After a leak or a storm, the repair list gets long fast: a dripping pipe, a wet outlet, soggy drywall, missing shingles. It's tempting to hand it all to one handyman, but in Florida some of those jobs can only be done for pay by a licensed plumber, electrician, A/C contractor or roofer, and Clearwater requires permits for more of them than most people expect.
Our earlier post on handyman vs. licensed contractor covers the dollar limits. This one goes job by job through the repairs that come up after water and storm damage in Clearwater.
Is this urgent?
- Call now: water reached outlets, the electrical panel or appliances, or a breaker keeps tripping. Pinellas County says to "Keep your power off if flooding occurred until an electrician can check on it." For a water main break or gas leak, Clearwater's emergency line is (727) 462-6633, 24 hours a day.
- Call today: an active plumbing leak or a leaking water heater (shut off the water at the main and call a licensed plumbing contractor), or rain coming through the roof (call a licensed roofing contractor).
- Can wait: dry stains, damaged trim or flooring with no new water, and a fence or gate that needs repair.
Local resources for Clearwater
The short answer
- Electrical: a licensed electrical contractor. Florida's electrical law treats "performing electrical or alarm work for compensation" as contracting (s. 489.505(9), Fla. Stat.), and its list of exemptions (s. 489.503) has no small-job dollar exemption.
- Plumbing, A/C and roofing: licensed trade contractors, with a few narrow exceptions below (plug-in, ductless A/C units of 3 tons or less are exempt, s. 489.103(14)). A handyman's minor-work exemption covers only "casual, minor, or inconsequential" work under $2,500 (s. 489.103(9)), and DBPR's construction FAQ adds: "Typically, work requiring a permit is not of a casual, minor, or inconsequential nature."
- Drywall, flooring, trim and painting: no state license, unless the same contract includes licensed work. Florida law lists "painting; flooring; cabinetry," "handyman services" and interior remodeling without a licensed task among the job scopes local governments can't require a license for (s. 489.117(4)(a)1.).
Plumbing: the narrow exceptions
Two plumbing jobs have narrow exceptions:
- Clearing a clog. Florida's plumbing contractor definition says a plumbing contractor "may perform drain cleaning and clearing ... however, a mandatory licensing requirement is not established for the performance of these specific services" (s. 489.105(3)(m)).
- Stopping a leak (no permit, but still plumbing work for licensing). The Florida Building Code doesn't require a permit for "The stopping of leaks in drains, water, soil, waste or vent pipe"; but if a concealed trap or pipe "becomes defective and it becomes necessary to remove and replace the same with new material, such work shall be considered as new work and a permit shall be obtained." It also exempts "the repairing of leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures," provided "such repairs do not involve or require the replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes or fixtures" (FBC-Building, 8th Ed., 105.2).
A permit exemption isn't a license exemption. Florida's plumbing contractor definition covers work to "install, maintain, repair, alter, extend" plumbing (s. 489.105(3)(m)), and DBPR's chart of plumbing services lists "Replace a hot-water heater for compensation" as requiring a license.
Electrical: no handyman exemption
Florida's electrical licensing law is separate from the construction law, and it has no counterpart to the $2,500 minor-work rule. DBPR's electrical board says even low-voltage wiring inside a structure needs a license: "if you are installing wiring within a structure for any reason including the items listed a license is required."
Water makes this a safety issue. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has said that circuit breakers, GFCIs and fuses "that have been under water must be replaced," and the CDC says to "Have an electrician check the house's electrical system before turning the power on again."
