How To Find A Reliable Tradesman
It can be difficult to know which tradesmen to trust. Horror stories about rogue builders and joiners are rife, and asking friends and family for recommendations can be confusing. The best way to find a hardworking and reasonably priced joiner or builder is to combine your common sense with these tips.
Establish your options
Even if people do offer conflicting views, it is a good idea to still ask around for recommendations. It is a good starting point to which builders and joiners are in your area, and you can work out their affordability and reliability from there.
You can widen your pool of tradespeople to choose from by looking online. For example, search for joinery in Cambridge on Google and you will see a wide range of choices to consider. The main advantage of searching online is that a tradesmans website might reflect how reliable they are. Look for photographs of work they have completed and testimonials, although remain open minded about the latter. Find out if a company carry out the kind of work which you require, and look for example photographs on their website. A good website to find tradesmen is www.safelocaltrades.com which is aimed at people within the PE postcodes, listing services such as joinery in Cambridge. To be listed on this website tradesmen are vetted and have to maintain a set level of standard in their work.
Do not consider hiring anyone who approaches you. If someone knocks on your door claiming you have a faulty roof tile which they can fix or offering to tarmac your drive, be cautious. This is one of the most likely areas where tradesmen disappear with money; you are left with no idea where they are from or how to get hold of them.
Assessing reliability
A bad job can sometimes be even worse than someone disappearing with your money as you have to pay for repairs; or you may even find yourself with irreplaceable damage. You need to find a business with a fixed address, so check for an office address if you are using websites, notice boards or flyers. Ensure that this isnt just an empty room and that it is genuine. If you are looking for a joiner perhaps visit their workplace to ask for your estimate; this way you will be able to look around at the quality of their work.
Look for members of trade regulation companies, and builders and joiners with years of experience.
Ask a number of companies for estimates but dont let price sway you over experience, quality of work or reliability. Choose a single company to ask for a full quotation, but do not pay for it. When asking for a quotation make sure you get it in writing, including what the price will cover. Ensure that it includes materials as well as labour, and there are no other hidden costs. Never agree to pay a full amount before any work is done, and try to avoid cash deposits too.
Some joiners can produce a 3D computer aided design of what the completed work will look like. There are companies which provide joinery in Cambridge who offer this. Enquire as to whether the work will be covered by an insured guarantee.
Once you have selected a builder or joiner ask to pay by credit card. Most credit card companies automatically cover against fraud.
Establish your options
Even if people do offer conflicting views, it is a good idea to still ask around for recommendations. It is a good starting point to which builders and joiners are in your area, and you can work out their affordability and reliability from there.
You can widen your pool of tradespeople to choose from by looking online. For example, search for joinery in Cambridge on Google and you will see a wide range of choices to consider. The main advantage of searching online is that a tradesmans website might reflect how reliable they are. Look for photographs of work they have completed and testimonials, although remain open minded about the latter. Find out if a company carry out the kind of work which you require, and look for example photographs on their website. A good website to find tradesmen is www.safelocaltrades.com which is aimed at people within the PE postcodes, listing services such as joinery in Cambridge. To be listed on this website tradesmen are vetted and have to maintain a set level of standard in their work.
Do not consider hiring anyone who approaches you. If someone knocks on your door claiming you have a faulty roof tile which they can fix or offering to tarmac your drive, be cautious. This is one of the most likely areas where tradesmen disappear with money; you are left with no idea where they are from or how to get hold of them.
Assessing reliability
A bad job can sometimes be even worse than someone disappearing with your money as you have to pay for repairs; or you may even find yourself with irreplaceable damage. You need to find a business with a fixed address, so check for an office address if you are using websites, notice boards or flyers. Ensure that this isnt just an empty room and that it is genuine. If you are looking for a joiner perhaps visit their workplace to ask for your estimate; this way you will be able to look around at the quality of their work.
Look for members of trade regulation companies, and builders and joiners with years of experience.
Ask a number of companies for estimates but dont let price sway you over experience, quality of work or reliability. Choose a single company to ask for a full quotation, but do not pay for it. When asking for a quotation make sure you get it in writing, including what the price will cover. Ensure that it includes materials as well as labour, and there are no other hidden costs. Never agree to pay a full amount before any work is done, and try to avoid cash deposits too.
Some joiners can produce a 3D computer aided design of what the completed work will look like. There are companies which provide joinery in Cambridge who offer this. Enquire as to whether the work will be covered by an insured guarantee.
Once you have selected a builder or joiner ask to pay by credit card. Most credit card companies automatically cover against fraud.
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