Hiring a Handyman
Updated November 2026 · by the Brainrich Kids team
Not handy, or short a second adult for build day? Hire help. A handyman or contractor can follow the same step-by-step videos. We don't have our own installers and aren't connected to any installer service, so you book the pro yourself, and we're a phone call away if either of you gets stuck.
The quick answer: once every box has arrived, book a pro on TaskRabbit or get quotes on Thumbtack or Yelp (more options). Ask for two people (two pros, or one pro plus another adult) and 4 to 6 hours for a tension-mounted gym (5 to 7 for a Mega Max V3), or about an afternoon for a wall gym. Buy the boards before the day, paste our message into the booking, and send your pro the installer guide (en español).
On this page
Build it yourself, or hire a pro
It's easy, just not quick: two adults, 4 to 6 hours for a tension-mounted gym (5 to 7 for a Mega Max V3), about an afternoon for a wall gym. Hiring help makes sense when there's no second adult for build day, when tools aren't your thing, or when you're short on time (book two pros and you're only needed at the start and for the sign-off check). If you chose a wall gym, which screws into the wall studs, and you've never found a stud or drilled a pilot hole, that's the one to hire out.
Still deciding? Watch the first few minutes of your gym's assembly video to see what's involved, or find your gym in 60 seconds.
What it costs
Most pros charge by the hour, per person; some quote a flat price. Published averages for furniture assembly are about $34 an hour on TaskRabbit, $65 on Thumbtack and $90 on Angi (each site's cost guide, checked in November 2026), and big cities cost more. For 4 to 6 hours at those averages, that's roughly $140 to $540 for one pro working with another adult, or $270 to $1,080 for two pros, plus any app fees and a tip. A Mega Max V3 (5 to 7 hours) comes to about $170 to $630 with one pro, or $340 to $1,260 with two. Those are our estimates from the published averages; your quote is the real number.
- Agree on the rate and the hours before the day. On hourly apps like TaskRabbit, a longer build costs more, so put your time or budget limit in the task details. Pros who send quotes may give you one flat price: ask for it.
- Buy the boards yourself. If a pro shops for materials, you may pay for their shopping time, and some add a markup.
- Do the floor work yourself. One adult can do most of the pre-assembly alone before the pro arrives: unbox and sort the parts, then build every ladder on the floor, following your video but stopping before you stand any ladder up. Standing the ladders up and tightening them takes two adults, and the cross bars go on easier with two. Tell your pro what's done, so you book fewer hours.
Where to find a handyman
We aren't connected to any of these services or to any installer, so please do your own checks before you book: see how to pick a good one.
The short version: TaskRabbit if you want it booked today. Thumbtack or Yelp if you'd rather compare quotes. A local handyman company for a wall gym. Wherever you book, ask for two people and paste our message into the booking.
Book online today
- TaskRabbit: the app behind IKEA's assembly service, and its Taskers also build things bought elsewhere. Pick a Tasker by hourly rate and reviews, choose Furniture Assembly (Mounting & Installation for a wall gym) and book a time. For the second adult, book a second Tasker, or approve the registered assistant your Tasker asks to bring in the chat (their hours are billed too).
Compare quotes from local pros (free to ask)
- Thumbtack: describe the job once, add photos, and local pros reply with quotes. Try Playground Assembly or Fitness Equipment Assembly. You pay the pro.
- Yelp: Request a Quote sends your job and photos to several local businesses at once.
- Angi (HomeAdvisor is part of Angi, so use one, not both): enter your ZIP code and get matched with up to 3 pros. Expect calls once you submit.
- The Home Depot Pro Referral: free matches with local independent pros, including a Play Set Assembly service. You agree the price and the date with the pro.
Hire a local handyman company
Good for wall gyms, and for anyone who wants one company to answer to. Offices are locally owned, so ask what each one assembles, how it backs the work and for proof of insurance, and ask for two people.
- Mr. Handyman: assembles items bought anywhere, playsets included, with a one-year promise to make it right.
- Ace Handyman Services: half-day (4-hour) and full-day (8-hour) packages, and a one-year labor warranty on its assembly page. Each package typically includes one craftsman, and not every office offers them, so for this build ask for two craftsmen, or be the second adult yourself.
