Tradespeople
Tradespeople and home repair
Most home jobs go well when you know what to check before anyone starts: who is allowed to do the work, what the quote should include, how payments are staged and what paperwork you should get at the end. Our trade guides walk through those checks one job at a time, and the country pages show what is different where you live.
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Guides in this section
Tradespeople and home repairHow to vet a builder or general contractor before you hirePractical checks for vetting a builder or general contractor in the UK, US, Canada and Australia: licences, insurance, references, past jobs and payments.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairRed flags of a bad contractor, and what to do if you already hired oneWarning signs that a builder or contractor is a bad bet, from cash-only deposits to storm door-knockers, and the steps to take if you already hired one.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairGetting quotes from tradespeople: what to send, how many, and how to compareWhat to include in a quote request, how many quotes to get for a home repair job, how to compare them line by line, and how a quote differs from an estimate.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairHiring a roofer: repair or replace, insurance claims, warranties and storm chasersHow to hire a roofer: deciding between repair and replacement, getting an inspection, handling insurance claims, warranties, scaffolding and Building Control.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairHiring a plumber: emergencies, pricing, licences and what to askHow to hire a plumber for emergency or planned work, how call-out and pricing models work, which licences apply in each country, and the questions to ask.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairHow to hire an electrician in the UK, US, Canada and AustraliaWhat to check before hiring an electrician: registration schemes, licences, permits, inspections and the certificate you should get when the job is done.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairHiring for a boiler, furnace, heat pump or air conditioningHow to check a heating engineer or HVAC contractor: Gas Safe and MCS in the UK, licences, load calculations and permits in the US and Canada, and warranties.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairPlanning a bathroom or kitchen refit: who to hire and what the quote must includeHow to organise a bathroom or kitchen refit: design versus fitting, who coordinates the trades, what a full quote covers, staged payments and lead times.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairHow to hire a painter and decoratorWhat to check when hiring a painter: preparation, number of coats, who supplies the paint, interior versus exterior work, lead paint and questions to ask.Read the guide Tradespeople and home repairHiring a gardener or cleaner for regular help at homeHow to hire a regular gardener, landscaper or house cleaner: employed versus self-employed or agency, insurance, keys and trust, trial visits and pricing.Read the guide