Hills District guide to finding a great local tradie
A lot of people do not have extensive experience when it comes to picking the right local tradies. Many may simply start with a local Hills District paper or Google search, only to be left disappointed with the results and the experience.
At a recent event we meet a few home-owners in the Sydney Hills district and got talking about how they go about finding great tradies.
We discovered that given the Sydney Hills District is such a large area, and has one of the largest tradie populations in Sydney, it can actually make it harder and not easier for locals to find a good tradesman.
One thing is pretty clear though, finding the right tradie always seems to come doing to doing your homework and asking the right questions.
Getting it right with local tradies in Sydney’s Hills District
So what are some of the things you should look out for?
- Are they professional? Many tradie horror stories revolve around unfinished work or unprofessionalism. Consider meeting the tradie in person before agreeing to anything. Simple things such as punctuality and interaction will tell you if you can work with the person properly.
- Do they offer a detailed quoted? Always get a detailed quote in writing no matter how big or small the job. For large home renovation projects, it would best if your builder candidates can offer a breakdown of costs. This puts everything in black and white helping you avoid unnecessary quotes and being able to compare exactly upon the same scope of works. Quotes are helpful in avoiding disputes even for small service jobs requiring a local electrician or plumber in the Hills District.
- Are they licensed and insured? Be sure to check if the tradie has a valid ABN and if they are operating under a registered business. Some people think that tradies marketing themselves as an authority on the job makes them a legitimate entity. Jump onto the ABN Lookup, which is the public view of the Australian Business Register (ABR) to check they have a valid business registration. Check licenses in the process as well with NSW Fair Trading and always ask for a copy of their public liability insurances. And if you are planning a major renovation, don’t forget to ask your insurance broker on what coverage you should get as extra during that period.
- Find out about their local reputation? Finding the right person for the job means looking for someone who already did a good job on someone else’s project. Customer testimonials will give you a good idea but be careful to weave out the real from fake. Some testimonials may just come from faithful friends and family members.
Now, if the tradie is based in the Hills District you should be able to ask him for contact details of other home-owners and businesses in the area so you can give them a call and ask questions. Even see the work if it’s for something major. If they are unwilling to do this, I would say, it’s not someone that will make my top tradie pick list!
Going local is always a good idea when finding the right tradie and even other local service providers. Whether you need a home inspection team, home removal expert or even other professions like mortgage brokers or real estate agents it makes perfect sense to choose someone easily accessible within your local area as most importantly, you can really find out all the information you need about them in order to decide if they are a good choice.
Need help with other local businesses in the Sydney’s Hills District?
Whether you are buying, selling, moving or renovating your home, our Tradebusters Connect Hills District free Top 3 local directory service can help connect you with trusted local businesses like tradesmen, real estate and property professionals, and more. We only list the best Top 3 Businesses near you
More useful links:
Interior Designer Hills District
Local Advertising Hills District
Financial Planner Baulkham Hills