By Request Handyman Services
Customers specifically name Mark for building bespoke outdoor structures — from boardwalk decks to Japanese garden bridges — and returning years later for more.
What you're getting is direct, owner-operated service: Mark assesses, quotes, and does the work himself, which reviewers credit for the consistency between what was promised and what was delivered. The detail work is also worth noting — one customer singles him out for being able to remove and replace fully moulded shower silicone cleanly, a fiddly job many handymen won't touch. At 21 reviews it's a modest sample, but 100% coverage of the lifetime review pool and a decade of repeat clients give reasonable confidence this isn't a flash-in-the-pan operation.
Their work
What it's like working with them
Based on a sample of Google reviews (21 total)
What they help with
Based on what their customers hired them for
Credentials & background
Sourced from 5 public records so you don't have to look them up yourself
About By Request Handyman Services
Mark Nichols runs By Request Handyman Services solo, and his standout niche is custom outdoor timber work — decks, pergolas, boardwalks, gates, fences, and bespoke garden features like Japanese bridges and wooden aircon enclosures built to match existing structures. That specialisation in crafted joinery distinguishes him from the typical handyman; customers consistently describe the kind of finish you'd expect from a cabinetmaker, not a general odd-jobs operator. He's equally comfortable with interior detail work — silicone removal and resealing, pathway and patio upgrades, strata maintenance — so the range is genuinely broad, but timber construction is where reviews most frequently land. Working alone as a sole trader means you're dealing directly with Mark at every step, which shows up in the reviews as unusually tight communication: same-day or next-day site visits, quotes returned the evening of the inspection, and a tidy site left behind after each job. At roughly 23 years in business and GST-registered, he's well-established for the Northern Beaches market, and repeat customers across Balgowlah, Manly Vale, and surrounding suburbs suggest he holds clients long-term rather than cycling through one-off jobs. He's particularly well-suited to homeowners who've been burned by tradies who ghost after quoting — multiple reviewers specifically call out how rare that reliability is.
Best for: custom deck and timber structure builds on challenging or irregular blocks, homeowners who need reliable follow-through from quote to completion, detail-oriented jobs like shower resealing that most handymen avoid, and strata properties needing ongoing maintenance from a single trusted contact.
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Claim This Profile — Free →Common questions about By Request Handyman Services
What types of jobs does By Request Handyman Services specialise in?+
Mark's core strength is custom outdoor timber work — decks, boardwalks, pergolas, gates, fences, and bespoke structures like garden bridges and aircon enclosures built to match existing features. He also handles interior detail work including shower silicone resealing, a job reviewers specifically note is hard to find anyone willing to do properly. General home repairs and maintenance round out the offer, and he has experience working on both private residences and strata properties around the Northern Beaches.
How quickly does Mark typically respond to quote requests?+
Based on multiple customer reviews, same-day or next-day site visits are a genuine pattern — not a marketing claim. Several reviewers specifically contrast this with other tradies who took weeks to respond or never followed up at all. One customer described calling in the morning and having a small repair completed the same afternoon. It's worth calling rather than emailing if speed matters to you.
What do customers say about Mark's pricing?+
Reviews consistently describe Mark's pricing as fair and reasonable, with several customers noting they were pleasantly surprised after receiving expensive quotes elsewhere. One reviewer explicitly mentions he didn't try to talk her into extra work beyond what was needed — a detail that comes up in a few different reviews. He is GST-registered, so expect GST to be included on invoices for larger jobs.
Is By Request Handyman Services suitable for strata or investment properties?+
Yes — reviews mention strata work in Balgowlah and one customer notes having Mark complete jobs at both a personal home and investment properties. The types of jobs mentioned in that context include fence repairs, gate replacements, and general maintenance. His reliability and clean-up habits make him a practical fit for strata managers who need a tradie they can leave on site without supervision.
Does Mark work across the broader Northern Beaches area, or just Manly Vale?+
Reviews reference jobs completed in Balgowlah and other Northern Beaches suburbs, so he's not limited to Manly Vale itself. The business doesn't publish a formal service radius, so it's worth calling to confirm if you're outside the immediate area. Given he operates solo, travel distance may factor into his availability for smaller jobs.