How to Find a Tradesperson You Can Trust
Finding someone to unblock your sink or fix your car can be a challenging endeavor. There are so many tradespeople and professional services out there, how do you know which to choose? It might seem as easy as getting a quote from local companies and selecting the most affordable, but sometimes the best value can be too good to be true.
There are plenty of horror stories out there about builders who complete a poor job and run off with your money, mechanics who overcharge for the smallest fix, and plumbers who end up making your pipe issues even worse. In fact, 42% of homeowners claim that finding a trusted tradesperson is the main obstacle preventing them from carrying out home improvements.
Of course, most tradespeople are honest, hard-working people, but how do you separate the good from the bad, particularly if you don’t know your stuff when it comes to DIY?
Here are a few tips to help you find a trusted tradesperson and avoid the hassle of hefty fees and shoddy work.
Check the Reviews
The best way to determine if a tradesperson is above board is to see what past customers say about them online. Checking review sites, such as Trustpilot and Google, allows you to see how satisfied your potential builder or plumber’s clients have been in the past and will immediately show up any glaring red flags. Be wary of businesses or tradespeople with little or no reviews, as there will not be enough information to make an informed decision. The more reviews they have, the better an idea you will get of their reliability and work quality.
Get Quotes From Multiple Sources
If you are tossing up multiple options, it would be wise to contact them all, or at least a significant handful. Ask each potential tradesperson to give you a quote for the work you need and compare them. If they are all honest and upfront, each quote should present a similar figure. However, take care not to base your decision solely upon this figure. It’s not unheard of for crooked tradespeople to initially offer a reasonable quote, only to then present you with a sky-high bill upon completion of the work.
Use a Professional Services Website
With the growing difficulty in finding trusted tradespeople, there has been a rise in tradesperson websites. Sites like Snupit make it considerably easier for people to find the professionals they need. These sites allow you to search for relevant local tradespeople while giving you a clear idea of their prices, reliability, and trustworthiness. You can often rank tradespeople by rating and average price and compare multiple options to help you make the right decision.
The few unreliable and untrustworthy tradespeople out there shouldn’t make it so difficult for people to find the professional services they need. Take care to weigh up your options and speak to multiple people before you make a decision. And don’t be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t feel right.
