Is there a "marketplace" of people that I could hire, for example, to fit carpets, with reviews?
Posted by Silent_Historian_432@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 29 comments
I don't really like hiring somebody from FB or Gumtree with 0 reviews, so is there any marketplace where I could find somebody who did it many times? Also hiring somebody directly is supposed to be cheaper then doing it through companies.
skybluepink77@reddit
Another one is Which? Trusted Trader, where all the reviews have been verified.
You could also get a list of approved tradespeople from your local Council, where they also verify. You wouldn't get any reviews but you'd know that anyone that stays on the list knows what they're doing!
re carpet-fitting, it's best to get a fitter from the shop you bought the carpet from; as their reputation is very important to them. Choose a local carpet shop, don't buy online.
Silent_Historian_432@reddit (OP)
Why not buy online? I thought about ordering everything online and then calling fitter
skybluepink77@reddit
It's up to you, do what works; but I've found with carpets, it's better to go into a local shop and get samples etc and really see what the colour/texture etc of the carpet is; and then you book them in to fit it - so they do the whole thing.
Any problems, you've got an instant comeback. They also know about adjusting the underside of your doors to fit over the new pile [often, you need the door underside shaving down a bit] - and again, they already have a guy that does that for them, so it's a one-stop shop.
T33-L@reddit
Please please please don’t use trust a trader, check a trader, mybuilder etc etc etc.
Vile places to be. Good trades people don’t need lead generating sites, so they avoid them. The sites charge silly amounts to the tradespeople, and so all the desperate dregs end up there, racing to the bottom, they’ll lowball the price to win the work, then they’ll do a shoddy job to match their low price. You might get lucky and find the odd one or two tradies on them that are good, maybe someone who’s moved area and has had to start a customer base from scratch, but generally avoid.
Facebook local groups are generally good, but just be wary of the tradies girlfriends and wives ‘highly recommending’ them. My trade seems to have a saturated market locally at the moment, and every time it pops up on the local group, you see the same names mentioned by the same people, and it’s always a wife or girlfriend, mum or dad! So do a quick profile stalk and rule out those ones, and go with ones where multiple unrelated people suggest them.
Google reviews are also alright for some guidance.
Sea-Still5427@reddit
Check a Trade or Trust a Trader, but I always go by personal recommendations as the best people don't need to be on those sites. I used Nextdoor for that kind of thing. I also takes a sneaky photos of trades working for my neighbours.
elethiomel_was_kind@reddit
The local pub is the place.
Handsome_Cupcake@reddit
I swear by Thumbtack for this kind of stuff. Used it to find a carpet installer last month and it was so much better than rolling the dice on Facebook. You can see actual reviews, photos of their work, and they're usually background checked. My guy had like 50+ positive reviews and did an amazing job with my bedroom carpet.
eerst@reddit
Why are you suggesting something that only exists in the US in a UK subreddit...?
itallstartedwithapub@reddit
Do they operate in the UK? I checked their site and it said the app isn't available here.
Rebeccacpfc@reddit
Task rabbit is a good option; used it to move some furniture. You can view their profile, chat directly and don't pay until work has finished. The app also let's you filter tradepeople that are available within a week, which I haven't seen before on an app.
ans-myonul@reddit
I've used Taskrabbit a couple of times and had good experiences
dbxp@reddit
https://www.checkatrade.com/
freckledotter@reddit
Honestly, your local Facebook group. Lots of businesses on there do have reviews.
SaltPomegranate4@reddit
There’s an app for this called Air Tasker
HenshinDictionary@reddit
Air Tasker? More like YEAH TASKER.
God I hate that advert.
SaltPomegranate4@reddit
Yea me too. App was good though to be fair.
tmstms@reddit
Honestly, ANY way you can get word of mouth is best. Tradespeople often know good people in other trades.
E.g. Ask the carpet shop who is cheap and good, if you know no-one who.
seasonaldiamond@reddit
I’ve had quotes for both. When I have had flooring fitted it’s been cheaper, significantly so, to take the option offered by the flooring store, than to find my own person. I have only bought flooring from independents, no chains.
AnonymousTimewaster@reddit
On a similar note. My house is a tip. I don't think it's acceptable to get a normal cleaner to do it as it's probably beyond the scope of what they'd normally do. Is there like a "How Clean is Your House" team I can get?
Mr-Incy@reddit
Same as the advice for the OP, google house cleaners in your area, you should be able to tell from their company description and reviews if they are up to tackling something that is more than just everyday tidying up.
Remarkable-Wash-7798@reddit
Add to this a phone call to all cleaning companies you like the reviews of etc. it would take two seconds for them to say if they don't bigger jobs than just a normal wipe down.
txe4@reddit
If I can't get a recommendation from a friend, I usually use a local Facebook group.
All online marketplaces/recommendations systems end up gamed.
When I look at local FB groups' recommendations for stuff, I see tradesmen/garages/etc I know from experience to be good, recommended over and over.
faithlessone423@reddit
https://www.checkatrade.com/ - have you tried this?
nolinearbanana@reddit
If you want the worst cowboys on the planet - sure use this "service"
Cannonpark@reddit
Terrible terrible suggestion.
MDK1980@reddit
Damn, beat me to it. But yeah, exactly what OP needs.
faithlessone423@reddit
I'm going to have the jingle stuck in my head all day, lol.
nolinearbanana@reddit
So with carpet fitting you could simply pluck one off Google and they'd likely be OK. But more complicated things - plumbers, builders, tilers.... there is no substitute for personal recommendations.
Avoid the websites: checkatrade, mybuilder etc - they are full of scammers. Workmen have to PAY to even contact you about a job so there's a HUGE incentive for them to quote you the least, to get the work, and then either do a crap job, or scam you in other ways. Genuine tradesmen avoid these places like the plague.
Yes - if you can hire someone with a turnover under 85k per year, you won't be paying VAT so instantly 20% cheaper on Labour, while if you go through a company you've got a lot more overheads to cover too, however you have a lot more comeback if things go wrong when you use a company.
Plenty_Suspect_3446@reddit
Trustatrader. Or just google what work you want done and look on maps at local providers and find the best reviewed. For carpet fitters they are usually supplied by the shop you buy carpets so that if there are any issues you can bring it up with the shop and they are obligated to fix it.