What’s your decision making process when selecting a tradie? When screening candidates, bear in mind that, it’s your property, your money, your time they are going to be working with. So to help you with putting some context around how to figure out if someone is up to the job, we have created a handy list of 5 basic questions you should be asking before you commit to anything.
Remember, most tradies actually want to do a good job and take great pride in their work. They will have nothing to hide and will happily answer any questions you have!
1. What licenses do they hold (electrical, gas, plumbing)?
We find it very surprising that NSW Fair Trading Research shows that only 80% of homeowners think licensing is important, but only 10% actually checks if a tradesperson is licensed or not.
Would you go to an unlicensed dentist? Would you let an unlicensed surgeon perform surgery on you? The answer to these questions is rather obvious. Then why would you hire someone who does not have a license? An appliance repairer for example will work with electricity and/or gas, which can be extremely complicated and if done incorrectly can put your family and the tradesman in danger. An experienced and licensed appliance technician will have years on the job training, plus a number of years at TAFE and other tertiary training that will ensure the job is done correctly the first time.
2. What insurances do they have?
When considering a company to complete your appliance repair, insurances are up there with one of the most important questions that you need to ask. A licenced tradie is required to hold a public liability insurance. With this insurance, tradies can be held responsible for any property damage or personal injury caused by their negligence and if they are not insured you are taking the risk of hiring someone that can not be held accountable. Can you imagine a tradesman is at your property and you are horrified to find that they have damaged your kitchen, you ask for his insurance but they tell you that they do not have the proper insurance to cover this. You the homeowner or your property manager will be held responsible for all the repairs involved. To think that a simple question before the tradie came out could have saved you for paying for something that was out of your control.
3. What warranty do they provide?
You as the homeowner want the quality and 100% satisfaction that the trade you have sourced will complete the repair in the one visit. You don’t want the headache of having to pay hundreds of dollars for the same trade for the same issue. This is why warranty is another important question to ask your trade so that you have the peace of mind that if the same issue happens after the repair you will be covered. Some companies offer 3 months, some may offer 12 you want to look for the company with the highest warranty time frame so that you are covered for as long as possible.
4. How long have they been established?
You may be thinking why is how long the company has been established important when hiring an appliance repairer, as long as the tradie is licenced, insured and has had training in the field is all that matters right? Well a company’s reputation, history and timespan can definitely influence a decision when sourcing an appliance repairer. Using a company that has been in the industry for years compared to months will put your mind at ease knowing that they have had extensive experience, have gained further training and knowledge and have made a reputable name for themselves in the industry.
5. What do they estimate the cost to be?
There is nothing worse than being left with a surprisingly large bill at the end of a repair. Without asking for an estimated cost you are going to put your bank account at risk. When sourcing your appliance repairman you want to give them as much information as possible prior to them attending so that they can assess the repair and give you a rough estimated cost. You will want to ask them for their call out fees and labour times to ensure you are fully aware of the companies charges. By asking all these questions upfront you are fully prepared and aware of all the costs and won’t be left out of pocket.
