Four tips to help you find the perfect tradesman
Nobody wants to wind up with a cowboy builder ruining their home with substandard improvements and repairs, but it can be hard to know where to look if you’ve never hired a tradesman before. It can feel like finding the right person for the job is a mission in itself, but it’s worth putting the extra effort in to ensure you’ve got a reliable person who will do the best job possible. Whether you’re a home renovation newbie or a seasoned DIY’er on the lookout for a new plumber or gas fitter, then here are five tips that will help you find the perfect tradesman.
- Ask around
Chances are your friends or family have had some work done recently, and they might have either positive or negative experiences to share. Ask people that you know very well and trust, and either take a look at the work in person or request some close-up photographs that will show all the details. Don’t just ask about the work, but about the tradesman themselves. Were they approachable and open to new ideas? Were they easy to communicate with? Was it relatively straightforward to arrange payment? If you’re going off the recommendation of someone else, make sure you’ve got as much information as you can, and if your friend or family member seems reluctant to recommend them for any reason, it might pay to stay away.
- Find a reputable source
If you can’t find a trustworthy tradesman after some searching through Google, a website or directory that only promotes reputable tradesmen is just as good. Use a service like Plentific, which helps you find local tradesmen in their extensive database, and can even let you book a service online for added convenience. Plentific has a great policy where they’ll refund work that isn’t up to scratch, and will only include tradesmen who have up-to-date certifications and licenses. Hiring a service through a larger company also gives an added layer of security, where you can chase up the provider if the tradesman is disputing a payment.
- Shop around
Don’t get your heart set on the first tradesman that looks like it will fit the bill. Like any other good or service, it pays to look around for several other options first, particularly if it’s a large job like a home renovation. Try and get several quotes from different tradesmen with timescales and costs outlined in detail so you can compare different tradesmen and pick the one that will get your work done efficiently and effectively.
- Get everything done in writing
Before starting work, it’s extremely important to ensure that you have a written contract between you and your tradesmen. Outline exactly what work you want to be undertaken, what the deadlines are and what the end cost is expected to be. Remember, if a tradesman provides a written quote, he’s legally bound to uphold it so make sure you have an agreement in writing of what the work will be so you won’t be caught out if plans suddenly change.
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