either way, door planing or a hinge fix is from $110 if you’d rather just have it done.
- Light fixture upgrades. Fixing a dead building fixture: super. Swapping the boob light for something you can stand to look at: handyman, from $110 — and I’ll store the original so you can swap it back at move-out.
- Grimy tub caulk. Actively leaking or moldy through no fault of yours: report it. Just tired-looking: a tub re-caulk is $120 and takes one visit.
Renters: What You Can Do Without Permission
Standard NYC leases let you decorate but not “alter.” In practice, you’re generally fine with anything reversible:
- Hanging pictures, mirrors, shelves, and curtain rods — small holes are normal wear in most leases, and patching at move-out is cheap peace of mind
- Assembling and anchoring furniture (anchoring to the wall is a safety measure, and small anchor holes patch easily)
- Swapping light fixtures, outlet covers, and cabinet hardware if you keep the originals and restore them before you leave
- Window A/C units — allowed in most buildings, but check your building’s bracket and installation rules first; I covered the details in my NYC window A/C rules guide
Where you need written permission: painting in non-standard colors, anything touching plumbing or wiring beyond a like-for-like swap, built-ins, and anything structural. When in doubt, I default to renter-friendly, damage-free methods — and I’ll tell you upfront if a job risks your deposit.
When to Call 311 Instead
The super and the handyman both have a boss above them: the city. Call 311 (or use the app) and file an HPD complaint when a landlord-responsibility problem isn’t getting fixed:
- No heat during heat season, or no hot water anytime
- Persistent leaks or mold the landlord ignores
- Broken locks on entry doors, non-working intercom
- Pest infestations with no treatment scheduled
- Anything making the apartment unsafe or unlivable
Sequence matters: tell the super, then put it in writing to the landlord or managing agent, then escalate to 311 if nothing happens in a reasonable time. A paper trail wins disputes. A handyman can’t and shouldn’t replace this process — I fix your stuff, not your landlord’s legal obligations.
Quick Decision Guide
| Situation | Call |
|---|---|
| Building system broken (heat, water, leaks, pests) | Super |
| Building-supplied item broken by normal use | Super |
| Super/landlord ignoring a habitability problem | 311 / HPD |
| Your furniture, TV, shelves, décor, upgrades | Handyman |
| Move-out patching and touch-ups | Handyman |
| Gray-zone annoyance the super won’t prioritize | Your call — free-but-someday vs. flat-price-this-Sunday |
When to Call Me
I’m the guy for everything on your side of the line, anywhere in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Text me photos, get a flat quote before I ring the buzzer — 5.0★ across 66 Google reviews and a 30-day warranty on labor, in writing. Evenings and Sundays are fair game — that’s when most of this stuff actually needs doing. Start with furniture assembly, TV mounting, or just send me the job and I’ll tell you honestly whether it’s mine or your super’s.
Letters to the desk — answered
What does a super fix for free in NYC?
Anything tied to the building's systems and your lease: heat, hot water, leaks, broken building-supplied appliances, stuck building-installed doors and locks, pests, and common areas. If it came with the apartment and it's broken through normal use, it's the landlord's responsibility.
Will my super mount a TV or assemble furniture?
Usually no — that's your property, not the building's, so it's outside their job. Some supers do it as a paid side job, but you're often better off with a handyman who gives a flat price in advance, warranties the work, and cleans up. My TV mounting starts at $120.
My super won't fix something the landlord is responsible for. What do I do?
Put the request in writing to your landlord or management company, keep copies, and give them a reasonable window. For no heat, no hot water, leaks, or other habitability issues that stay unfixed, call 311 and file an HPD complaint.
Is it cheaper to use the super or a handyman?
For landlord-responsibility repairs, the super is free — always start there. For your own stuff (furniture, mounting, upgrades), a super's cash side rate and a handyman's rate are typically similar in NYC; the difference is a firm quote upfront, a written warranty, and availability.