Ultimate Matchmaker: Tradesperson Edition
With Valentine’s Day just behind us, now is the time to focus on another kind of relationship. Ever felt like you and your tradesperson weren’t seeing exactly seeing eye-to-eye?
Before plunging into the exciting realms of a major home improvement, here’s a few steps you can take to ensure you both hit it off with a bang.
Number One: Get Inspired
When asked as to the most difficult aspect of their job, tradespeople will overwhelmingly settle on a response of how frustrating it is to help somebody who has no real idea of what they’re looking for in a project. Providing a quote for an unknown entity of work is like trying to create a definitive ranking of your family members: arbitrary and guaranteed to leave somebody dissatisfied.
If you find yourself constantly in need of suggestions, jump onto Pinterest or Google to indulge in some eye candy and take the time to gather your ideas into a neat, easily transferrable bundle. Check if there’s anything which needs to be organised before initiating contact – construction permits, for instance. Otherwise, remember that if you ask for recommendations or opinions, an honest answer might leave you feeling manipulated.
Number Two: Get Smart
In many ways, the internet is a wonderful thing. Without it, millions of uncoordinated cats and wayward rambling toddlers would not receive the attention their talents undoubtedly deserve.
However, when it comes to researching a project – from commercial landscaping to lighting installation to interior decoration and beyond - getting trigger happy with the search button can sometimes do more harm than good because it can create inaccurate impressions of exactly how much things should cost and exactly how long things should take. Cue unhappy customers.
When it comes to ensuring quality results, there is unfortunately no real replacement for professional advice about your own specific circumstances. Online research can certainly be the first point of call for a new project but sustaining the habit over its duration is basically the home improvement equivalent of googling “headache” and spending the next few hours manically eating and crying into the phone about your self-diagnosed brain tumour.
What information found online often lacks is a check for false economy. If you’re looking for the best results for the lowest price, the answer is rarely going to be one option because success is always a compromise between giving and receiving. And there is no better way to understand how your project will be actualised along this balance than to have a discussion with somebody who understands quality in the industry – and not just somebody with fingers and access to a computer.
Number Three: Get Options
Don’t settle for Mr- or Ms-Almost-Right. Different companies will have different specialities which are suited to different projects so keep your options open and play the field. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and shop around for quotes.
Equally, be prepared to be flexible and expect the unexpected in terms of how the project will develop. Changing your mind is always a possibility and the more ideas you have, the more likely you’ll be satisfied with the end result.
If you’ve handled all of this and are looking for some action, Service Central has plenty to sink your teeth into. Get quotes from
In fact there are over 150 different types of local services that you can get quotes for, simply by filling in this Get Quotes form: /get-quotes/
