Taming Tradesman and other renovation essentials to know

here to read more tips on how to handle tradespeople, in the meantime, here are my top-five tips for dealing with tradespeople.

1. Yearn to Learn: Understand the scope and scale of the job you want done and brief the tradie as clearly as possible over the phone before you expect them to turn up to quote. Know as much detail about what you are asking for, the materials you require and the end-result you most desire. Seek at least two or three quotes before agreeing to go ahead with a job.
2. Do Unto Others: Be as reliable as you expect the tradie to be. Turn up when you say you will and pay them according to the agreed terms and conditions. Check these upfront as some smaller trades will only take cash or cheque and require payment on the same day. Larger jobs can require more complex contracts with payment installments.
3. Seek and ye Shall Find: It ain't easy to find good tradespeople, so it's worth investing time to source a good local plumber and electrician. Referrals from friends or people you trust is one way to find them, but it ain't foolproof. It can be better to choose a local rather than expect someone to schlep all over town to come to you – after all, they will probably load the travel time into their quote or be forced to squeeze you in to a convenient time for them.
4. Suss Them Out: Some trades such as plumbers and electricians require a licence, and most states have an internet service to check whether the licence is valid. There are professional bodies governing certain trades and industries and it's worth at least a cursory google search before agreeing to start a large job.
5. When It Goes Wrong: If it's a small job, there is very little a consumer can do once a job has been done and paid for and the renovator decides they are unhappy with it. Your own keen negotiation skills will be the best way to ensure the tradesman returns to fix any faulty work - which is why you should always aim to establish a professional and courteous rapport with the tradesperson. You should telephone them and be specific about what is wrong with the job and how you suggest it could be repaired. Oh, and it helps if you've made sure you have the landline phone number - not just a mobile number - for the tradesperson before you commission the job.