- Handyman Connection: local offices that guarantee their work for a year. Not every office lists assembly, so call first and send photos of the boxes.
- A local assembly or handyman company: search Google Maps for "furniture assembly" or "handyman" near you, and read the reviews for jobs like yours (playsets, home gyms, big furniture).
Ask people you know
- Friends and neighbors: ask who they hired for a swing set, a home gym or flat-pack furniture. A friend can also be your second adult.
- Nextdoor: post a request for a recommendation, with photos. Neighbors and local pros reply.
- Local parents' groups on Facebook: ask who people hired. There's no protection there, so check references.
- The Brainrich Kids Chatter group: a fan-run Facebook group of about 12,500 Brainrich parents. Ask to join, then ask whether anyone near you hired help.
Rural, or in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico? Fewer apps reach you. TaskRabbit covers Anchorage and Honolulu, and Thumbtack has pros in both states; elsewhere, and in Puerto Rico, start with neighbors and local handyman companies.
What about IKEA, Amazon, the big stores or assembly websites?
Most store assembly services, from IKEA and Amazon to the big home and furniture stores, only assemble things you bought from that store, so they can't take a Brainrich gym. IKEA's assembly is done by TaskRabbit Taskers, so book TaskRabbit directly: its Taskers also build things bought elsewhere. The exception is Home Depot's Pro Referral, which matches you with independent local pros for jobs like this one.
Some assembly websites have their own page about Brainrich gyms. They aren't connected to us, and we don't train or certify installers, so check them like any other pro: reviews for jobs like yours, two people, the price in writing and the cancellation terms.
How to pick a good one
- Read the reviews for jobs like yours: playsets, home gyms or big furniture. Read the middle reviews too, not just the 5-star ones.
- Hire through the app, and keep the quote and messages there. Each app's protection only covers jobs that started there, and each has its own rules: some, like TaskRabbit, also need you to pay in the app.
- Put the job in writing: the gym, the layout, two people, and the hours or the price. Messages in the app count.
- Hiring a local company? Ask for proof of insurance. For a wall gym, also ask whether they're licensed where you live: the rules vary by state and province.
- Don't pay in full up front. Pay the balance after the sign-off check, in the app or by card when you can. Walk away from anyone who will only take cash, a wire transfer, a payment app or a gift card.
What each service's protection covers
These promises are capped and paid at each company's discretion, and none of them is insurance.
- TaskRabbit: may pay up to $1,000 for damage, injury or theft caused by a Tasker, if the job was booked and fully paid on TaskRabbit. Claim within 30 days.
- Thumbtack: up to $2,500 back if the job isn't done as agreed in writing, and up to $100,000 for property damage the pro causes. Hire through Thumbtack within 30 days of your request, and report damage within 14 days.
- Yelp: up to $2,500 (a lifetime limit per person) for eligible hires made through Request a Quote, if the business shows the Yelp Guaranteed badge. Claim within 30 days of your last payment.
- Angi: covers only jobs booked and fully paid through Angi, such as its fixed-price "Book Now" jobs. A pro you found through a quote request and paid directly isn't covered.
- Local companies: Mr. Handyman, Ace Handyman Services and Handyman Connection each back their work for a year (confirm with the local office).
- Google: its money-back guarantee ended in December 2025, so a Google badge on a listing isn't a guarantee.
- If you're the second adult: a claim tied to your part of the build may not be covered. TaskRabbit, for one, says anyone performing a task must be a registered Tasker.
Book a handyman in four steps
Wait until every box is in.
Your gym ships in several labeled boxes (box count by gym), often with different carriers, and they can arrive days apart. Still waiting on some? Check your shipping emails for every tracking number. If one still hasn't come once the rest are in, call or email us with your order number. Once they're all in, check each box against your order: its end shows what's inside and the color, and on a Short kit the ladder boxes also carry a "B". Tell us about anything missing or damaged before you book.
Pick where to book.
Use any of the options above. You set up the booking in your own account.
Paste our message into the booking.
