Overview
The Handiness skill in The Sims 4 lets your Sim repair appliances, upgrade household objects, and craft furniture using woodworking tables. Whether you’re leveling it for the Handyperson career, saving Simoleons on repairs, or crafting custom items for your home, this guide covers every way to build the skill. You’ll find all level rewards, crafting unlocks, and cheats to help your Sim reach level 10 faster.
About the Handiness skill
- The Handiness skill comes with The Sims 4 Base Game, and is a 10 level skill.
- The Sims 4 Restoration Workshop Kit adds new gameplay to this skill.
- Elder, Adult, Young Adult, and Teen Sims can all build this skill.
- The Handiness skill is needed to progress in the Handyperson career.
- The following Lot Traits help your Sim build this skill:
- The Homey Lot Trait will build a Sim’s Handiness skill faster, and they’ll get a Happy Moodlet.
- If you own The Sims 4 City Living Expansion Pack, the Home Studio Lot Trait increases how fast your Sim builds this skill and the quality of what they create.
- The Natural Light Lot Trait will build a Sim’s Handiness skill faster.
How to build the Handiness skill
There are multiple ways for your Sim to build the Handiness skill. Some interactions are only unlocked when your Sim reaches a certain level.Sims can build the Handiness skill by crafting on the woodworking table, which you can buy in Build Mode. They can craft sculptures, furniture, gnomes, and even instruments. Not all of these are available to craft straight away; your Sim unlocks them as they level up through the skill.There are a few woodworking tables available:
- Woodworking Table that comes with The Sims 4 Base Game.
- KraftMatic Woodworking Table that comes with The Sims 4 Artist Studio Kit.
- The KraftMatic Ultra that comes with The Sims 4 Restoration Workshop Kit.
- Reclaimed Woodworking Table, which was a reward from The Nature’s Calling Event.
Another way to build the Handiness skill is to upgrade and repair objects in your Sim’s home. As your Sim progresses through the skill, they’ll unlock new ways to upgrade kitchen and plumbing objects, and become faster at it.To upgrade an object, Sims need Upgrade Parts. These can be found by:If you own The Sims 4 Restoration Workshop Kit, you can buy objects that need to be repaired to make them functional again. These include the:
- rummaging through trash cans and salvaging from trash piles
- selecting a broken object and choosing Salvage into Partsif you own The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack
- ordering through the phone or computer
- made using the Fabricator, if you own The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack.
- Astroluxe Fridge (§500)
- Astroluxe Stove (§750)
- Astroluxe Microwave (§300)
- Astroluxe Coffee Maker (§55).
Be warned—repairing electrical objects can result in your Sim getting electrocuted! If this happens more than once in a row, it can have deadly consequences for your Sim. Check out our death guide to learn more.
Reading skill books will work towards building skills, but is slower than other methods. Books will only get you as far as level 9 of a skill. To buy skill books:The skill books are:
- 1Select a bookshelf and choose Purchase Books.
- 2In the pop-up, select the drop-down at the top-left that reads Show All.
- 3Choose Skill and scroll through to find the book you want to buy. These will be added to your Sim’s bookshelf.
- Handiness Vol 1: Try Not to Die!
- Handiness Vol 2: Sparks are Nature’s Kisses
- Handiness Vol 3: Upgrading the Soul.
If you own The Sims 4 Jungle Adventure Game Pack, the Peace and Quiet Lot Trait helps your Sim build skill faster when reading skill books.
If you own The Sims 4 Discover University Expansion Pack, your Sim can attend skill-building classes. These are rabbit-holes, so your Sim will leave the Lot for some time and then come back when the class is over. Note: Skill Classes are only available between 9 a.m.– 9 p.m.
- 1In Live Mode, select your Sim’s phone.
- 2Open the Business app (the briefcase icon).
- 3Choose Sit in on Skill Class (§250).
- 4In the pop-up menu, choose Handiness. Your Sim will leave the Lot and gain the Handiness skill while at the class.
If you own The Sims 4 Businesses & Hobbies Expansion Pack, your Sim can learn or teach the Handiness skill using the Sharing is Caring Whiteboard. You’ll find this in Build Mode.
