Handyman in Northwood, West Palm Beach
This is not a service area to me. It is my neighborhood — my shop is on 31st Street, inside the district.
The Palm Beach Fixer is based at 839 31st Street, in West Palm Beach’s Northwood historic district. I handle electrical fixture swaps, plumbing fixture work, plaster and drywall repair, doors and trim, TV mounting, and smart home installation for Northwood homeowners — and because I live here, most of these jobs are a few minutes away rather than a dispatch across the county.
Handyman Services in Northwood
Old Northwood was built in the 1920s land boom, and 1920s houses fail in specific, predictable ways. This is what I get called for here.
Ceiling Fans & Fixtures
Hung off century-old boxes that were never rated for the weight — braced properly before anything goes up.
Plaster & Lath Repair
Cracks, keys letting go, and patches that need to vanish rather than announce themselves.
Old-House Plumbing Fixtures
Faucets, toilets and shower trim on rough-ins that predate every current standard.
Doors, Windows & Trim
Original doors and casings that swell, drag, and stop latching in the humidity.
TV & Art Mounting
Into plaster and lath, which is a different job than drywall — located and fastened to real structure.
Smart Home in Old Houses
Doorbells, locks, cameras and thermostats added to houses that predate all of it, wiring checked first.
Inside Northwood
Northwood is really three overlapping things, and they are not the same. Old Northwood is the residential historic district. Northwood Village is the commercial strip on Northwood Road. Northwood Hills sits just to the north.
The Old Northwood Historic District was listed on the National Register in 1994 and was the City of West Palm Beach’s first locally designated historic district. Most of it went up during the 1920s land boom — Mediterranean Revival, Mission style and frame vernacular, on roughly ninety acres between Broadway and Dixie Highway. That means plaster over lath, cloth-wrapped wiring in the untouched houses, galvanized supply lines, and light boxes that were never designed to carry a modern fan.
Why Northwood Homeowners Call The Palm Beach Fixer
I am not going to pretend distance is a feature of every neighborhood I serve. Here it genuinely is. My truck is parked inside this district. If a fixture is not sitting right, I can come back the same week instead of scheduling you into next month.
It also means I have opened up a lot of these particular houses. The 1920s builders here worked to similar patterns, so I usually know what is behind the wall before I cut it — and when I do not, I say so before I start rather than after.
Historic district note: exterior work in a locally designated West Palm Beach historic district — roofs, windows, siding, additions, fences — generally requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city. Interior repair usually does not. If a job looks like it needs city review, I will flag it before touching it rather than after.
What Handyman Work Costs in Northwood
Straight numbers, no runaround. These are real starting prices, not national averages:
- Ceiling fan installation — $150 per fan
- Outlet or switch replacement — $50–$75 each
- Bathroom faucet installation — starting at $150
- Kitchen faucet installation — starting at $250
- Hardwired Ring camera (120V) — $200 per camera
- Hourly rate — $87–$125/hr depending on scope and access
Bigger projects get a written estimate before anything starts. You will never get a surprise number at the end of a job. Request a free estimate and you will hear back the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you actually based in Northwood?
Yes — 839 31st Street, inside the district. It is not a marketing service area, it is where I live and keep my tools.
Do you work on 1920s houses?
Constantly. Old Northwood is almost entirely 1920s construction, which means plaster over lath, original wiring runs, and rough-ins that no longer match anything sold today. That needs a different approach than new construction, and I plan for it.
Can you mount a TV on a plaster wall?
Yes. Plaster and lath will not hold a standard drywall anchor — it has to be located and fastened into real structure. In this neighborhood it is a routine job.
Do I need city approval for my project?
For interior repair, usually not. For exterior changes in a locally designated district, a Certificate of Appropriateness is generally required. I will tell you when something looks like it needs review, and I will not start work that should have gone to the city first.
How much does a handyman cost in Northwood?
Hourly runs $87 to $125 depending on scope and access. Common work is flat-priced — $150 per ceiling fan, $50 to $75 per outlet or switch, bathroom faucets from $150, kitchen faucets from $250.
Need a hand in Northwood?
Tell me what is going on and I will tell you straight whether it is a quick fix or a real project.