How to Find a Reliable Tradesman

It can be a nightmare scenario. Your toilet is blocked just as friend are coming for a dinner party, or your boiler has broken down in the middle of the winter. Every home owner knows there will come a time when he or she will need to hire a tradesman.  they may need a tradesman to fix the roof, the bathroom or the boiler. Tradesmen are always in high demand and it is important that home owners understand how to hire a reliable tradesman. 

Hiring a Tradesman who is reliable is important.  If you hire a tradesman who is unreliable you will run the risk of paying far too much money for work that isn't up to code or that will need a large number of repairs.  Understanding that a Tradesman must be reliable is one thing.  Understanding how to tell the difference between a Tradesman who is reliable and a Tradesman who is not reliable is also very important.

When searching for a reliable tradesman here are some things a home owner should look into before signing any contracts:

*References:  References can be obtained in two ways.  The obvious way to get a Tradesman's references is to ask for them outright.  Any Tradesman who is reliable will be able to provide you with a list of clients who are happy to act as references. 

*Professional Organisations:  Check into the local business registry in your area to find out if your prospective Tradesman is a member of any professional organisations.  Is the Tradesman going through the application process for a professional organisation? You should also check with local authorities to find out if any complaints have been lodged against the person you are considering hiring.

Many Tradespeople are required to obtain specific certifications and join certain organisations.  Check into the trade itself to find out which registrations and certifications are required in your area.  Make sure the Tradesman you are considering meets all of the requirements.

*Work History/Qualifications:  It is perfectly acceptable to ask each tradesperson up for hire for a work history and a list of qualifications and training certificates acquired.  If the list is short, look at how far back it goes.

If the tradesperson has been in business for a number of years but has only worked a few times it might be a good idea to move on to someone else.  On the other hand, if a tradesperson has a steady history and seems to be working quite often that tradesperson will probably prove to be very reliable.

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This page has been written with contributions from experienced heating engineers from Merseyside and experienced plumbers from Orpington. Several of the company's Gas Safe engineers from Buckinghamshire have worked on similar issues as well as some of our heating engineers from High Wycombe and our Muswell Hill plumbing and heating engineers.

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