Water and storm repairs in Clearwater, job by job
Clearwater's permit page lists the work that requires a permit, including "Replacement, alteration, addition to or deletion from any electrical, plumbing (including fixture relocation) or air-conditioning system," windows and doors, "any roofing component," fences and "siding, soffits and fascia." This table is our reading of the state law and the city's pages. Where they don't settle it, call the city at (727) 562-4567.
| Job | Who can do it for pay | Permit in Clearwater? |
|---|---|---|
| Clear a clogged drain | Anyone; no license required (s. 489.105(3)(m)) | No under the Florida Building Code (105.2 exempts "clearing of stoppages") |
| Stop a leak without replacing pipe | A handyman only if it's casual and minor under $2,500; otherwise a licensed plumbing contractor | No under the Florida Building Code (105.2), unless pipe has to be replaced |
| Replace a damaged section of pipe | Licensed plumbing contractor | Yes |
| Replace a faucet or toilet in the same spot | Licensed plumbing contractor, unless it's casual and minor under $2,500 | Call: the city's FAQ says replacing fixtures needs no permit, but its permit list includes plumbing replacement |
| Replace a water heater | Licensed plumbing contractor (DBPR) | Yes; contractors must file water heater permits online |
| Replace a wet outlet, switch or light fixture | Licensed electrical contractor | Yes for replacing electrical systems; call for a like-for-like device |
| Breakers or panel that got wet | Licensed electrical contractor | Yes for a panel; call for individual breakers |
| A/C repair or replacement | Licensed A/C or mechanical contractor (s. 489.105(3)(f), (g), (i)); plug-in ductless units of 3 tons or less are exempt (s. 489.103(14)) | Yes for replacement or alteration |
| Replace wet drywall and insulation | Handyman or general contractor; a plumbing license is needed if the same contract includes plumbing (DBPR) | Call; the city lists wall replacement, and its $7,500 exemption form lists drywall |
| Replace baseboard, trim or flooring | No state license (s. 489.117(4)(a)1.) | No for tile or carpet; call for trim |
| Roof leak or missing shingles | Licensed roofing contractor (s. 489.105(3)(e); DBPR's hurricane guide lists "Roof repairs") | Yes, except "repairing a very small and minor roof leak less than $500" |
| Temporary roof tarp | DBPR's hurricane guide says "Placing a tarp on a roof" doesn't require a DBPR license | Call; not on the city's permit list |
| Replace a storm-damaged window or exterior door | Windows: licensed contractor (DBPR's hurricane guide lists "Installing new windows"). Doors: call | Yes |
| Fence repair or replacement | No state license; a local (PCCLB) license may apply, so check the PCCLB search | Yes for replacement; call for repairs. The city's $7,500 exemption form lists fences |
The $7,500 exemption needs a written request and doesn't apply to electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work, or to property in a flood hazard area (s. 553.79(1)(g)). Our contractor guide to Pinellas permits covers it city by city.
Photograph it before you touch anything
Before repairs start, take wide photos of each room and the outside of the house, then close-ups of wet outlets, the water heater, stains and any roof damage you can see from the ground, and note the date. Keep receipts for anything you buy.
How to tell who you're hiring
Florida law requires a contractor's license number on every ad, bid and contract (s. 489.119(5)(b); on ads and proposals for electrical, s. 489.521(7)(b)), and unlicensed contracting during a declared state of emergency is a third-degree felony (s. 489.127(2)(c); s. 489.531(3)(c)). Our guide to checking a contractor's license walks through the DBPR search. Clearwater also has contractors register with the city, with their state license and insurance, before they pull permits.
How we handle the licensed work
We're a Florida certified general contractor. We don't do plumbing, electrical, A/C or roofing ourselves. On projects we manage, that work is subcontracted to licensed trade contractors (s. 489.113(3), (9)(a)), who pull their own permits, and stand-alone trade jobs we refer out. Our handyman repairs service covers the rest: drywall, trim, doors and the punch list after a storm.
What you can safely do yourself
- Turn off power at the breaker if you can reach it from a dry spot, and shut off the water at the main.
- Clear a clogged drain with a plunger.
- Check a contractor's license before you hire: see our license check guide.
- Photograph the damage and keep receipts.
Leave to a pro: anything wet that's electrical, replacing pipe or a water heater, A/C repairs and anything on the roof.
