This is a rather general question - but experts here may be able to help. Advice will be valued and appreciated.
Let's say you want to get various jobs done: e.g. tarmacing the drive; e.g. clearing the garden; e.g. doing up a kitchen; e.g. repairing and re-felting a roof, etc.
How do you find good people to do these jobs? People who are honest, reliable, and good at what they do?
Personal recommendation from friends and neighbours is the only sure way.
MBQ
Some local trading standards operate a scheme for approved tradesmen. Here in the Medway Towns its called the "Fair Trader" scheme.
You have to have been trading for a year before you can join, I intend to ASAP.
They exist?
Bang on peoples' doors where you've recently seen the appropriate work being done, or the right kind of tradesman's van outside. If there were any problems, you'll soon know.
Personal recommendation is good, but invariably you are the first to get any job done, and your friends and neighbours ask *you*.
Do It Yourself as the group suggests :) This is the main reason I do a lot of things myself as I've been let down by tradesmen in many ways from them not turning up at all to doing shoddy work.
For many things its friends etc who reckomend. Other things like tarmac are jobs that you might know no-one who has had it done. In that case I would go along to the relevent merchant (builders, plumbers etc) Burdens are good for groundwork, and just ask them to suggest a few good names. Hoping this is helpful. Calum Sabey (NewArk Traditional Kitchens 01556 690544)
pmsl,even fair trades workmen are suspect to shoddy workmanship,they join this to gain work and don't give a damn afterwards. Remember the thread I posted about the CH Installation in a neighbours house? they where a high profile company.
Not everyone is DIY savvy,take my BI for instance he couldn't paint skirting board and door architrave to save his life,he just splashes it on regardless whether there is carpet fluff clinging to it. :-(
Talk to fellow regulars in the pub. Look at people doing jobs for others, to see how well they work. Ask for details of jobs they've done (new and old), and look at the job/talk to whoever it was done by. Ask Trading Standards whether they've had any complaints, possibly. Talk to the person who you're considering, and form an opinion! Get estimates which mention what materials they're using, and check that they're OK for the job. Consider how long they've been using their current trading name. Make sure that they've an address that exists, and an operative land line (not just a mobile!).
Or another way if you know someone in a related trade who is good, and you're a good customer(!), see if they can recommend someone.
cheers, Pete.
Sounds daft but i do the same!
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Or someone I know who is adament that ordinary emulsion paint is good as undercoat for gloss.
And good trademen are often those with the longest waiting list. :-(
Don't you mean "usually"? or even "invariably"? (why wouldn't they be?)
David
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