Are you looking to renovate and want to use professional tradesmen?
Where and how to find a good tradie to renovate your beloved place so you do not get disappointed and have only great experience?
To avoid turning your project into a long-term construction or disappointment, you should look for an experienced master, and not a beginner, who is still studying and who will not turn your apartment into a field to improve their skills.
Although it is worth noting that there are people who do not have a lot of experience, do not perform their work very professionally and efficiently.
Here, in this article, I will share with you some tips that will help you find a good tradie, plus everything to know about how to start a renovation and inspect it.
Probably, today’s most reliable way to find a really good specialist is “word of mouth”, not only when it comes to home renovation, but also in many other areas.
In fact, “word of mouth” is an advertisement, where the main role is played by a satisfied customer who will tell his acquaintances exactly what he liked about the product or service offered.
“Word of mouth” is a form of advertising that people are most inclined to trust, because a person who advises a product or service does not have personal gain.
Ask your friends, colleagues or employees, who did repairs or renovations at their homes. They can give you contacts of proven builders or tradies.
Be sure to visit those acquaintances who have made home renovations before and who can show you around their places. Look at how carefully the repairs are done in their house, because the concept of beauty may differ from yours.
Such an excursion will be quite enough to determine whether you will use the recommended tradie or will search for others.
You can find a builder or renovation company in local newspaper ads, online or use of business cards that can be found practically in any shop that sells related products
Keep in mind that this kind of search is similar to playing Russian roulette.
You may get lucky and you will find a really good contractor and will be satisfied with communication and quality of his/her work.
And it may happen that the master does not meet your expectations and your repair will turn into a nightmare for you.
However, if you follow certain rules when choosing a contractor, you can avoid bad experience.
I do not presume to say that after reading this article with tips, you will unmistakably choose a good builder, but I am sure that the chance of a mistake will be much lower.
Do not try to get a price on your future project by phone or based on drawings. Only a “ball park” figure or a rough estimate can be given without looking at the job.
Let’s say bathroom renovation or kitchen renovation include different services that need to be considered before quoting and no-one should provide you with a free quote over the phone or via email. Much more relevant will be to arrange a meeting directly at a property, where you can explain in detail what you want to achieve. Contractor can offer you a planned process after knowing your ideas, plans or dreams.
I advise you to meet with at least 3 contractors. You will increase your chances of finding a good specialist by doing so. I am sure you will distinguish master from amateur if you are attentive.
Always ask your future contractor about past clients. Try to contact them if possible. Maybe they can even organise a tour for you.
PLEASE ASK FOR INSURANCE AND RELEVANT LICENCES. IT’S A MUST. MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS CURRENT AND APPROPRIATE.
Ask more questions and make appropriate conclusions.
Also be prepared to give daily access to your property for trades so they can complete your project in timely manner. Usually it’s Monday – Friday, 7 am – 3 pm. All companies are different. Some can work every day if the property is vacant, some do night work, some work only 4 days a week.
Never be guided or fooled by the cheapest quote. This is tempting, but not always the right decision. You can always save money on something without compromising on quality. Ask your builder about the ways of saving some money. Remember do not go for the cheapest. Stick to average or above.
So, after you have decided and chosen the contractor, accepted the quote and ready to start, it’s time to agree on payment options. Usually you pay a deposit before you can even see something happening at your house. All contractors work differently. Some request a progress payment along the way, some ask for a final payment on completion. There’s no right or wrong as long as you see that something is happening. For example, a progress payment can be made when tiling is completed, when it comes to a bathroom renovation.
I hope this piece of information will help you find a responsible and qualified contractor for your next project.
Please remember that you can always send us an email about any concerns you might have when engaging a contractor. Our advice is FREE.
