Selecting a building professional/contractor/tradesperson can be a tricky process. With so much choice out there, it can sometimes be difficult to see the wood for the trees.
Furthermore, it’s not a decision you should rush into. You’re going to be spending your hard-earned cash on improving your home, so the last thing you want is to end up with a builder from hell.
Here are a few considerations to give you some food for thought:
Jack of all trades?
First and foremost, while it can be tempting to plump for a so-called Jack of all Trades when choosing a building contractor, it’s not a decision you should take lightly. After all, just because someone did a great job of tiling your neighbour’s bathroom, they might not be much good at painting, for example.
The bottom line is skilled tradespeople have spent their lives learning what they do and bettering their work. There’s a reason for this, and it shows in the results the produce.
Don’t be guided solely by price
Another mistake many homeowners make when selecting a building professional or contractor is that they base their ultimate decision entirely on price.
Now don’t get us wrong, saving money is, of course, something that everyone wants to do, but just be wary of extremely low quotations. Skilled tradespeople charge what they are worth and their quotation will reflect the level of quality you’ll see in the finished product.
Personal recommendations are gold
Personal recommendations are an excellent way to find a reputable, highly skilled and trustworthy building professional or contractor. If someone you know has used a particular tradesperson and they are actively willing to recommend them, that speaks volumes about their (the tradesperson’s) reputation.
so is Social proof
In addition to personal recommendations, social proof is another great way to find a professional tradesperson in your local area.
In a nutshell, social proof is anything not self-promotional that shouts how good something is – in this case, a tradesperson. Things like reviews, testimonials, accreditations, etc. are all examples of social proof.
Social proof is very important because it satisfies our natural tendency to follow the crowd. For example, if 500 people are raving online about how good contractor A is and zero people are singing the praises of contractor B, the majority of people will opt for contractor A.
At Aquarius Home Improvements, we’re very proud of our social proof, which is why we clearly display our latest reviews on our website.
look at their Past work
If you don’t want to just take someone’s word that a tradesperson is really good at what they do, go and look at some of their previous projects. Chances are most professionals will be able to point you in the direction of work they’ve completed and you can see with your own eyes the level of quality they bring to the job.
do they provide Warranties and/or guarantees?
Does the tradesperson you’re considering working with provide any warranties or guarantees with their work? They might not and that’s not always a problem, but the ones who do afford a little extra peace of mind.
Look for a building professional/contractor who is willing to back up their talk with warranties and guarantees that’ll leave you rest assured going forward.
Looking for a fitted kitchen or bathroom at the moment? Maybe you will be in the near future! We’d be over the moon to give you a free, no obligation quotation. Give us a shout today. All our contact details can be found on the Aquarius Home Improvements website.