Every app asks what the job is. Our message tells a pro what's involved, how long it takes and what to bring, so the right person says yes. On TaskRabbit you can't message a Tasker until you've booked, so put everything in the task details.
Book two people and the whole block of time.
Book 4 to 6 hours for a tension-mounted gym (5 to 7 for a Mega Max V3), or about an afternoon for a wall gym, and don't plan anything right after. Two adults are required: book two pros, or one pro who brings a helper. Want to be the second adult yourself? Check with your pro and the app first, and plan to stay for the whole build. Your main job: hold each ladder straight while it's set in place. One of you works at the top by the ceiling, the other at the bottom on the screw feet, and the cross bars go on easier with two.
Pick a weekday if you can. Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm Eastern (7 am to 2 pm on the West Coast), so your pro can call us mid-build. Building for Christmas? Book as soon as your last box is in: TaskRabbit takes bookings up to 14 days ahead.
What to write in the booking
Copy the message into the task details or job post, then change the highlighted parts. If the app takes photos, add one of the stack of boxes and one of the spot where the gym will go.
For a tension-mounted gym (Model T3, Spider V3, Spider Max V3, Mega Max V3)
I need an indoor steel play gym assembled: a Brainrich Spider Max V3 with the Standard ceiling kit, in the Fort layout. It's tension-mounted: it presses between the floor and the ceiling, so there's no drilling.
All 7 boxes are here, in the room where it will go. Brainrich says it takes 4 to 6 hours with two people, so please keep the afternoon free. I'll be the second adult.
Ceiling: 8 ft 2 in, flat drywall. Floor: hardwood.
The wrenches and all the hardware are in the boxes. Please bring a bubble level, a step ladder, a stud finder, a Phillips screwdriver and a tape measure. An impact driver with a 14 mm socket speeds up the rung bolts (run them in lightly and finish by hand). I'll have the plywood boards for the ceiling ready: two 24 × 24 in and two 12 × 24 in, ½ in thick.
The video for my layout: brainrichkids.com/pages/video-library#watch=spider-max-v3-fort
Your guide, with tips and a Q&A: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide (en español: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide-es)
Change the line about the second adult to match your booking: "I'll be the second adult." · "I've booked a second Tasker for the same time." (TaskRabbit) · "Please bring a helper." (pros who send quotes).
Mega Max V3? Change the time to 5 to 7 hours in both messages, and "the afternoon" to "the day".
Did the floor work yourself? Add: "I've already built the ladders on the floor."
The video link: copy the one for your gym and layout from the videos table below.
For a wall-mounted gym (Model W3, W3 Max)
I need an indoor steel play gym assembled and mounted on the wall: a Brainrich W3 Max. It screws into the wall studs.
All 3 boxes are here. Brainrich says it takes about an afternoon with two people. I'll be the second adult.
Wall: drywall, studs 16 in apart.
Please bring a stud finder, a drill with a ¼ in bit, a bubble level, a step ladder and screws to fix the wood behind the brackets to the studs. The brackets and their coach screws are in the boxes. I'll have a ½ × 4 in plank, 85 in long ready for behind the brackets.
The video: brainrichkids.com/pages/video-library#watch=w3-max
Your guide, with tips and a Q&A: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide (en español: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide-es)
Which wood? It depends on how far apart the studs are. 16 in apart: a ½ in plywood board, 5 to 6 ft long, for a W3, or a ½ × 4 in plank, 85 in long, for a W3 Max. 24 in apart: three 2×4 planks, 6 ft long, instead. Change the highlighted line to match, and call us if your studs are spaced some other way.
A short text to send a handyman
Tension-mounted gym
Hi! Are you free on Thursday, Dec 3 to assemble an indoor steel play gym (a Brainrich Spider V3, 6 boxes)? It takes 4 to 6 hours with two people, and there's no drilling. I'll be the second adult. Installer guide: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide (en español: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide-es)
Wall-mounted gym
Hi! Are you free on Friday, Dec 4 to mount an indoor steel play gym on the wall (a Brainrich W3, 2 boxes)? It screws into the wall studs and takes about an afternoon with two people. I'll be the second adult. Installer guide: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide (en español: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide-es)
Ask before you book (on TaskRabbit, ask in the chat right after you book; cancelling at least 24 hours ahead is free):
- Have you assembled home gyms, playsets or large furniture before?
