How to find a good tradesperson?

[Toothy1911]

What about any local buy and sell groups?

I will check those, I figured they would be for classifieds. Maybe I need to look to city wide groups, rather than local areas.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Recommended traders from family, friends, neighbours or colleagues are best in my opinion.
Still plenty of cowboys on the trust/check traders sites

This. Very much this.

 

[Yaayuh!]

I'm struggling to find a company that wants to do my insulation. It's becoming a pain in the rear, too much out of their remit and or a ballache so not interested.

 

[Toothy1911]

I'm struggling to find a company that wants to do my insulation. It's becoming a pain in the rear, too much out of their remit and or a ballache so not interested.

Try an odd job type person, rather than a larger builder. Probably too small of a job.

 

[Yaayuh!]

Try an odd job type person, rather than a larger builder. Probably too small of a job.

It's a big job, that's the problem lol. I think i need to plan it out, project manage and get multiple trades in.

 

[Ninco!]

Asked the estate agents, the recommended electrician was first time around fine.

Called for a second job (a decent one at that). Anyway, eventually turns up and only wants to work 10am-2pm. The second time, simply tries to rush - never known anything like it, the 4 hour day was nothing to do with commitments (kids etc). The guy was a lazy git, ended up getting the job done properly. Had a similar experience with a plumber, again, sent packing to find someone else.

Got to admit, what is it with traders and basic customer service and courtesy?!

Have a decorator in at the moment and the opposite is true, neighbour recommendation, works like a trooper and a quality job - restores my faith. Such a shame you get twits (worst still the outright criminals).It is a lottery and ball-ache.

 

[fobose]

I do most myself as I can't stand half arsed jobs that I end up finishing myself (maybe I am a perfectionist). I had a plumber change a shower for me and he was really cheap compared to a 'friend' who was 3 times the price. Trouble is, he kept mucking me around with times. Said he would be here at 4pm, didn't show or even call/message to say he wouldn't make it. I would have to message to reorganize.

I do feel sorry for a lot of the self employed trades people though. They have a lot to juggle and sometimes communication has to drop in order to finish an unexpected problem at another job so I do understand.

 

[checjb]

I'm actually training to be an electrician at the moment and, having been a client, my main priority is to avoid being the kind of muppet that give trades a bad name.

 

[kinetic747]

A good tradesmen is very hard to find. There are some very skilled one's around but communication seems to be a weakness of many of them. There's a painter near me who I know does an excellent job when he commits to the job. I phoned him yesterday to ask for a quote to paint the exterior of our house. He was obviously busy so said he'd phone back at lunchtime. I waited until 2pm so phoned him again. He then said he'd phone back in the evening but didn't bother so unless he phones today, he's lost the job as I won't be phoning him again. This has happened many times over the years with different tradesmen, and for the life of me I can't understand why they don't just turn the job down.

 

[LeeUK]

9 times out of 10 tradespeople either never turn up to quote when they say they will, or they do come and quote but never get back to you with the price, or never turn up to start the job after you have accepted their quote. Had it all this past year.

I've even posted jobs on MyBuilder and had tradespeople contact me and still not turn up when they said they will. Which is even more confusing as they have to pay to pick up leads off MyBuilder, they must have money to waste.

 

[julianhj]

Look on Check a trade its where we have found tradesmen when needed.

I've had poor experience with Check A Trade - I used them to find a roofing specialist to install bird deterrents, which failed within weeks (poorly installed, began falling off). I asked the company to sort it out, received a series of promises which were unfulfilled, then posted a poor review. Check A Trade staff called me and asked if I'd be willing to withdraw the review if the company refunded me. I did, as I wanted a proper job doing, and needed the cash back to get that done. I prefer word of mouth recommendations now.

 

[MattTheTall77]

I used a ‘joiner’ to fit my internal doors, often recommended the local facebook group and had good reviews.

Awful, freehanding routing, no guide when using the circular saw to shorten the heights, pen marks on the doors, one door wouldn't open fully as it hit the floor and the was before carpets. Had to take them all off, drill and dowel fill every screw hole and then re hang the doors myself.

He also did the skirting and door architraves at the same time, smearing sealant and caulk over the pins. It took days and days sanding back the primed wood to smooth it off and paint again.

The plumber was also recommended, also a new to the job person it turned out working with an equally incompetent sidekick.

Everything else bar the roof i did myself, i don’t trust anyone to do things properly anymore.

 

[ristac]

Facebook and ask on local groups

 

[dlockers]

Facebook and ask on local groups

Bad experience here myself. Lots of nannas and family friends talking BS

 

[Buffman]

Bad experience here myself. Lots of nannas and family friends talking BS

Problem is most people don't know what "good" looks like so can end up with all sorts of ****


Also they may equate cheap to = good

 

[IvanDobskey]

Checkatrade

 

[ristac]

Those suggesting Checkatrade search Google for Checkatrade scams. It’s just an advertising platform riddled with issues