Check-a-trade recommended?

Risteard

BananaRepublic said:

orwen said:

Thanks, just out of interest, who regulates carpentry & the trades in this country please, which authority?

I don’t think there are any such authorities. Some trades do require qualifications, so Part P for sparks, and Gas Safe or whatever it’s called now for gas boilers. There are guilds, such as the Guild of Master Craftsmen (note the sexism) but in practice I suspect it’s just a posh sounding name to put on a business card. You might as well get someone who is a member of the Tufty Club. My late mum said “It’s hard to get a good builder”, and when her builder started insulting me, she told me off! It is hard to get a good trade. 

I’ve just had an idea. When I needed a tiler to do my kitchen floor, I rang up the kitchen company that fitted my kitchen, and very good it was too. They gave me the names of two tilers. I used one of them, and he was good. Of course this means you need to find a reputable kitchen shop (not Wren, B&Q or Wickes by all accounts). Mine was Optiplan FWIW. 

Part P isn't a qualification. It's simply a Building Regulation. And in the context you are using in England and Wales only. 

southcoastrgi

There isn't any qualifications for chippies, checkatrade is owned by homeserve & a great number of the decent trades have left due to a number of reasons the biggest being they have trebled the costs to trades, if you are having no luck with fb there is a app called next door that you could get & ask for recommendations it's very area pacific but you can post in all the areas around yours at the same time 

Jeepers_Creepers

Don't necessarily dismiss this guy, Orwen. Have him round to discuss your requirements and to quote.

Explain precisely what it is you are after, and what you expect. Ask if he's done anything like this before, and listen carefully to what he says. If he has done something similar, he surely has some photos?! Ask him for previous customers you can call.

Also note how well he listens to you - really takes on board and understands what you are after.   

You will then hopefully have a sense of what he's like, and have some time - whilst he prepares his quote - to get more info on him and his work.

But, you cannot beat word-of-mouth, especially about a tradespeep who doesn't even have to advertise.