Construction or renovation: choosing your tradesmen

Are you looking for qualified tradesmen for a construction or renovation project? To ensure work runs smoothly and to avoid unforeseen problems, take the time to carefully select the companies you’ll be working with. What checks should you carry out and what criteria should you take into account before committing? Here’s how to choose your tradesmen.

Research the company

Finding good tradesmen for a construction or renovation project can be difficult: there are many companies and the services on offer vary from one contractor to another. Often, the first instinct is to search online. Builders, masons, tilers, painters and carpenters are all specialists in their own field.

Using a search engine, do an initial filter to locate tradesmen in your region. Specialist portals and online directories can be used to find the information needed to make an initial selection, e.g. details of services, company information or photographs of work performed.

→ Give preference to companies based near the work site. This will make future exchanges with the contractor easier and should reduce costs.

To judge the reliability of the tradesmen selected and the quality of their services, read customer reviews on websites, Google or the companies’ social network profiles. Beware, though: excessively positive or negative reviews may not be real.

→ Enquire about the tradesman’s professional credentials: are they registered in the Trade and Companies Register? Is the address given on their website real?

The surest way to find a trustworthy tradesman is by word of mouth.

Ask friends and family for their opinion

The surest way to find a trustworthy tradesman is by word of mouth. Ask friends and family if they know any good professionals. Speak with family, friends and colleagues at work about your project. They can offer good advice and experience, whether good or bad.

→ Ask about the quality of the tradesman’s work, rates, respect for deadlines, availability, etc.

To find a good tradesman in your area, you can also speak to neighbours or your estate agent, or ask for recommendations on social networks (e.g. Facebook groups). However, be careful not to take these opinions at face value, even if given in good faith. Everyone gives their opinion based on their own expectations and a personal understanding of what “good value” means. In short, take opinions for what they are: subjective assessments of a third party, not objective truth.

Find out about the trademan’s skills

To find out whether the trademan’s services are what you’re looking for, check photos of his work on his website or social network profile, or ask directly for photos of previous projects or to visit one of his sites. This will allow you to see if his work meets your expectations and, if the opportunity arises, to ask the opinion of his client directly.

→ Depending on the nature of the work, it may be a good idea to choose a building professional with a label or certification: this will guarantee quality, reliability and expertise. The Grand Duchy awards numerous labels and certifications, particularly in the environmental field: Energie fir d’Zukunft+, Artisan Certifié Maison Passive, SuperDrecksKëscht® fir Betriber, Construction durable, etc.

To make sure work goes smoothly, it’s important to establish a relationship of trust with your tradesman.

Take your time to talk to the professional

Invite the tradesman on site to present your project. Give him a clear idea of what you want: final result, plan or sketch of your ideas, etc. The more precise your request, the lower the risk of misunderstanding. Ask any questions you might have and clearly state your constraints. Once on site, the service provider can judge the extent of the work and give his expert opinion on the feasibility of the project and possible constraints.

To make sure work goes smoothly, it’s important to establish a relationship of trust with your tradesman. By talking to him, you’ll be able to judge his level of professionalism.

→ Trust your intuition: Does he listen to you? Does he give good advice? Does he suggest solutions to your problems? Does he respect your ideas and wishes? You’ll be able to judge how committed he is to your project fairly quickly.

Check that they’re insured

Regardless of the quality of the work, unforeseen events can always arise in construction or renovation projects. This is why it’s important to make sure the tradesman is appropriately insured.

Depending on the nature of the work, you should check that they’ve taken out certain insurance policies. For example:

• • a decennial guarantee (garantie décennale) covering structural work for ten years;
  • a biennial performance guarantee (garantie biennale de bon fonctionnement) covering equipment in the home for two years;
  • a one-year guarantee that the completed building corresponds to the description (garantie de parfait achèvement);
  • comprehensive worksite insurance (tous risques chantier) covering accidental damage during construction;
  • professional liability insurance, protecting against damage caused to the client by the tradesman;
  • etc.

These insurance policies will provide protection against error, poor workmanship or damage related to the work carried out. Serious tradesmen insure themselves against the risks associated with their trade. Where a tradesman hasn’t insured himself against such risks, think carefully before signing.

The cheapest tradesman isn’t necessarily the best choice. You should take all criteria into account: conformity of the work, supplies used, services included in the price, etc.

Compare a number of companies

Ask for quotes for the project from different contractors. For example, ask three tradesmen for quotes and compare their offers carefully. In addition to the mandatory administrative data, quotes should explicitly detail the nature of the work proposed, the materials to be used and their cost, the completion date, any travel costs, the hourly rate for labour, etc.

The more precise the document, the less likely you’ll receive unpleasant surprises in the event of a dispute. The clarity of the estimate and the contractor’s responsiveness will also allow you to judge his seriousness and motivation for the project. It’s not always easy to compare estimates, so ask as many questions as possible and never assume that a service or piece of equipment is included in the estimate if it isn’t explicitly mentioned.

NB: the cheapest tradesman isn’t necessarily the best choice. You should take all criteria into account: conformity of the work, supplies used, services included in the price, etc.

→ Avoid paying the full bill at the outset, even when accompanied by a discount. Ideally, pay in instalments: make a deposit when work starts and pay the balance on completion. Depending on the extent of the work, there may also be interim payments at various stages of the project.

Now you see that tradesmen should be chosen with care. Don’t rush. Instead, take the time to select a contractor who’ll meet your needs and give you advice so that your project goes as smoothly as possible. After all, you’ll have to live with the results for years or even decades. This makes it worth your while to choose well. Good luck!