Top tips for working with trades

2. Clarity of communication and how they present themselves

In the third and final part of our series on Due Diligence, we look at the professionals we work with in our property businesses and give some Top Tips when working with Trades.

How can I find a professional tradesperson, who’ll do a decent job, for a fair price and won’t let me down? When you’re interviewing trades, there are some simple things to remember. Be aware of how they present themselves and consider the quality and condition of their tools, vehicle and equipment. They should request a detailed spec to help them put together a quote. Most problems occur with variations from the original spec and the extra cost of implementing those changes, so be sure you’re happy with the spec before you hand them to your trade. Then agree on all the details and costs upfront. Once you decide on a tradesperson, have a contract drawn up specifying staged payments, never paid in cash, and only made at the stage completions agreed in the contract.

3. Worth the wait

Most good trades will be busy, so expect to have to wait for them and schedule your project in. Be wary of anyone who can start immediately. We’ve often had to wait six months or more, and believe me, it’s worth the wait!

4. Buy cheap meat and smell what you save

Don’t be tempted to buy solely on price – do your homework, know the value of the work, the cost of the materials (remembering that different types and qualities of materials will have different price points) and approach several trades, so that you will have different quotations to consider. When looking at different quotes, remember to check the Wquality and detail of the quote so that you know exactly what you are being quoted for and that the tradesperson has understood your brief.

This is a really good question and one we get asked a lot.

The answer to this question, unsurprisingly, is to ensure that you use only “A List Trades.” When you find these superstars, treat them well, recognise their worth and never let them go! We are not going to pretend that finding them is easy, it’s time consuming and, as the saying goes “… you have to kiss a lot of frogs.” Here are some of our top tips, together with some from our very own superstar builder Jason Mallock-Long, of Pearl Property Group, to help you, in your search for “A Listers.”

1. Word of mouth

This is the best kind of referral, because it means that someone you know was happy enough with the end result to make a recommendation. However, bear in mind the old saying ‘one man’s meat is another’s poison’. Endorsements are subjective, and you must check them out, judging not only the finished work, but also how the tradesperson handled the whole process, from running the budget, logistics, attendance, on-site facilities, and regard for neighbours in terms of noise, mess etc. Ask your potential trade for a list of previous clients – contact them direct and prepare in advance a list of questions to ask them.

5. Will they solely be working on your project?

This is one of the biggest “bug bears” that we hear, and this comes from a lack of communication at the outset. Often small companies will work several jobs at the same time, meaning that there will not be someone permanently on site at your project and there may even be gaps in attendance. Ask the question and, if this type of working doesn’t suit you, then move on and find someone else. Make sure that you discuss timescales and the importance of them, before work commences, in order to avoid frustration and mismatched expectations later down the line.

Lastly, when you find those elusive “A listers” treat them well, communicate with them well, book them in early, give them the respect they deserve and don’t let them go!

Top Tips, from a builder’s perspective

We spoke to Jason Mallock-Long, of Pearl Property Group, to get his top tips on working with trades. Jason is an absolute gem of a builder and definitely an A Lister. Here is what he had to say: • Know what you want. Before you instruct a builder make sure you are clear about what you desire. Never assume anything.

• Always get quotes based on identical specifications. Things change, which is fine, but ensure everyone’s quotes are adjusted accordingly. • If you don’t know ask!! Communication is king.

• When getting quotes think things like –

“would I be happy for this person(s) to be in my house, sat having a chat over a cup of coffee?” If the answer is yes, then they are going to be approachable, and not make you feel like you don’t want to ask a question. • Ask for a schedule / cost of rates for any works that will be deemed an extra, before you start. (Daywork rate for each trade) • Always have an appropriate JCT contract in place before work starts.

• View the builders current and finished projects and always ask for references.