What it costs
| Job | Typical cost | Source | Do it yourself? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pipe leak repair | $252–$858, average $505 | Angi, Tampa (May 2026) | Not recommended; if you hire it out and pipe is replaced, it needs a licensed plumber and a permit |
| Drain cleaning | $163–$396, average $277 | Angi, Tampa (Feb. 2026) | Some of it: a plunger is fine |
| Toilet installation | $218–$459, average $332 | Angi, Tampa (Jul. 2026) | Not recommended; if you hire it out, a licensed plumber (owner-builder rules for your own home, s. 489.103(7)) |
| Water heater replacement | $709–$1,397, average $1,034 | Angi, Tampa (Oct. 2025) | Hire a pro: licensed plumber and permit |
| Outlet installation | $101–$454, average $303 | Angi, Tampa (Jun. 2026) | Hire a pro: licensed electrician (owner-builder rules for your own home, s. 489.503(6)) |
| Electrical panel replacement | $580–$2,140, average $1,355 | Angi, Tampa (Jul. 2026) | Hire a pro: licensed electrician and permit |
| Roof tarping | $150–$3,300, average $450 | Angi, national (Oct. 2026) | No: work on the roof |
How much does a handyman cost compared with a plumber or electrician?
Most handyman jobs cost $150 to $600 (Fixr, national). In Tampa, Angi's figures for licensed trade jobs run from $101 for an outlet to $2,140 for a panel replacement. What moves the price most is whether a permit and a licensed trade are involved. See the full price guide for handyman prices in Pinellas County.
Frequently asked questions
Can a handyman do plumbing in Florida?
Only narrowly. Anyone can clear a drain (s. 489.105(3)(m)), and the minor-work exemption covers casual, minor jobs under $2,500 (s. 489.103(9)). DBPR lists replacing a water heater for pay as licensed work.
Can a handyman do electrical work in Florida?
Not for pay. Florida's electrical law treats electrical work for compensation as contracting (s. 489.505(9)) and has no small-job exemption like the construction law's $2,500 rule.
Can a handyman replace a toilet in Clearwater?
The Florida Building Code doesn't require a permit to remove and reinstall a toilet, but replacing one is plumbing work, which needs a licensed plumber unless it fits the casual, minor, under-$2,500 exemption. Clearwater's pages disagree on whether a fixture swap needs a permit, so call (727) 562-4567.
Who can put a tarp on my roof after a storm?
DBPR's hurricane guide lists "Placing a tarp on a roof" among storm services that don't require a DBPR license. Roof repairs and replacement do.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 489.103 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.105 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.113 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.117 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.119 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.127 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.503 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.505 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.521 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.531 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 553.79 (2026)
- ICC Digital Codes: 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, Chapter 1 (8th Edition)
- DBPR: Construction Industry FAQs
- DBPR: Electrical Contractors FAQs
- DBPR: What services require a state plumbing license? (image)
- DBPR: Hurricane Guide for Residents and Visitors (PDF)
- City of Clearwater: Get a building permit
- City of Clearwater: Do I need a permit? Checklist and FAQ
- City of Clearwater: Exempt building permit request portal
- City of Clearwater: Building permit applications and forms
- City of Clearwater: Research building permits
- City of Clearwater: Report a gas leak, water leak or other water emergency
- Pinellas County: Disaster preparedness and recovery FAQ
- U.S. CPSC: Replace gas control valves, circuit breakers, GFCIs and fuses that have been under water (2001)
- CDC: Reentering your flooded home
- Angi: Pipe leak repair cost in Tampa
- Angi: Drain cleaning cost in Tampa
- Angi: Toilet installation cost in Tampa
- Angi: Water heater installation cost in Tampa
- Angi: Outlet installation cost in Tampa
- Angi: Electrical panel replacement cost in Tampa
- Angi: Roof tarping cost (national)
- Fixr: Handyman cost (national, updated Jan. 30, 2025)
