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How to find the best Tradesmen By Property expert Alison Cork She is best known as the presenter of ITV’s Homes & Property, Don’t Move, Improve, 60 Minute Makeover and as a weekly columnist for the Evening Standard and Daily Telegraph. In 2001, Alison set up ProblemSolved which has grown to become the UK’s largest directory of reliable tradesmen. Q: What’s the best way of finding reliable tradesmen? And how can I avoid getting stung? Alison: Arguably the most effective way of finding the good guys is via recommendation; neighbours, friends and relatives won’t put their name to anyone whose work was not up to scratch. On this basis, I founded the website www.problemsolved.co.uk/ an online directory of reliable tradesmen. The website has come a long way since its modest origins; the website began as a postcard in my local community centre offering to share my little black book of tradespeople with other residents in my North London borough. What astonished me was that from day one, the phone simply didn’t stop ringing. I had obviously hit a raw nerve. Six years later, we’ve tapped into the nation’s little black book of trusted tradespeople and problemsolved.co.uk/ is now a unique national database of the A-Team of tradespeople. There’s simply nothing else like it out there. Once you’ve found a tradesperson, by the above means or otherwise, it’s no time to drop your guard. Follow these do's and don’ts at quotation stage and you’ll increase your chances of avoiding a cowboy: The Do’s **Check qualifications and membership of professional bodies such as Corgi (for plumbers) and NICEIC (for electricians) and ask for a registration number. Don’t be scared to call the relevant body to cross reference the number. ** Judge tradesmen on past work. Any reputable tradesperson will gladly supply references which can be checked. If they refuse, alarm bells should start ringing. ** Always ask for a written quotation. This should include a VAT registration number and naturally the VAT. ** Trust your instincts. A polite, well presented tradesperson with professionally delivered quotations and a smart van will probably replicate the same traits in his work. ** Always check if a quotation is valid for a certain period of time. Unlike estimates, quotations can be binding. The Don’ts ** Never pay in advance. With the money in his back pocket, a rogue trader will lose the incentive to do a good job or, worse still, any job at all. ** Don’t allow yourself to be pressurized into having extra work done but do allow a 20 per cent leeway for additional work which may not have been apparent at quotation stage. ** If paying in instalments, never pay the final amount until you are entirely satisfied with the work. ** Don’t accept a quote until you understand where your money is going. A good tradesman will give you an itemized quotation and an explanation of the breakdown.
** Never assume the cheapest quote is the best - it’s no time for cutting corners. |
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