How do I choose and brief a tradesperson?

Most disputes come from a vague brief rather than a dishonest trade. If the specification is unclear, both sides remember it differently, and there is nothing to refer back to.

Step by step

1. Write down exactly what you want first.Room by room, item by item. Who supplies materials, what standard of finish, what making good is included. This document is what you send to everyone, so the quotes are comparable.
2. Find candidates through recommendation.Personal recommendation from someone who has had the same type of work done is the best source. Trade body listings and review sites are a reasonable second.
3. Check the registration for regulated work.Gas work requires Gas Safe registration — check the number on the official register, not the card. Electrical work should be by a registered competent person; in England and Wales that is a Part P competent person scheme, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own approved-certifier and registration routes. This is not optional.
4. Get three written quotes, not estimates.A quote is a fixed price; an estimate is not. Make sure each is priced against your written brief so you are comparing the same thing.
5. Check what the quote excludes.Making good, waste removal, scaffolding, materials, VAT. The cheapest quote is often the one excluding the most.
6. Check insurance.Public liability at minimum. Ask for the certificate rather than taking it on trust — it takes them thirty seconds to send.
7. Agree staged payments tied to progress.A deposit for materials is reasonable. Then payments at defined milestones, with a final amount held until the snagging is done. Never pay the bulk up front.
8. Get everything in writing before work starts.Scope, price, timescale, payment schedule, who supplies what. A short written agreement prevents almost every dispute.

Tips

• Be wary of anyone who calls unsolicited, offers a discount for starting immediately, or wants a large cash payment up front. Those three together are the classic pattern.
• A good trade will be busy. Immediate availability for a large job in peak season is worth asking about.
• Keep a written record of variations as they come up. Verbal changes agreed on site are where the final bill surprises come from.

Common mistakes

• Choosing on price alone — The cheapest quote usually excludes the most. Compare what is included before comparing numbers.
• Paying a large sum before work starts — It removes your leverage entirely, and it is the pattern in most trade fraud. Materials deposit yes; half the job value no.

Questions people ask