Hiring Trades
Hiring Trades
Finding, checking and paying builders, gas engineers, electricians and other local tradespeople.
4 guides1 from the archive
Guides
Before you sign
How to Find a Reliable Builder and Avoid Cowboys
Checked references, a verified company or scheme membership, and a written contract do more to prevent a bad job than anything agreed on a handshake.
Check the card
Gas Safe Register Check: Verify Your Engineer
A two-minute check against the official register and a look at the engineer's ID card confirms who they are and what gas work they are qualified to do.
Paperwork that matters
EICR and Electrical Certificates: What Homeowners Need
An EICR checks the safety of existing wiring, while an Electrical Installation Certificate proves that specific new work meets Building Regulations.
Know what you agreed
Quote vs Estimate: What Your Price Really Means
When no price is fixed in advance, UK law says a trader can charge only a reasonable price, not whatever figure suits them once the job is finished.