- Will you bring a helper, or should I book a second person?
- What's your rate, and how many hours do you expect?
- Will you watch the video for my layout before you come?
Videos by gym and layout
Each silent video follows one gym in one layout, from the first bolt to the finished gym, with the part numbers on screen. Pause as often as you need. Tap a layout to open its video.
Model T3
Spider V3
Spider Max V3
Mega Max V3
Model W3
Model W3 Max
Before your handyman arrives
Your pro's time is billed by the hour, so sort these out before the day.
Every box is in the room where the gym will go, and each label matches your order. Open the monkey bar, pull-up bar and accessories boxes and check the big pieces (nets, bar color, accessories) match your order, then close them again with the small hardware still bagged. Keep every box and all the packing foam until the gym is finished and checked: small parts hide in the foam.
The ceiling is measured where every pole will stand, and your ceiling kit fits it: Short 6′9″ to 9′1″, Standard 7′8″ to 9′11″, Tall 9′4″ to 10′5″. Under a drop ceiling, measure to the solid ceiling above the tiles: the tiles come out where the poles go, and once the gym is up they can be cut neatly around the poles and put back. Say "drop ceiling" in your message so your pro knows. Doesn't fit? Leave the ladder boxes closed and call us. Only the ladder boxes go back, and an exchange is simplest when they're unopened (opened boxes are inspected, and an extra fee may apply).
The boards are ready. Tension-mounted gym: one plywood board, 24 × 24 in and ½ in thick, for each ladder, cut to size (painting is optional; see the table for Fort layouts). If the ceiling height differs above the two poles of one ladder, get a board for each pole. Wall gym (W3 or W3 Max): the wood behind the brackets. Studs 16 in apart: a ½ in plywood board, 5 to 6 ft long (W3), or a ½ × 4 in plank, 85 in long (W3 Max). Studs 24 in apart: three 2×4 planks, 6 ft long. Your pro brings the screws that fix it to the studs (our message asks for them).
The spot is picked. Tension-mounted gym: about 12 in between each ladder and the wall, the whole gym out from under a ceiling fan, every pole clear of light fixtures, and about 3 ft of open floor on the sides kids will use. Wall gym: about 3 ft of clear floor in front of it. Your gym's product page has the floor plan.
The floor suits the feet (tension-mounted gyms): a solid floor, or carpet that isn't thick or fluffy. Carpet compresses overnight, so plan to tighten the screw feet a little the next day. Never stand the feet on gym mats, foam tiles, play mats or rubber flooring: high-density gym mats are bouncy, and the whole gym can shift when kids swing.
Your layout is chosen, and its video link is in your message.
A second adult is lined up for the whole build, if your pro is coming alone. They hold each ladder straight while it's set in place and tightened, and help with the cross bars.
The kids have somewhere else to be while it's built.
Crash mats are ready for afterwards. They go around the gym and under the monkey bars, never under its feet. See our safety mats.
Boxes and boards by gym
| Gym | Boxes | Boards (ceiling or wall) |
|---|---|---|
| Model T3 | 4 | 1 |
| Spider V3 | 6 (Tall kit: 8) | 2 |
| Spider Max V3 | 7 (Tall kit: 10) | 3 (Fort: cut 1 in half) |
| Mega Max V3 | 9 (Tall kit: 13) | 4 (cut 1 in half for each fort) |
| Monkey Bars V3 add-on | 1 | 1 for its ladder |
| Model W3 | 2 | Wall board or planks (see below) |
| Model W3 Max | 3 | Wall board or planks (see below) |
Ceiling boards are plywood, 24 × 24 in and ½ in thick; in a Fort, each single pole gets one half. Wall gyms: studs 16 in apart take a ½ in plywood board, 5 to 6 ft long (W3) or a ½ × 4 in plank, 85 in long (W3 Max) behind the brackets; studs 24 in apart take three 2×4 planks, 6 ft long. Tall kits add one extension box per ladder. Count doesn't match? Call or email us before you open anything.
