DIY HANDYMAN, PRIVATE ESTATE, HEREFORDSHIRE
To commence immediately
Private family estate seeks experienced handyman.
This is a full-time (40 hours), 5-day-a-week position with the requirement to work some weekends as needed.
The estate is a rural working farm; the city of Hereford is a fifteen-minute drive away.
The successful candidate would be working under the management of the Principles and their EA (as well as alongside other members of the wider estate team as required).
Applicants will need to have a well-rounded understanding of repair work and building maintenance, as well as strong experience in painting and decorating, carpentry and hard landscaping. A good understanding of plumbing and electrical work is required.
This role is only suitable for candidates who are physically fit, like variety in their work and are happy to work outdoors throughout the year, as needed.
Candidates must be comfortable working in the countryside and around livestock and dogs as one day a week will be designated for farm maintenance. Duties might include repair work to the cattle barns, strimming tracks or assistance with planting trees.
Live-out position.
Salary: dependant on experience
Please note, the successful candidate will be offered the position subject to a trial period (a minimum of three days on site), extensive reference checks (both written and verbal), advance DBS checks, as well as signing an NDA before trial. Candidates will also need to provide evidence of any qualifications held and hold a full, clean UK driver’s licence.
The Estate
The estate is approximately 1200 acres. It contains a centrally positioned main property with auxiliary cottages and outbuildings surrounding it. There are also several barns and agricultural buildings on site. Restoration work on the cottages and gardens began in 2024. Prior to this the cottages and gardens were dilapidated and heavily overgrown. Although good headway has been made on the properties and gardens, the estate is very much in an active state of re-design and renovation. The land is also in active regeneration with organic, conservation-focussed work underway to restore soil health and biodiversity to the land. For this reason, the estate is looking for a handyman sympathetic to this approach, with the energy and excitement to commit to long-term transformation projects, as well as the ongoing daily maintenance of the main house and design projects.
Candidates should only apply for this position if they are genuinely looking for longevity in a role (3+ years) and the chance to imbed themselves in a team.
Responsibilities
Candidates will be required to be hard-working, flexible, with a positive attitude, self-motivated, energetic, a team player, physically fit / strong and be comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions.
As expected, the role will include a wide variety of DIY-type responsibilities, including but not limited to:
- General property maintenance and repairs
- Painting and decorating work
- Assembly of furniture and the installation of flat-pack kitchens and cabinetry
- Basic electrical work, such as changing fuses, switching plug heads, changing light fixtures
- Basic plumbing work, such as fixing leaks, changing washers, replacing fixtures, sealing baths, installing livestock troughs
- Vehicle maintenance, such as changing tyres or checking air pressure
- Carpentry work
- Masonry work, such as drywall repairs, concrete application, stone cutting, laying flagstones, brickwork
- Tiling
- Hard landscaping
- Fencing
- Assistance with farm / conservation work as required
- Groundsman and exterior maintenance jobs, such as flail mowing, strimming, pressure-washing, gutter cleaning
- Upkeep of the paths and driveways as required
- Firewood: both cutting logs/kindling as needed and upkeep of supply to the house
- Assisting with the operation or set-up of estate events such as marquee installation; transportation of goods across the estate; seasonal house decorations (such as Christmas tree and lights installation)
The successful candidate may also be asked to participate in / collaborate on other Estate-wide team projects. These may include (but are not limited to):
- Errands
- House checks as instructed
- Farm activities
- Pool maintenance when cover is needed
Requirements
- Fluent English
- Clean UK driver’s license and confident driver
- Good attention to detail and time keeping
- Experience handling motorised or petrol-fuelled gardening equipment such as hedge cutters, strimmers, leaf blowers, power washers, lawn mowers
- Experience handling a wide range of power tools such as sanders, drills, jigsaws, multi-tools and saws
- Experience driving telehandlers, small tractors, trailers and ride-on lawnmowers is preferrable but not essential
- Knowledge of health and safety protocols relating to DIY work and construction projects
Working schedule and times
- Normal working hours are Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5.30pm. Adjustments may be made to working hours in winter to allow for limited daylight
- Candidates will be required to work some weekend days or weekends throughout the year and on these occasions their working hours or days off may differ
- 29 days holiday (including bank holidays)
Pay: £30,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
