Finding the right person for the job

Jeremy Gray from Builderscrack. Photo/Supplied

DIY isa popular solutionfor home renovation needs in New Zealand but sometimes it’s best lefttoa professional.

Ruby Harfield

Builderscrack isa web service which matches any job neededtobe undertaken ona property with local tradespeople.

The service ensures that only tradespeople whowant your job will show interest in it.This saves so much timefor bothparties.

Our writer, Ruby Harfield,talks to Jeremy Gray from Builderscrack about the importance of getting the right personfor the job. What jobs/renovations must always be donebya professional? “Restricted building work” is work that concerns thestructural integrity and weathertightness ofa home. The law prohibits non-licensed people from undertaking this type of work, so it must always be undertaken bya Licensed Building Practitioner. If ahomeowner is thinking of doing work themselves and is not clear on whether they’ll beundertaking restricted building work or not - it’s always best to check through their localcouncil.

There is no doubt that as a culture, Kiwis cherish DIY. However,what we’re seeing is definitelya shifttowards agreater cultural embrace of using professionalsto work on our homes. Usinga professional tradesperson gives youconvenience, safety, time anda quality outcome.You getan experienced professionaltodiscuss your ideaswith andconsult on the best way toachieve yourgoals depending on your budgetand desired aesthetic. While DIY will always be the preferred approachfor those with the time, skill andtools, thereality is that our culture is moving away from DIY beinga must-do. With that change,many are appreciating thereal advantages of havinga professional knock offthe jobs we need doing around the home quickly and easily. What advice do you havefor someone lookingto get a job done? Having assisted homeowners with over 600,000 jobs, there is one thing that stands out as thekey difference between those that aresuccessful and those that areless so- andthat is communication. It doesn’t matter if it’s asmallrepair job ora complex new build, whencommunication is clear and frequent betweenparties, jobs have a much higher chance of going smoothly.

Onlyroughly1 in 10,000 (0.01%) of jobs we see ends in disagreement- andthis is almost always duetomiscommunication.

Creating clarity around the details of the job is theresponsibility of bothparties,so takethe initiative if there is anything you’re uncomfortable or unsure about, or feel it’s important your tradesperson knows. The other piece of advice is to understand what you’relookingfor so far as budget, speed and quality. There is the saying that you can only have two of these things, and in ourexperience that’s absolutely true in the trades. What is the marketlike at the moment for odd jobs to refreshyour home? We’re in a changing timeatthe moment. Earlier in the year, demand was extraordinarily high and tradespeople were strugglingtokeep upwith. Property owners were experiencing in somecases many weekswaiting just to getsomething simple done. This is changing now, and we are seeinga higher level of availability across all trades. We are seeing jobscome through now that property owners had held back onpreviously, with goodresponse times. Inflation isresulting in an increasingcost of building materials, and wedon’texpect these pricestofall again.In short, if there is somethinga property owner has in mind that theywanttodototheir home- now is a greattimetodo it. What aresomeeasywaystorefresh your home? Kiwi homes always benefit from indoor/ outdoor flow, and creating or improving this isn’t alwaysexpensive. Creating porches andpatios, small decks and improving accessibilitytoentry points around your home isa greatway of creating sunny nookstoenjoy. Replacing large windows withdoors is anotherway to open up new living space and thiscan breathe real life into a home that mayfeel enclosed. Greatsummerimprovementsare those that allow youto get more of what youwant from your home, whether it’s sun, shade, extra usable living space or improved flow. Even in the busiest of households, you canrely onWash&Wear®

Our most popular interiorpaintcan help you transform your home and ensure your walls stay looking freshlypaintedfor longer. We’ve performed rigoroustestingtooptimise stain resistance, hiding power andtoughness,to createa product youcan rely onevery day.

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