Handiness skill rewards
As your Sim builds the Handiness skill, they’ll unlock new rewards, abilities, and interactions along the way. A green progress bar will appear above your Sim’s head and gradually fill up as they’re building a skill. You can also check their progress by:- 1Entering Live Mode.
- 2Selecting the Sim Panel (bottom left).
- 3Selecting the Skills tab.
At this level, your Sim can:They also unlock the following interactions at the woodworking table. Craft SculptureCraft Gnome
- Salvage Parts from piles of junk
- Repair broken objects.
- Horse Sculpture (§10)
- Knife Block (§5)
- Guardian of the Gnomelaxy (§25)
- PlantGnome (§100)
- The Sweetest Little Gnome (§50)
- The Gnome Wolf (§77)
- Gnomebody Loves Mushrooms Like a Gnome (§100)
- “Onward” the Adventurous Gnome (§50)
- Gnomedalf (§100)
- Happy Gnomiversary! (§7)
- Barely Gnome (§57)
- Gnome Matter What, I’m Still Your Baby (§105)
- Happy Gnome Garden Pal (§100)
- Very Fairy Gnome (§100)
- Herb the Posy Protector (§50)
- There’s No Place like Gnome (§95)
At this level, your Sim can:They also unlock the ability to Craft Furniture at the woodworking table. Sims can now also craft the Don’t Fear the Reagnomper (§105) gnome.
- perform Basic Upgrades on plumbing and objects
- Talk about Handiness with other Sims
- Purchase Upgrade Parts on the computer.
- Barstool (§15)
- Garden Planter (§17)
- Garden Pot (§15)
At this level, your Sim can find Rare Parts and craft the following on the woodworking table.SculpturesFurnitureSims can now also craft Mr. Floppy the Gnome (§110).
- Bunny Sculpture (§20)
- Dragon Sculpture (§20)
- Elephant Sculpture (§20)
- Mirror (§87)
- Reclaimed Wood Dining Chair (§37)
At this level, your Sim can perform Advanced Upgrades on plumbing objects and craft the following on the woodworking table.FurnitureGnomes
- End Table (§52)
- Wall Shelf (§87)
- Chuck Wagon with Trailboss Gnome (§112)
- High-Rider Gnome (§115)
- Captain Gnome (§112)
At this level, your Sim:They can also craft the following on the woodworking table.SculpturesFurnitureSims can also now craft The Ghastly Ghostly Gnome (§125).
- has a lower chance of being electrocuted when repairing objects
- can perform Basic Upgrades on kitchen objects
- can Brag about Handiness to other Sims
- mentor other Sims in this skill.
- Large Bear Sculpture (§50)
- Large Lumberjack Sculpture (§60)
- Wall Hanging (§125)
- Reclaimed Wood Dining Table (§157)
At this level, your Sim can find Rare Electronic Parts from salvaging and craft the following on the woodworking table.FurnitureSims can now also craft the Right Side Up Gnome (§137).
- Dining Chair (§45)
- Dining Table (§157)
At this level, your Sim can:
- Upgrade plumbing objects twice as fast
- perform Advanced Upgrades on kitchen objects
- craft Poolside Gnome (§137).
At this level, your Sim can:Sims can also craft instruments at the woodworking table, as long as they are a level 8 in that instrument’s skill. Here are some of the instruments that can be unlocked.
- perform Basic Upgrades on electronic objects
- craft The Wooden Throne (§500) on the woodworking table
- craft the Strictly Business Gnome (§140) on the woodworking table.
- Child’s Violin (§45)
- Violin (§212)
- Guitar (§300)
At this level, your Sim can:
- perform Advanced Upgrades on electronic objects
- craft a Bathtub (§377) on the woodworking table.
At this level, your Sim can:
- always find Rare Parts when salvaging
- Upgrade kitchen objects twice as fast
- craft the Toilet (§187) at the woodworking table
- craft Bare Essentials Gnome (§155) at the woodworking table.
Handiness skill cheats
When using skill cheats, type in the number of the level you want to reach. For example, putting stats.set_skill_level major_handiness 7 into the cheat bar will get your Sim’s Handiness skill up to level 7.PC and Mac
PlayStation®
Xbox
- 1Press Control + Shift + C to open the cheat dialogue box.
- 2Type testingcheats true and press Enter to turn on cheats.
- 3Type stats.set_skill_level major_handiness [skill level] and press Enter.