Find the Right Tradesperson for the Job

A major concern for people embarking on a major building project is getting the right tradespeople for the job. We all hear horror stories of botched jobs and cowboy builders and, as surveyors, we certainly see a lot of issues caused by poor workmanship but a few careful measures can prevent these problems. It isn’t just a case of finding reputable tradespeople but also of ensuring they understand the demands of the job at hand and have the skills and experience to get it done. Here are some tips on how to not just get a good tradesperson but the right tradesperson for the job.

Look for Recommendations

Ideally, you would be able to get a recommendation from someone who had very similar work done to the work you are planning but this isn’t always possible. Reviews and recommendations on websites like Facebook and Google can be fake or exaggerated so it is best to either take a personal recommendation from someone you know who has had a good experience with a tradesperson or use sites like CheckaTrade and RatedPeople (although from experience, it is quite difficult to post a less than glowing review on CheckaTrade). That way you get someone genuine but it is still important to ensure they are right for the job.

Get the Right Specification

It sounds obvious but it is very important to know exactly what you are asking a tradesperson for. Having a vague idea of what you want to achieve may not be adequate if you don’t fully understand what needs to be done and neither does the tradesperson you’re asking. If you present a job as straightforward or simple, an inexperienced tradesperson may take you at your word and then find out there was much more to it once they’d started the work. One way around this would either be to hire a project manager with a full understanding of what is required or ask a surveyor to take a look and tell you exactly what you will need.

Examine Quotes Closely

A good way to assess if the tradesperson you have asked to quote actually fully understands the job is to ask for a detailed quote and then study it carefully. Again, knowing exactly what is required is very useful at this stage because you can see if they’re addressing everything adequately or overcharging you for work or materials that aren’t truly necessary.

Talk to Them

For a large project, you may have tradespeople working on your property for months at a time. If you meet them and either don’t trust them or plain don’t like them, that could be a problem. It is well worth taking the time to have a good conversation with tradespeople coming to give you quotes to see how you feel about them in general. It seems like a petty thing but it’s really important to have a good relationship with someone you are trusting with something so important.

Anyone planning a large building project can save themselves all the worry of getting a detailed specification and looking at quotes by hiring a professional project manager like Marc who knows what they are looking for and can ensure everything goes as it should. He can also help advise homeowners on what needs to be to be done to help them hire the tradespeople they need. To speak to Marc about your project, call 01273 281624 or email info@tatesurveyingservices.co.uk.

Contact Us

Tate Surveying Services,
Freedom Works, Unit 7 Hove Business Centre, Fonthill Road, Hove, BN3 6HA

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