About the ceiling boards. Each board sits between a ladder's top supports and the ceiling. We recommend them: they spread the load and protect the ceiling from marks, and the tension holds them in place, so there's nothing to screw in. Many hardware stores will cut them for you, and a coat of ceiling paint makes them disappear. Use plywood, not MDF, and skip ¾ in boards: they're too thick.
A ceiling board under a ladder's top supports.
"We got the plywood at Home Depot and they cut it for us and we spray painted it white."
DANIELLE, SPIDER MAX V3 OWNER, OCT 2026
What the day looks like
Your pro works through a tension-mounted gym one ladder at a time: each ladder is built on the floor, stood up under its board by two adults (one at the top by the ceiling, one at the bottom turning the screw feet), set to height, tightened and leveled. Then the bars, net and hang-ons go on, and every bolt is secured. The installer guide has the full build order, and the videos show every step.
Did the floor work yourself? Your pro starts by standing the ladders up. A wall gym goes up differently: see wall-mounted gyms in the installer guide. Be there at the start to show the spot and the layout, and at the end for the sign-off check; if you're the second adult, the whole time. Not finished in one visit? It happens. Keep the kids off it until every step is done and you've run the sign-off check together.
"Install was lengthy but relatively easy."
SHERI, SPIDER V3 OWNER, NOV 2026
Before you pay: the sign-off check
Walk through this with your handyman before they leave. It takes a few minutes and catches the things we see missed most often. Wall gym (W3 or W3 Max)? Skip the lines about ladder tops and boards, pull-up bar clamps, stopper bolts, pin #76 and the screw feet. Check instead that the board or planks behind the brackets are screwed to the studs, that every bracket is screwed on tight with its washer and cap, and that the ladder and the monkey bars read level.
An adult up to 220 lb hangs from each pull-up bar and each set of monkey bars, one at a time, and nothing moves. Don't test the swings, rings, trapeze or ropes with an adult's weight: each has its own weight limit, generally 110 lb.
Every ladder top presses on its board, with no gap at the ceiling.
Every pole reads level, top and bottom.
Each pull-up bar has its protective clamps on, each one touching the L-shaped bar (#45) with no gap.
The #12 stopper bolts are in, just under the monkey bar clamps, where the video shows them. Spares come in the spare-parts bag; if you're short, email us.
The rubber pads are on every top support, and under every foot on a hard floor. The plastic leg covers are slid all the way down over the bolts.
The net is tied on along every side, and the hang-ons clip to the ring hooks or ring bolts with carabiners. No bare carabiner hooked straight over a monkey bar.
The climbing rope has a knot near its end, just above the plastic piece (or higher up if the rope was too long), and it hasn't been cut.
No L-shaped bar (#45) is attached to a single pole, and pin #76 is the pin from the box, not a bolt.
Swings, rings and ropes hang at the right height for your kids.
Every rung is on the gym. Leftover bolts (once the stoppers are in), nuts, caps and the long spare rods are normal: bag them and keep them. A leftover rung isn't a spare, so it goes on the gym.
You know how to re-tighten it: by turning the screw feet.
Not sure about something? Email us a short close-up video of the top and bottom of each pole and every spot where an accessory clips on, and we'll take a look.
After the build
- The next day: carpet compresses overnight, so on carpet, tighten the screw feet a little. On any floor, try to move each pole by hand; if one moves, tighten it a little more.
- Every week: check the tension and that nothing has shifted.
- Every month: go over every bolt, cap, clamp, rope and carabiner.
- Moving it later: two adults, in reverse order. You can hire two pros for this too. Re-tighten every rung once it's back up.
For your installer
Your pro has a guide of their own: the video for each gym and layout, what to bring, how two people share the work, the ceiling and floor rules, and answers to the questions installers ask us most. Send them the link with the booking (it's already at the end of our message).
Installer guide Guía en español
Or copy the link: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide · en español: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide-es
Stuck mid-build? Call us
Call
1-800-586-1688
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm Eastern. Say which gym and which step you're on.
Email a photo
info@brainrichkids.com
Send your order number, a photo of the part and one of the whole gym.
Video call
We'll look at your gym with you on FaceTime. Call or email us to set a time.
