You need some work doing on your most valuable asset – your home – and you need to choose a business to carry it out. You need someone you can trust to get the job done to the right standard for the money you’ll be paying, and if you don’t know where to start, choosing the right company can be a daunting prospect. Here are some of the things that can happen with the wrong company, along with our checklist of the positives to look out for when you’re scanning the market.
Cheap Doesn’t Always Mean Cheerful
Choosing the company that offers you the lowest quotation can be a gamble. The same work and materials will be needed, so the variation in cost likely to be down to the quality of the materials, and the experience of the workforce – and usually, the better the quality, the higher the cost of both.
The consequences of going with a cheaper option can be serious. If the materials are lower quality, they’re not going to last as long – and if they’ve not been installed with the knowledge and expertise of skilled professionals, they won’t do the job as well as they should – which will mean repairs, or even having the work done all over again. There’s a very real risk of the old saying coming true: Buy Cheap, Buy Twice.
Going with the most expensive option won’t necessarily guarantee you quality, either – and that’s where some of the trademarks of quality come in. To find a company that’s reliable, reputable and trustworthy, you need to do your homework and carry out some research.
What to Look For
Accreditations: one of the ways you can tell the difference between a rogue trader and a reputable business is by the importance they place on gaining accreditations. The accreditation process is not an easy one – and it shouldn’t be – but the outcome is well worth the effort, because it demonstrates a commitment to standards and quality, officially recognised by industry leaders. We’re very proud of the work we’ve done to achieve our accreditations, and it’s an important part of our professional standing to keep them up to date – check out our Home page for the list.
Reviews: Trader recommendation sites are a great place to go to find out what other customers like you think of our services. Places like TrustaTrader and Checkatrade are a great place to look (click the links to see our entries), as are local directories and social media groups where members of the community ask for others’ recommendations. Looking at the reviews left on social media accounts for a business will give you a great flavour for the types of jobs a company has carried out in the past, and their levels of customer satisfaction.
Social Media accounts and websites: as well as the reviews that go along with them, a company’s social media account (and website too, if they have one) is a great place for them to showcase their previous work, demonstrate their credibility, and show off their expertise. You’ll also get a feel for their ethos and approach, and you may get to know about some of the people who work for them as well.
You need to know you can trust the people you get in to care for your property. It can be a minefield out there, but there are places to go to find out more about the companies you’re considering. We’re always happy to have a chat with potential customers about what they need and how we can help – get in touch with us today to find out more.
