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Do quality tradespeople exist?
This is the question often on everybody’s mind when sitting around home or an investment property, waiting for a tradie to show up to complete some work or complete a quote. Often you’ll get the “I’ll be there between 9 and 5” only have to have them call at 4.30 pm and tell you they can’t make it that day!
Something I always do nowadays is after I have organised a time with them, I will just ask in a light hearted way “Are you going to show up ?”! They can’t commit to a specific time because they probably can’t manage their own time. Often they advise they will call you 30 mins before they arrive (can they only manage their time effectively 30 mins in advance?) The phone call rarely occurs and you are left spending the day waiting for someone who may not even come. Avoid these types wherever possible. If they can’t commit to a time, don’t use them. Our time is too valuable to sit around waiting for others.
So when the tradie does arrive and sees the property and what might be involved, how do you know they actually want the work ? You see if they don’t want the work, they probably won’t do a quality job. Just ask them “Do you want the job?” You will be surprised how many tradespeople will say they don’t particularly want to do the job. The reason they don’t want the work is more than likely because they find it difficult. In my book, this means they are either inexperienced at that particular task, they don’t know how to do it at all, or they are experienced but just have poor skills. If you use them you will most likely get poor quality work.
If they indicate to you they want the work, how do you know if they are any good ? The fact they want the work could indicate they like the work and are good at it. It could also mean they they have no other work because no-one wants them. Ask them how busy they are. Often good tradies have 3 to 4 weeks work booked up. If they indicate they could start tomorrow, this might not be a good thing. How busy they are will give you a good indication of the level of demand they are in and the quality of their work. Another strategy I use is to just ask them “Are you any good at your trade ?” If they are, they will have references you can contact, maybe a website where you can view photos of completed jobs and see the quality of the work they can achieve.
Asking for references is something I always do now, after being burnt a number of times by tradies who at first appeared professional friendly people, only to end up causing more problems. Even contacting references can’t always guarantee a good tradie. If you are really pedantic, you could visit the reference’s property and view the work yourself. This way, you have seen the evidence first hand.
The amount a tradie charges can be a good way to gauge the quality of their work. However this is not always the case. For example, one floor sander we use is one of the cheapest around and does an absolutely brilliant job. He takes his time, is honest and very reliable. On the other end of the scale we have used a general handyman who was quite expensive (who was also a fully licensed builder). They installed some French doors for us, leaving me with a days work afterwards to ‘reinstall’ them properly. The overall quality of the installation was extremely poor and I would suggest he probably sent away for his builders license from the back of a Corn Flakes box. Even when he was doing the job, he was asking me for advice ! I had to lend him my tools, show him the proper size screws to match the wall plugs he was using and show him how to install a deadlock after he pretty much stuffed the brand new door. He won’t be getting any more work from us !
Then there was another floor sander we used who came, did the job, was paid and then left, never to be seen and never to be contacted again. He went into hiding. I think he must have had friends in the some kind of underground society that helps to hide bad tradies from their dissatisfied customers. I think he sanded the floor with bricks. It was in better condition before he started !
Anyway back to the topic of finding good tradies. I must say from all my experience with all types of tradies, whether they be general builders, electricians, carpet layers, tilers, pavers, plumbers. The only way to give you the best chance of finding a good tradie is by referral. Word of mouth is the best way. Good tradies rarely advertise, so you may not even find them in the yellow pages. Ask around, you will be sure to find someone. At least, you will know who not to use ! A word of warning though, sometimes a referral from a friend could end up being the worst tradie on the planet, or one person’s experience could be completely different from your experience. Don’t hold it against your friend !
When we have found a good tradie, how do we keep them on good terms ? The answer is to pay them on time. Pay them as soon as the job is completed. We have an electrician we use all the time and make a point of paying him on the day. When he gets a call from us, he is usually there within a day or two. He knows he will be paid. Tradies are not in it for the love of climbing through rooves. They are in it for the money. If they have a choice between a job they know they will be paid for today and a job for someone who takes a week to pay, they will be there for you every time.
Anyway, I am sure that everyone has both some horror stories and some great tradespeople who they treasure and want to keep forever. Tell everyone about the good ones and the bad ones. The world will be a better place…..
Happy investing,
Tim Ellis
Property Investor
The information provided in the Talking Property podcast is general in nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Always consult with a professional advisor before making any investment decisions.
