Choosing a tradesperson to work in your home can be a daunting prospect. How do you know the supplier you choose is reliable or professional? How do you know their work will meet the standards you expect?
Don’t worry, the right home improvement supplier is out there and can always be found if you follow some sensible advice and a few proven rules.
For a start, check to see if there is an industry association for the type of work you want done then look through the directories for a supplier who is a member.
Alternatively, get a recommendation. Find out if one of your friends or colleagues has had similar work done and were satisfied. Or perhaps they know someone who has. You could look out for any trade signs erected in your area while similar work is carried out on a house then talk to the home-owner to see if it has been carried out satisfactorily.
Another confidence check is to look through any advertising material the supplier may have – a brochure, advertisement or web site – and see if they display any customer testimonials. Suppliers who are proud of their work will willingly pass on the details of happy customers.
Failing all else, learn as much as you can about the nature of the work you want carried out. What are the main considerations? Perhaps its a safety guarantee? Or the type of materials used? (find out which are the cheap shortcuts to a quality job)
A good way to do this is to get quotes for the job from several suppliers and discuss the options with each. You’ll soon learn a surprising amount about how the job should be carried out and what the options are.
