Spotlight Magazine
How To Choose A Tradesman
Many years ago, the house I lived in developed
a small wet patch in the dining room. We called
out two plumbers to give us a quote. The first
told us the drive needed digging up and that
the total repair cost would run into hundreds of
pounds. The second fiddled around with a pipe
in the kitchen and fixed the leak in minutes for
£35.
So, if you need a tap fixing, the stairs and landing
decorating or the roof patching up, how do you
avoid the cowboys and find an honest trader
who will provide a good, reliable service at a fair
price?
Personal recommendation is always the best
way forward. If you have family, friends or
neighbours who have recently had work done
and are happy with the results, get details and
give the tradesperson a call. Alternatively, ask
someone you have previously used. They often
know others in related trades.
But if those you know and trust can’t help, where
do you look? Sticking a pin in the local business
directory is not the solution!
Trading Standards and your Local Authority
might be able to supply you with a list of trades
people who have undergone vetting procedures
and complied with legislation.
In addition, check out businesses registered with
TrustMark, a not-for-profit scheme licensed by
the government and supported by consumer
protection groups.
Firms displaying the TrustMark logo have had
their technical skills, quality of work and financial
status checked and have also signed up to a
14
code of practice that includes insurance, health
and safety and good customer care.
Visit trustmark.org.uk to find TrustMark approved
tradespeople within 50 miles of your postcode.
There are also other websites around, designed
to pair you up with suitable trades people in
your local area. Businesses normally pay to have
their services listed, so there’s no guarantee as to
the quality of work, though the sites do include
testimonials from past customers.
A couple I visited were RatedPeople and
mybuilder.com. I found the latter site particularly
easy to use.
When making your choice of tradesperson,
ensure you adhere to the following best practice:
Set out a detailed, clear brief and get at least
three written quotes. Make sure you are
comparing like with like.
Ask for a landline phone number as well as a
mobile number.
Ask for references and if appropriate visit
previous jobs or look at photos of past work.
Only pay for work that has been done and not
by advance payments, though it is reasonable
to be asked to pay a fair percentage of any
materials bought in advance.
Check that any warranty offered is insurancebacked.
By Debbie Singh-Bhatti
www.spotlightlocal.co.uk • 0115 822 4995 • [email protected]