Post and beam Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 You might have been expecting a slightly different subject. There does not appear to be a single sub heading here for the trades. I am at the stage where i need to start understanding prices and availability for the various bits of the build that my timber frame company dont do. So, brickies to start with. Plumbers sparks etc. What is the best resource to tap into the reliable guys? Obviously i could go to checkatrade and the like but i have not found that site very good in the past. Many thanks in advance keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Ask locals. A tradesman any good will get plenty of work and won't need the check your trade outfits to find them any more work. I don't "do" facebook myself, but a lot of people tell me they ask in local groups for a recommendation and my name comes up often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Post and beam Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 Thanks dude. Yes thats sort of my view of check a trade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayc89 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 11 minutes ago, ProDave said: Ask locals. A tradesman any good will get plenty of work and won't need the check your trade outfits to find them any more work. I don't "do" facebook myself, but a lot of people tell me they ask in local groups for a recommendation and my name comes up often. Could be quite area specific. We have a similar group and whenever someone asks for recommendations it's just friends/wives/sisters/cousins touting their relatives business every time. You reach the point of losing any trust in those so called recommendations, unfortunately. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Local word of mouth. Also have a look at builds going on around you and see who the builders are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nod Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Stay well away from check s trade my builder etc Mostly bottom feeders Small jobs cash in hand A good starting point is to contact established registered companies I run a medium sized Render- plaster Tiling company and some of the prices I’ve seen quoted on here by one man bands are far in excess of what Im charging With a no quibble guarantee Go online and look through the listings Anyone reputable will have ongoing jobs that you can visit I sent someone to see a render job we were doing recently man’s she said we were bloody awful Banging van doors first thing in the morning Dust on her plants and she didn’t like the color of the render Apart from that 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 If I knew then I would tell you. I've had to do this on many occasions when taking a project in new area, and have had more problems with new contractors than clear successes. There isn't a best way other than talking and searching. Be very cheeky and approach builders on sites, preferably as they have a break in the van. Look at vans and get the contact details. The best people are busy already. The main contractors are not going to tell you , and perhaps lose their best subbies. The merchants will perhaps tell you their clients.....but at least that will be a start. The business cards on merchants' notice boards may not be the ones you want, but try. On social media I would ask for recommendations in my own area. I use a free 'parish based' site called 'Nextdoor'. Join that and extend your area to neighbouring parishes, and ask for recommendations of trades. Of course you will get mates and family suggestions, but possibly some happy customers. You will also find out about all lost animals, road diversions and items for sale, and pot-holes, and rants from people who know nothing. But you are likely to get some decent recommendations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattg4321 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Recommendations by word of mouth is by far the best way. Facebook and the like are ok, but as above you often get wives and parents etc giving out ‘recommendations’. I’ve had more than 1 issue with people I’ve got round my house this way. I get all my work through word of mouth. Don’t pay for advertising at all, except a basic website. Never seem to be short of work. I see some of my ‘competitors’ on Facebook etc always touting for work, I guess some of them will be new and building a client base, but some are just not very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Cheque-A-Trade, Rusty Trader, Federation of Master Bodgers are just that .. paid for ways to advertise and get jobs. They care about their income not your jobs - none of my local go to trades are on any of them and their work is first class. As has been said before - go and look around, see who is building and what the sites look like as you can tell a lot about a trade from how the site is kept. But don’t look at vans as they tell you nothing ..! Apart from who the sparky is as it’s a 71 plate shiny VW Transporter and it’s nice and clean … 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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