Aussie to USA translation: Tradie = Contractor
1.When you are getting a quote, make sure your respect the contractor’s time.
It’s good to get quotes – essential, in fact, something your regular tradie encourages and understands. But don’t invite three to five workmen over to, say, look at your kitchen and provide quotes all at the same time. Putting them in a competitive environment sends the message that you are only worried about the price, not the quality of the job. It might be enough to convince them to walk away without ever getting back to you.
Also, keep in mind that many tradies won’t charge for an in-person quote, but the process can take up to half a day – so respect their time and make the effort to see them and talk about the project individually.
You should “always get a quote”, Jack* the plumber says, but when it comes to the price – “ask for their hourly rate, ask about the cost of materials” – you should ask what you’re paying for to make sure you’re across what costs are involved. If you are using a better quality paint, for example, you should be seeing it in the budget.
2. Be sure you want the job done.
“We hear many stories from tradies where they spend hours of time visiting customers, only to be told by that they’re ‘not sure I will do the job’ or ‘just wanted an idea’,” a spokesman for Tradebusters says.
If you’re not sure, discuss the project and the price with your prospective tradie over the phone. Don’t formally book them to physically come in until you’re definite that you’ll give someone the go ahead to actually do the job, and once you’ve got a ballpark price range.
And once you have settled on going ahead, it’s good to know exactly what the job is – and communicate that to your tradie. “It’s all about decisions,” says Jack – not knowing what you want wastes both your time, and his.
“If you’re renovating a bathroom, know what colours you want.” He “never wants to do a job twice” – it’s frustrating for both the tradesman and the customer.
read more at: http://www.domain.com.au/news/the-five-things-to-do-to-make-your-tradies-life-easier-20160919-grfyiu/
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Green Real Estate Appraiser 