Subscribe to contentFinding a Good Tradesman
Whenever we hear stories about home construction projects, it always seems to be a job gone wrong. Perhaps a contractor arrives on a job and done shoddy work. Maybe he takes the money but never completes the job. Perhaps it's discovered after an accident that he doesn't have proper insurance. According to numbers from Consumer Direct, the government hotline for consumer reporting, complaints about tradesman generate the majority of their calls every year. In 2007 that number was 70,000.
More alarming is the fact that industry experts believe most cases of bad tradesman experiences go unreported, suggesting the problem is greater than the Consumer Direct statistics indicate. But if you need a tradesman for plumbing, electrical, carpentry, or any other kind of work, you don't have to be another statistic. A little bit of common sense and effort will enable you to find a qualified contractor.
The first place to start is by talking with friends and relatives. There's nothing like the honesty of people whom you already know. Ask them what tradesman they've used, how they found out about them, and what the overall experience was like. You'd be surprised how much valuable information you can glean this way.
Next, take the names you've collected from your friends and various advertising venues, and start making phone calls. Ask the tradesman if he is a member of any recognised trade group. If he tells you he is, call the trade group and verify his claims and reputation. Trade groups that are part of the government's TrustMark program are the best qualified to register individual tradesman.
Furthermore, be persistent about getting references. It's easy for a tradesman to stick a sign out front claiming another satisfied customer while the work is ongoing. The truthful reference will be from a customer who is months down the road from the job being complete. Insist on references that you can personally communicate with.
When you eventually reach the estimate stage, don't accept anything over the phone. A contractor who is unwilling to visit the job site in order to prepare an accurate estimate in one you should stay away from. Estimates should include materials, labour, time frame, details about dealing with overruns, and proof of insurance. Always get three or more estimates and compare the relative value between them.
Finally, agreeing on a suitable payment schedule is critical. Experts say that an instalment plan is the best way to insure all the work gets done correctly and on time. Tradesmen don’t want to go for too long without being paid, so you have the advantage. Be wary of those who ask for more than 30% of the total cost up front. If a tradesman requires full payment before he begins, do not even entertain the thought of hiring him.
A thorough vetting process will increase your chances of finding a good tradesman for your job. Take the time to do it right or you may wind up with regrets down the road.