Is there a trick to finding good tradesmen?

[WakeUpLockie]

I bloody hate the search. Ugh. I currently need a painter/decorator and I just don’t know how to find one - checkatrade is a pain, Facebook people just spam you with their family members (not genuine recommendations). I might try Nextdoor. I have had so many tradespeople either come out then never get back to me with a quote, seem completely disinterested, or not turn up at all. My grandmother always had trusted tradesmen, just how did she find them?? A different time probably. Gah! Wondering if I’m missing something?

Personal recommendations and word of mouth.

When you find one you trust, ask them for referrals for other trades. They all work together at times and know lots of others, so will know who's reliable and also who are the no-hopers.

Nearly all ours are from an "odd jobber" who came to repair a leak on our conservatory a looong time ago. We've used him regularly ever since for all manner of small/simple jobs. Whenever we need something else, i.e. an electrician, a plumber, a tiler, a plasterer, a window fitter, a roofer, etc., we give him a ring and ask him who he'd recommend. None of his recommendations have let us down.

When you find someone half decent for anything, don't be afraid to ask them for their recommendations.

Other than that, keep an eye open for who your neighbours are using - then afterwards, ask the neighbour if they were any good.

@XingMing

Be ready to wait for a competent reliable trade-person. In dire straits, find out where the best people go for a drink when they finish work and talk about the projects they are on. Listen a lot, learn the gripes they have with clients (there are loads of difficult ones) and then work out how not to be awkward. I have been in one area for a long time, and have kissed a lot of frogs but I now know who to go to for advice and have a closely guarded address book of go-to people. And use them regularly, every year: my chimney sweep's answer phone says clearly that he doesn't have time for many new customers, but will prioritise regulars and people who have bought houses from regulars. Like wise with my recently found plumber, and with the carpenter joiner/kitchen fitter who has just built his own house, and an electrician. And pay them quickly as there is no more certain way to become a valued customer.

You make it sound like the masons!

It’s everyone, not just trades. Some idiot pranged my car in November. I’ve been trying to find a Bodyshop to repair it. The ones who actually answer the phone are booked solid for months. Most don’t reply to phone or email messages at all. I finally got one who said they may be able to do it and to call back in a few weeks time, but now not replying to messages or answering phone. We seem to have sleepwalked into not having anywhere near enough trades/skills workers but a glut of graduates doing retail, bar and office work.

I use Facebook now. I joined a group specific to my area so everyone knows everyone and there's no opportunity for dodgy behaviour.

I used to use My Builder but found that once I'd used someone and given a great reference, they would do other jobs for me - they seemed to use it for ratings and then go after the cream of the jobs on offer - extensions mainly.

I recently spoke to a carpenter who did a small job for me at £100 an hour - he said the trades are so busy and in demand from the owners of big houses and the usual house builders that they can afford to be choosy and anyone wanting work done needs to wait six months.

Its all the pent up money from lockdown. People are now spending again and spending big because theyre not having multiple foreign holidays.

That should be...

I used to use My Builder but found that once I'd used someone and given a great reference, they wouldn't do other jobs for me

Instagram is a great source of referrals. Definitely not a mybuilder or similar.

I've lucked out and a friend knew a parent from their sons old school who did building work. He has been a god send. He does some light building work and decorating and has contacts all over so has provided a plumber, tiler, electrician, pointer, sealer, second decorator, Fence guy and carpenter. All lovely guys who take pride in their work. He project managed it all. I sometimes only need a plumber ( for example) for an hour (today to remove radiator and toilet from the downstairs loo) and there he was.
They turn up on time, clean up after themselves, get on with my four pets, are always respectful and polite. In return I pay them within 24 hours of receiving an invoice, and am happy to run down to the merchants to pick up this or that (rather me than paying them to do it), always have visitor permits and access to tea and coffee (and toilet as I know some people are weird about that)!
They are worth their weight in gold.

I recently hired a new cleaner. Personal recommendations work best really but you can also use Facebook in order to find someone. Also check on next door, people on there may be able to recommend a name or two as well. Check out a few independent reviews and make a list of names in addition.

We tend to ask previous reliable tradesmen we've used if they can recommend someone for a job - we had a heating engineer round to fix our boiler and he was brilliant so we asked him to suggest someone when we needed an electrician, they all tend to work together/know each other.
If that fails we use this site:

www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/