Tips After Moving To New State
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October 3rd, 2018

How to find reliable trades and health services if you just moved!

 

After you are finished with the unpacking process, it is evident that the hardest part of the move is over. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things that need to be done. Before you can sit down and relax, there is lots of stuff that will need to be fixed here and there. From changing the lock to finding a reliable dentist, you will need a professional or trades person to help you and even call when emergency hits. However, finding a reliable and reputable tradesman can be very hard especially when you have just moved to a new state. So how do you go about sourcing health care professionals, a plumber, or technician that you can trust? To help you, here are tips on how to find reliable trades and health services if you just moved.

Get personal recommendations

When looking for a good professional or tradesman, one of the best ways to achieve that is getting recommendations from your new neighbors and colleagues. One of the best things about word of mouth is that it is easy and possible to inspect the work that they have carried out. You can also consider asking a tradesman that you have worked with before whether they have someone in your new area that they trust.

Online recommendation services

Online recommendations are also a great way to find reliable tradesman in your new area. There are a good number of different websites in Australia which provide a transparent space for customers to post and advertise their services. The websites cover a wide range of services including plumbers, builders, electricians, carpenters, and painters. Therefore, these websites like Gumtree can prove highly valuable when hunting down reliable tradesmen in a new city or state. Just remember to go for websites that have more reviews since the many reviews a website has, the better it tends to be.

Local recommendations

Your trading standards service may operate a ‘Builders’ register with lists of plumbers, roofers, electricians and many other tradesmen who have been recommended and have undergone a strict vetting procedure by trading standards. Use the post code search at the Trading Standards website to find your local office then search on that for a register.

Commercial directories

Another way to find a reliable tradesman is by looking in your local commercial directories. With local commercial directories, you post your location and a clear description of the type of job that you want to be done. After doing that, a number of recommended traders who have subscribed to the service will contact you to quote on the work. You can read what other customers have said about them and also go back and rate the trader after the work is done.

How to make sure you get the best work

Finding a tradesman that has the right skills and approach can save you both money and time. Hopefully, with these tips you will be able to find the right person in your new city for any job you want done. Before you decide whether the trader that you have is right for the job, it is important to first do a thorough investigation which can be as simple as just asking the right questions and websites like Airtasker can save some money too!

• Get at least three quotes – Always be very wary of those tradesmen who give the lowest quote. On the other hand, you can ask the more expensive ones why their price is at that level. This will help you determine if there is a difference.

• Check whether they are licensed – A good tradesperson or professional should be properly licensed and carry full insurance that promises to protect your property.

• Get two or more references – If you are getting recommendations from someone, you can go ahead and ask to see some of the work they have done before. Additionally, you can go and read their reviews online and see what his or her previous clients are saying about.

• Ask how long the trader has been in business – Generally, good tradesmen and professionals tend to last for a long time while the rogue ones often disappear after just a short time.

• Always use a written contract – This offers you protection in case anything goes bad. Ensure that you get a detailed, written quotation which includes the starting and finishing times and the agreed payment terms.

• Don’t pay in advance – Only pay for work that has already been done. In case materials need to be bought in advance, the trader should ask you to pay a fair percentage of the costs as the job progresses.


Do you need more information?

Speak to one of our friendly moving experts today.