We're a small team. We try to pick up on weekends and in the evening too, but we can only take so many calls at once: if we miss you, leave a voicemail and we'll call you back as soon as we can. For an urgent problem, we can usually help between 9 am and 9 pm Eastern (6 am to 6 pm Pacific).
FAQ
Tap a question to see the answer.
Does Brainrich install gyms?
No. We don't have our own installers, and we aren't connected to any installer service. Many families build their gym themselves with two adults; others hire local help through an app like TaskRabbit.
Can you book a handyman for me?
We can't. The booking apps need your address, your time and your payment, so the booking has to come from you. Use the message on this page, and email us if you get stuck.
Where can I find a handyman?
In the US, TaskRabbit lets you book one online; Thumbtack, Yelp and Angi send you quotes; and local handyman companies like Mr. Handyman and Ace Handyman Services offer assembly. Wherever you book, ask for two people: two pros, or one pro plus another adult. Most store assembly services, like IKEA's or Amazon's, only cover items bought from that store.
How much does a handyman cost?
Most charge by the hour, per person. One pro working with another adult for 4 to 6 hours is 4 to 6 paid hours; two pros is 8 to 12. A Mega Max V3 takes 5 to 7 hours. Ask for the rate and the hours before you book. In the US, published averages for furniture assembly run about $34 to $90 an hour per person.
How long does it take a handyman?
4 to 6 hours for a tension-mounted gym with two people (5 to 7 for a Mega Max V3), and about an afternoon for a wall gym.
Can one handyman install it alone?
No. Two adults are required each time a ladder goes up: one at the top by the ceiling and one at the bottom on the screw feet. Book two pros, or one pro plus another adult (you, if your pro and the app allow it). One adult can do the floor pre-assembly alone beforehand.
Will the handyman need to drill?
Not for the tension-mounted gyms (Model T3, Spider V3, Spider Max V3 and Mega Max V3). The wall gyms (W3 and W3 Max) are screwed to the wall studs.
What should I buy before the handyman comes?
For a tension-mounted gym, the plywood boards: one 24 × 24 in board, ½ in thick, for each ladder. For a wall gym, the wood behind the brackets: with studs 16 in apart, a ½ in plywood board, 5 to 6 ft long (W3) or a ½ × 4 in plank, 85 in long (W3 Max); with studs 24 in apart, three 2×4 planks, 6 ft long. Your pro brings the screws. Have crash mats ready to go around the gym once it's up.
Do I need to be home?
Yes: at the start, to show the spot and the layout, at the end, for the sign-off check, and the whole time if you're the second adult.
My handyman wants to swap a part or stack a second board. Is that OK?
No. Never swap pin #76 for a bolt, and never stack boards to close a gap at the top. Ask your handyman to call us first: 1-800-586-1688.
Is there a guide in Spanish for my installer?
Yes: brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide-es. The English one is at brainrichkids.com/pages/installer-guide.
Still choosing? Find your gym in 60 seconds.
Sources
Cost figures, checked November 9, 2026: TaskRabbit furniture assembly cost guide (US) · Thumbtack furniture assembly cost guide · Angi furniture assembly cost guide · TaskRabbit Canada furniture assembly cost guide · HomeStars handyman price guide (Canada) · Angi, buying materials.
Booking rules: TaskRabbit, hiring more than one Tasker · TaskRabbit, who can complete a task (Tasker assistants) · TaskRabbit, assistants and their cost · TaskRabbit, contacting a Tasker before booking · TaskRabbit, how to hire a Tasker · TaskRabbit, cancellation charges · Jiffy terms and conditions.
Where to find a handyman and what protects you, checked November 9, 2026: TaskRabbit Taskprotect terms · Thumbtack Guarantee · Yelp Guaranteed · Angi Happiness Guarantee · Mr. Handyman assembly services · Neighborly Done Right Promise · Handyman Connection locations · HomeStars Confidence Program · Jiffy Homeowner Protection Promise · We Install It · Google Local Services, end of the money-back guarantee · FTC, how to avoid a home improvement scam · Competition Bureau of Canada, fake reviews · Angi Happiness Guarantee terms · FTC, how to avoid a scam.