Homeowner: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Tradespeople
Q. Are the tradespeople on your site legally registered?
A. We make multiple checks on all trade joiners and they must satisfy these investigations to be registered with us. We do this to ensure, as far as we possibly can, that the tradesperson is registered correctly and legally entitled to work in the country they advertise their services.
We take security extremely seriously and even though we validate trade members when they join, we strongly recommend you always validate a company's current registration details and ensure they have the necessary up to date insurances. Please note that ANY information provided on a tradesperson's profile should be verified by yourself prior to hiring.
Q. I emailed one of your trades but have had no reply
A. We often find that when contacting people in these days of spam, your message can often not get through the filters put on by either the Internet Service Provider (ISP) or the addressee themselves. If possible try calling them, we cannot imagine why a tradesperson would want to ignore the very request they have asked to receive, so give them the benefit of the doubt and keep trying.
Q. Does your service provide online estimates?
A. No, we do not provide estimates. The person or company who is vying for your work will provide you with a detailed estimate and you can specify how you would like to receive your it. If you are happy doing it, you can even provide them with enough information by phone or email for them to provide a reasonable estimate. This can often happen with smaller jobs like replacing a lock or repairing a roof tile etc. – the choice is entirely yours.
Q. Who are the tradespeople that will receive my request?
A. We forward your request to tradespeople we have selected from our member network on the basis of their trade category and the geographical area that they work in – and if it is important to you, based on how far you are happy for them to travel.
Q. How many tradespeople will contact me?
A. You tell us. You can ask for 2, 3 or 4 contacts. Once the number you selected has been reached, no-one else will contact you. We will notify you when a company promises to contact you. We do this so you can expect their contact and view their details. You then arrange a time to suit you for them to visit and provide you with an estimate
Q. How long must I wait for contact from tradespeople?
A. When you post your job, you tell us how quickly you need a reply. When that time limit is reached we will contact you and ask if you would like to extend the time if you have not yet received sufficient contacts. If the number of contacts you requested is reached before that time limit, your job will be removed.
Q. How long must I wait from the time you tell me someone has promised to contact me to the time they actually contact me?
A. Most tradespeople will contact you immediately but we ask that you give them at least 1 day and allow them to quote for the work once they do. It is to your advantage to receive multiple quotes and be wary of anyone suggesting that you remove your job early.
Q. How will I be contacted?
A. Most tradespeople tend to use the phone (requests with no phone number will not be processed). We give you the chance to specify your availability, to make sure they call at a time that is convenient. Some tradespeople make an initial contact by email before phoning you or arranging an appointment.
Q. Do the tradespeople come out to give their quote?
A. That is generally what happens, but it is left up to you and them to agree if that is necessary. You may be able to provide them with enough information by phone or email for them to provide a reasonable estimate without a visit
Q. Will my contact details be posted on the web?
A. No, your contact details will only ever be passed on to a maximum of 3 companies or tradespeople at the most, and will never be published on our website.
Q. If I post a job on the site, am I obliged to choose any of your tradesmen?
A. Not at all, who you choose is entirely up to you. We hope we can help you find the best builder, if not, you can simply remove your listing from the site.
Posting jobs
Q. How do I post my job?
A. From the home page, click on the blue graphic named 'Homeowners'. In the left navigation area click 'Post a Job'. Complete the simple form with as much information as possible about the job to give the tradesmen a better idea of the work needing to be done.
Feedback
Q. How does the rating system work?
A. Before you decide who to hire, look at the feedback for the tradespeople who are quoting for your work and judge your suitability on how well they have previously been rated. After you hire them and the work is finished, you will add to that feedback, giving your rating on several factors important to you and reward excellent service. It is in the trades best interest to provide quality work and get great feedback, which increases their chances of getting more work.
Q. How do I leave feedback?
A. You should only rate a tradesperson if they carried out work for the job you posted. When rating a trade please remember to provide a balanced view. When logged in, go to 'Manage my Jobs', select the appropriate job and click on 'Rate this Trade'. All ratings are moderated.
