best way to find a builder for a small job

[ACurlyWurly]

Builders/electricians are scarce!!! No one wants a small job but I am in the Northamptonshire area, i need a stud wall between kitchen and dining room removing and the electrics re positioning and then the area made good.

Every recommendation I have had has resulted in no one wanting to even quote, its too small a job.

I have heard of putting jobs out for tender....where should I do this? any ideas?

[bojorojo]

It is not worth going out to tender. If they don't want a job they won't quote.

I start with builders who are advertising in my local magazines. I am near two parishes and both have good magazines. I have also found people by word of mouth and is the web. Could you look for a competent handyman? Or a builder who just does odd jobs? There is also a web site where you can inform them about your job and they send it round to suitable contractors. I think knit is called Rated People but I can check if you like.

[DeanKoontz]

Have you had any other contractors in? We got a builder for a very small job by asking a plasterer, that we regularly use, if he knew of anyone.

[Ifailed]

Having been in the position of needing a tradeperson to do a small job, I asked a few I know why it was so hard to find one. The consensus was that people expect a small job to be proportionally charged, forgetting that the travel time to and fro, plus any admin is a fixed cost.
I solved the problem by asking around, suggesting I understood the price would be higher for these reasons, plus offered for them to fit the work in when they were next in the area.

[User06383]

Don't touch Rated People, Check-a-Trade, My Builder et al. They're the very low end of the market.

Look for adverts in local magazines, word of mouth.

Ifailed gives good advice, tradespeople are businesses, be accommodating and make it worth their while if it is a small job.

Maybe look at a handyman rather than a builder? Local letting agencies could probably recommend one.

[CheeseBadger]

Local Facebook groups can be useful for this sort of thing.

[Step1]

I have used Checkatrade a few times and had good luck.
I get them out to look and quote so I can decide if I want them in my house or not.
I always take care to read the feedback on each tradie though as some definitely suspect.
Dabbled with rated people last year. Definitely not! Very fishy!