I need to engage a plumber in a distant town, for a job in a flat. I don't know any traders there. Are these Trusted Trader, Check-a-Trade sites any good? I wonder whether, if they need that affirmation, they are not very good. There is no chance of asking neighbours, as I am arranging this to be done without being there, I will only go there when the job will actually take place. The alternative is to just use the Phone Book, while it still exists, and try whoever is in there.
Any ideas?
Possibly ask in a local social media group.
When I was still in the business of making medical devices, of use only to medical professionals, my company was invited to list itself in Checkatrade and, so far as I could see, there were no requirements to provide any references.
+1 to that.
I went via Checkatrde once and the chap said it would cost £95 to assess the job which he would knock of the price if he got the work.
Thanks, but I don't do social media. Luddites of the world unite!
My advice is to steer clear of any site that takes money from the trader. Because when things go wrong no one will listen to you. And you will find your honest review "pending" until the site takes the traders side. Funny that.
You don't have to post and can hide your profile.
As long as it doesn't disadvantage you.
The demand on good tradesmen is high with long lead times for those in demand, especially for new customers.
Why?
DIY, there's loads of help here, typically from real experiences.
The people who scammed me a while back had a Checkatrade logo but became untraceable once they'd got my money so I don't hold Checkatrade in very high regard, I'm afraid.
We have a physical local directory of trades and services posted through our letterbox every couple of months and I figure if someone is advertising month after month, they are not fly by nighters and probably giving a good service and local people will know them. I've only used my directory once and the locksmith I contacted was first rate, fair priced and I'd use him again. Is there anything like that sort of leaflet in circulation around your way?
Nick
Cutting off your nose to spite your face here! Seriously, this is one of the times when social media can be handy.
Pick one at random, you may get lucky.
Tim
+1 It does help greatly if you subscribe to a group associated to the local area and not just use the general national/worldwide readership.
That confirms my suspicions, for sure. Thanks.
I asked BT's 'ThePhoneBook', and it came up with about a dozen Plumbers, three of whom had a website. I have sent a Request for Quotation to them. I reckon that it you don't have a website, you are not serious about getting work.
It can also suggest the quality of your work and cost are such you don't have to go looking for work.
I don't buy that last. More likely you are a good plumber that gets plenty of work without one.
Many would say they don't need a website, they can't cope with the work they get via Facebook, web sites are expensive, they never shows up in google searches without advertising etc etc. Many requiring tradesmen just ask on Facebook or the local WhatsApp group.
The last tradesman I employed was a decorator, and I found him from a pavement board. I then looked him up on Facebook, asked on a few groups, got ok responses, got a quote and employed him.
Still had to wait, big backlog of work....
... so its a sellers market, most tradesmen I know are turning away work...
Dave
I don't normally employ any tradesmen, as I do pretty well everything myself. One of the two I have used was a pointing company, as the bricks at the front of our house are heavily textured and easy to leave permanently disfigured. We kept seeing a company's vans around the area and saw the results of their work at each location. When we decided to use the company, we had to wait more than 6 months for slot.
The next-door neighbours commented that they wish they'd used the same company.
Phone the property management department of a local lettings agent - they might let you have the details of one of their preferred suppliers.
Many of these websites are simply cash generators, you can get negative feedback removed - for a sum of money.
Another cash generator was the Guild of Master Craftsmen - again no references required. At one time you saw their stickers on almost every tradesman's van - but I can't recall seeing one for a long time.
The past few tradesmen that I've employed on recommendation had enough work that I had to wait 6 to 8 weeks before they could fit me in.
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