After all the DIY mistakes Brits made last year, we forked out over £180million on getting someone in to fix them – Households throughout the UK have on average four jobs that need doing at any one time and with the constraints of the credit crunch, Britons are realising they need to ensure their hard-earned cash is spent wisely.
Bob Swift, MyHammer’s UK Director, comments: “The Brits do like to try their hand at DIY but it seems it doesn’t always work out; MyHammer saves consumers time and money, meaning you can plan your home improvement projects according to your budget.â€
MyHammer’s top tips to find a good tradesman, for those who’d rather sit back and relax:
Be clear about the building service that you want and make sure it’s all in writing; when posting on MyHammer try to include images of the job where possible.
Always shop around. On MyHammer you’ll be able to get lots of quotes easily; also ensure you know whether you’re getting an ‘estimate’ or a ‘quotation’ – an estimate means that the price is subject to change, whilst a quotation is a fixed price for a specific job, which is binding.
Look out for relevant trade body membership; with MyHammer, tradesmen have the opportunity to post their qualifications and trade body memberships in their profile.
Check the tradesman’s feedback. The customer feedback on MyHammer is a great way of seeing references for each tradesman; each customer leaves feedback, so you can weigh up the work that tradesman has done.
Only use insured contractors; all good contractors have insurance, which covers them for any damage to your property and your neighbours.
Make sure you specify what materials are needed and who’s buying them – it’s advisable to get receipts for any purchases made by the tradesman as well.
Take your time booking someone for the job; be wary of companies who are available for your work the next day – as a sign of a good tradesman, is usually that they’re pretty busy.
Never pay for the whole job up front and agree a timetable of payments in writing; MyHammer allows you to specify the payment option that you are most comfortable with and offers you third party documentation, should there be any confusion later.
Once the work has been completed, obtain some kind of warranty or guarantee and get it in writing.