General
Q. I've received the required number of contacts, what do I do now?
A. Log in, click on 'Manage my Jobs' and
Q. Is my personal information safe?
A. Yes, completely safe. We do not display any of your contact details on the site.
Q. Are the tradespeople on your site legally registered?
A. We make multiple checks on all trade joiners and they must satisfy these investigations to be registered with us. We do this to ensure, as far as we possibly can, that the tradesperson is registered correctly and legally entitled to work in the country they advertise their services.
We take security extremely seriously and even though we validate trade members when they join, we strongly recommend you always validate a company's current registration details and ensure they have the necessary up to date insurances. Please note that ANY information provided on a tradesperson's profile should be verified by yourself prior to hiring.
Q. I emailed one of your trades but have had no reply
A. We often find that when contacting people in these days of spam, your message can often not get through the filters put on by either the Internet Service Provider (ISP) or the addressee themselves. If possible try calling them, we cannot imagine why a tradesperson would want to ignore the very request they have asked to receive, so give them the benefit of the doubt and keep trying.
Q. Does your service provide online estimates?
A. No, we do not provide estimates. The person or company who is vying for your work will provide you with a detailed estimate and you can specify how you would like to receive your it. If you are happy doing it, you can even provide them with enough information by phone or email for them to provide a reasonable estimate. This can often happen with smaller jobs like replacing a lock or repairing a roof tile etc. – the choice is entirely yours.
Q. Who are the tradespeople that will receive my request?
A. We forward your request to tradespeople we have selected from our member network on the basis of their trade category and the geographical area that they work in – and if it is important to you, based on how far you are happy for them to travel.
Q. How many tradespeople will contact me?
A. You tell us. You can ask for 2, 3 or 4 contacts. Once the number you selected has been reached, no-one else will contact you. We will notify you when a company promises to contact you. We do this so you can expect their contact and view their details. You then arrange a time to suit you for them to visit and provide you with an estimate
Q. How long must I wait for contact from tradespeople?
A. When you post your job, you tell us how quickly you need a reply. When that time limit is reached we will contact you and ask if you would like to extend the time if you have not yet received sufficient contacts. If the number of contacts you requested is reached before that time limit, your job will be removed.
Q. How long must I wait from the time you tell me someone has promised to contact me to the time they actually contact me?
A. Most tradespeople will contact you immediately but we ask that you give them at least 1 day and allow them to quote for the work once they do. It is to your advantage to receive multiple quotes and be wary of anyone suggesting that you remove your job early.
Q. How will I be contacted?
A. Most tradespeople tend to use the phone (requests with no phone number will not be processed). We give you the chance to specify your availability, to make sure they call at a time that is convenient. Some tradespeople make an initial contact by email before phoning you or arranging an appointment.
Q. Do the tradespeople come out to give their quote?
A. That is generally what happens, but it is left up to you and them to agree if that is necessary. You may be able to provide them with enough information by phone or email for them to provide a reasonable estimate without a visit
Q. Will my contact details be posted on the web?
A. No, your contact details will only ever be passed on to a maximum of 3 companies or tradespeople at the most, and will never be published on our website.
Q. If I post a job on the site, am I obliged to choose any of your tradesmen?
A. Not at all, who you choose is entirely up to you. We hope we can help you find the best builder, if not, you can simply remove your listing from the site.
Posting jobs
Q. How do I post my job?
A. From the home page, click on the blue graphic named 'Homeowners'. In the left navigation area click 'Post a Job'. Complete the simple form with as much information as possible about the job to give the tradesmen a better idea of the work needing to be done.
Feedback
Q. How does the rating system work?
A. Before you decide who to hire, look at the feedback for the tradespeople who are quoting for your work and judge your suitability on how well they have previously been rated. After you hire them and the work is finished, you will add to that feedback, giving your rating on several factors important to you and reward excellent service. It is in the trades best interest to provide quality work and get great feedback, which increases their chances of getting more work.
Q. How do I leave feedback?
A. You should only rate a tradesperson if they carried out work for the job you posted. When rating a trade please remember to provide a balanced view. When logged in, go to 'Manage my Jobs', select the appropriate job and click on 'Rate this Trade'. All ratings are moderated.
General
Q. I've received the required number of contacts, what do I do now?
A. Log in, click on 'Manage my Jobs' and
Q. Is my personal information safe?
A. Yes, completely safe. We do not display any of your contact details on the site.
