Julie-Ann
27-10-2009, 11:04 AM
There are certain questions you should always ask when hiring a tradesman. Many of us have had a bad experience when hiring a tradesman to do some work in our homes. I have known things to go very wrong and leave the homeowner with a huge mess, out of pocket, and emotionally stressed:eek:. By asking the following questions hopefully those situations can be prevented.:)
The Money:
How much will the work cost?
Can you give me a written quote?
How much do you want for a deposit?
When will the progress payments be due?
Do you need a contract to be signed, if so what standard contract will be used?
Does the person have current insurances?
Their Experience:
Is the tradesman registered, if so what is their license number?
Can you see recent examples of his work? Make sure it is the work of who is going to work on your home and not the work of a colleague.
The Job:
How long will it take?
When can you start?
What is their workload now?
Is there a supervisor, if so ask to meet with them?
Do they clean the site afterwards?
If you are happy with all the answers you receive and go ahead and hire the tradesman do try to be flexible but firm. Often the tradesman can get caught up with his previous job and needs to finish it before starting yours, which is understandable as you wouldn’t want him to not finish your job because he has another job to start. Ask for a new start date that suits you both.
The most important point is not to pay for the job in full until it is completed and you are satisfied.
The Money:
How much will the work cost?
Can you give me a written quote?
How much do you want for a deposit?
When will the progress payments be due?
Do you need a contract to be signed, if so what standard contract will be used?
Does the person have current insurances?
Their Experience:
Is the tradesman registered, if so what is their license number?
Can you see recent examples of his work? Make sure it is the work of who is going to work on your home and not the work of a colleague.
The Job:
How long will it take?
When can you start?
What is their workload now?
Is there a supervisor, if so ask to meet with them?
Do they clean the site afterwards?
If you are happy with all the answers you receive and go ahead and hire the tradesman do try to be flexible but firm. Often the tradesman can get caught up with his previous job and needs to finish it before starting yours, which is understandable as you wouldn’t want him to not finish your job because he has another job to start. Ask for a new start date that suits you both.
The most important point is not to pay for the job in full until it is completed and you are satisfied.