Tips for hiring a Quality Tradie on the Gold Coast

We have put together a few tips and tricks to ensure you are hiring a Quality Tradie who is licenced, insured and will deliver the high-quality workmanship you are looking for.

We know it can be nerve-racking when hiring a trade or service provider; to complete your renovation or home improvement, there are so many questions, reviews, and quotes, and how do you know the person you are getting is Quality?

We have put together a range of tips able to help you find a trustworthy tradie you are happy to hire and get your work done as soon as possible.

Talk with the Tradies

It’s always a good idea to talk with the tradies first about what you require and the time frame before engaging a quote; it is essential to ask when the work can be done, how long it will take and any hidden costs or obstacles you may come across.

Now it’s time to ask for a quote; it’s important to ask a few trades to quote on your job and ensure you get a good idea of the costs, timeframes and available tradesman. 

Now to make sure they are a Quality Tradie

So you have now received multiple quotes, and we are sure they have different pricing, inclusions etc, and you have an idea of who you might like to go with, but now we need to make sure they are licenced and insured for the work they are completing.

So the first step is to pick your top two or three quotes and ask them if they could provide copies of any relevant licence and insurance information, including public liability insurance. 

When asking for proof of insurance, you are looking for a copy of their policy or what is called a certificate of currency; this will allow you to verify with the issuing company that the insurance is valid.

When checking for licences, most of the trades in Queensland have to be licenced by the QBCC, and you can search for their details at www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/ 

However, some other trade and service providers like Electricians, Pest Control and Air Conditioning may have their own licencing authority that you should check with, and you’re just checking that the licence is active; there are no judgements against the trade, the name matches the person or company you are dealing with.

A few extra checks for peace of mind you can complete

If you’re completing any significant work, we recommend completing a few extra steps along the way to ensure you are getting a trade you are comfortable with. 

Requesting a Reference

Ask the trade if they would be comfortable providing your contact details for one or two references they have completed recent work for, and give them a call and ask them what works were completed, the reliability and any issues they have had and whether they are happy with the jobs completed.

Check their ABN & Company Details

It’s always good to know who you are working with, so completing a quick google search on their business name might yield some results; a good idea is also to check their ABN and company details are active and up to date. 

Go Over Your Quote in Details & Setup a Payment Schedule

Take the time to review your quotes from top to toe before you start; make sure you and your trade or service provider are on the same page and understand what is included and what is not and the agreed price.

Now you have selected your Quality Tradie, it is time to discuss the payment terms, organise for a deposit to be paid, and hold the remanding payment until work is completed.  If progress payments are required, ask for separate detailed invoices, this way, you can keep an eye on what you are paying for and when. 

Or a great alternative, use a Quality Trades & Services member to complete your work.

QTAS is an invitation-only network of Quality Trades & Services providers connecting the community with licenced, insured, and referenced trades they can trust.

Or if you are a tradesperson who thinks they would be a great fit for our platform, you can apply here