Choosing the right tradesman

Whether you need to find a local gardener or a recommended plumber, a local tiler or a recommended bathroom fitter, choosing the right tradesman to carry work out for you can be a very difficult and stressful task. Generally you are looking for reassurance that you get someone who will give you the best possible value for money as well as carry out the work to an acceptable standard, and on time so that you can get on with your busy life. So how do you choose who is the best boiler repairman for you, or the most skilled local carpenter?

Undoubtedly, the feedback and ratings we provide will help you make up your mind. Also, all our tradesmen are well validated and have their own business address, landline number and business registration, so you are already off to a good start. But, there are also a number of other things that you can do to help you arrive at the right decision and avoid those 'rogue tradesmen' we have all heard about!

First hand "feel"

When the tradesman calls you and sets up an appointment for the job, your first opportunity to assess the tradesman begins. Check to see if they understand the problem or requirement, and are able to talk to you about it in simple terms. Educate yourself about the basics of the job using our job hints and tips, and see if the tradesman uses similar language while trying to understand the details of the job.

When they come in to assess the job after you have agreed to an appointment, are they on time? How many times have we all arranged for a plumber or builder to turn up to do work for us only for him to let us down? If a tradesman cannot turn up on time for the initial meeting there is little chance of him turning up to carry out the work at an agreed time.

Work wear, tools, method of transport, a business card or a business sign on the workman are all visible signs of a successful tradesman who takes pride in his or her work.

Credentials

Quality tradesmen typically have some credentials linked to their trade. Yet, in a recent UK survey, it was found that 6 out of 10 people did not bother to check the tradesmen qualifications. In some types of work (such as heating engineers or plumbers) it is important to be certified as Gas Safe. In other cases, there are national bodies or associations that the tradesmen may be affiliated to, adding extra comfort and peace of mind. Such as:

• Electrical work: Part P certifications, NICEIC or the Electrical Safety Council www.esc.org.uk.
   
• Plumbing and heating : Gas Safe certification (replaced CORGI in the UK, except N. Ireland) www.hse.gov.uk
   
• Home building : Membership of the Home Builders Federation www.hbf.co.uk
   
• Plastering : Federation Of Plastering And Drywall Contractors www.fpdc.org
   

Your tradesmen should be able to display their credentials, as most will have studied for relevant qualifications. In some trades such as bricklaying or drainage specialists, the tradesman would have learnt the trade as an apprentice in these cases, you may want to check on our website how long they have been in business. It is also worthwhile asking whether they have insurance and checking to see whether it is up-to-date.

Feedback and ratings

A good honest tradesman will be more than happy to let you know how his prior customers rate him and provide references or customer details - there is no better recommendation to be had. Our website caters for this automatically: do check and see what ratings have been received. Also, take a minute to browse through the general comments section on the tradesman, as well as photos that may have been uploaded on recent work. Even if a tradesman is new to the site don't be put off, you still have extensive information on their skills and experience, time in business etc and many tradesmen will have provided testimonials from prior customers that you can follow up on.

View skills and experience

Go to each tradesman's profile and look at the range of skills they can offer, the experience they have, and how long they've been in business.

Read up on their qualifications

If you know that your job will require a tradesman with certain qualifications, make sure you look at their profiles to check. In addition, are they members of any trade organisations or bodies which show that they always work to high standards. If they're a plumber or gas fitter for instance, are they Gas Safe registered?

Assess their working style

You need to know that you can work with your chosen tradesman. It's worth asking them some questions such as, do they work on more than one job at once? How do they deal with any disagreements with customers, changes to a job or unexpected problems which crop up? When speaking to the tradesman on the phone and/or meeting with him, think about whether you would be comfortable using this tradesman or not.

Quotes

It is tempting to choose a tradesman based purely on quotes. Resist doing so. Someone who quotes an extraordinarily low price either doesn't know the job well enough, or is desperate for work. When looking at quotes, make sure they are on a comparable basis - do they all include VAT and if they do, does the quote show their registered VAT number? What about clean up costs? Is the labour rate the same? If material costs are different, check to see why.

Make sure the quote contains all the basics and that you are comfortable with all elements of the quote:

• Full details of the job
   
• Start and finish date
   
• Price and payment schedule

Your decision

Always remember, it is your decision. If you feel the pressure from your electrician or your plumber to decide immediately, tell them you need time to think. Most good tradesmen understand that these are big decisions for you, and will help you get over your tough question marks.

Click on this link to post your job and take the hassle out of finding a local recommended tradesmen near you: Post your home improvement job

If you need more help in choosing a specific tradesmen why not read our trades specific advice such as Choosing a Bricklayer, Choosing a Carpenter or Choosing a Plasterer - you will find advice for many different trades on the home page.