How to pick good trades?
Finding the person to do the best job can be challenging. For successful renovation you need to start collecting good trades to be part of your team. You may know some already and that’s fantastic! However the vast majority of first time renovators won’t. You need to learn how to judge the trades and their quality of work.
On our renovation journey we’ve found some absolutely fantastic tradespeople (and a few not so good).
Here are some things we’ve learned:
Ask for referrals
Ask friends, family and neighbours if they know any good trades
Are they local?
Often it’s a lot easier to get quotes from locals as they can drop by between jobs to give you the quote and also carry out the work.
Can you talk to them easily and ask them questions?
Some trades like to keep all their knowledge a secret while others are happy to share. Look for the ones who want to share because you can ask them any questions (even if you think it might be silly) and learn more.
Are they reliable?
So important! First if they didn’t turn up on time to give you the quote and didn’t call to say they’d be running late, give them the flick. You want someone who will turn up when they say they will and complete work on time.
Are they licensed and insured?
The trades you use should always be insured and licensed for safety reasons (yourself and the trade) and to ensure their standard of work.
Did you receive a quote when expected?
We’ve had a lot of trades turn up, promise a quote it never arrives. Before they leave, ask when you will receive the quote. If the quote doesn’t arrive by then obviously they don’t want the work and you can move on to the next one.
Did you receive the quote in writing?
It’s always better to receive quotes in writing because there’s no room for confusion or disagreement – even if it’s handwritten. Always read the quote carefully to make sure it includes everything you requested. If not, ask for a revised quote.
Does the quote include a guarantee of the work?
It’s always good to have a guarantee for the work then you can go back to them if there are any problems.
What are the payment terms?
Check how they want to be paid. Most trades require a deposit so they can start and that’s fair, and then installments (depending on the size of the job) until the work is complete. Be wary of the ones who want full payment in advance before starting the work.
If the work isn’t finished, don’t make full payment
A golden rule we’ve learned. A trade may nearly finish a job (except for a few bits and pieces) and ask for full payment saying they will “come back and finish next week”. While most people are genuine and come back “next week” some won’t and you’re left with unfinished work. If the work’s not finished suggest you hold some of the money back and you will make the final payment when the work is complete.
Keep making calls
We’ve made a lot of phone calls asking for quotes and a lot of the time our phone calls are never returned. For some the job may be too small, and for others too big. When you ring ask them to be honest and say if they’re interested in doing the work or not. There’s so much time wasted with people saying they will quote you for the work then not turn up – it’s more straight forward if you receive an answer then and there. Remember you may need to make a lot of calls to find people who genuinely want to do the work.
The most expensive quote is not always the best
Some people think that if you pay more you get better quality. There is some truth in this but it’s not a hard and fast rule. You need to look at the quality of the work being offered rather than the price alone.
Have at least 3 quotes for each piece of work
Yes, this will take you a bit of time however we’ve found 3 quotes will give you a good indication of the “right” price you should be paying.
Ask to see pictures or examples of their work
A lot of people will bring pictures of the work they’ve done so you have an idea of the quality. If not, ask for where you can go to see their work eg drive past a fence they’ve put up or a house they’ve built.
Taking all these points into consideration you should be able to better find the best trade for your job. Remember, the more people you talk to the better you’ll get at judging what their work will be like and you’ll end up with the best trade for the job.
