How to choose a good renovation crew?

You have just bought a flat that you intend to renovate thoroughly. Or perhaps you are planning to sell, and to get a better price the property needs freshening up. Whatever your plans, you need an experienced renovation crew who will carry out the work just as you planned it. That is why today we explain what to look for when choosing good tradespeople.

Choosing a renovation crew is no small challenge, especially as there have even been television programmes about rip-off tradesmen. What can you do to avoid ending up with one of the stars of such a show? Above all, remember to follow a few golden rules when choosing a service provider. Here they are.

Arm yourself with patience

You will not find a good renovation crew in a single day. The process takes time. Do not go for the first tradespeople you come across, either. If it turns out that you have to wait a while for the company's services, do not get irritated. That is a good sign. If tradespeople have plenty of jobs lined up, it must say something about the high quality of their work.

On the other hand, if you hear that the crew can start more or less right away, you should be concerned. It may be a sign that the service providers do not have much experience in what they do, and that risks shoddy work in your flat.

Remember too that the time quoted for the renovation itself should give you pause. If a crew plans to carry out a thorough renovation in a few days, you can be sure it will not be done well. A satisfactory result always takes a little waiting, so it is better to give the tradespeople more time but be certain that they will pay attention to every detail.

Check the reviews

It is always best to start looking for a good renovation crew by asking acquaintances, friends and family. After all, everyone has had a flat or other property renovated at some point, so they will gladly recommend someone reliable or warn you off unreliable tradespeople.

It is also worth looking online and on building forums. They are full of opinions about various companies. You should, however, take them with a pinch of salt, as the unflattering ones are often written by competitors. What should give you food for thought is the ratio of good comments to bad ones, as well as their overall number. A complete lack of reviews does not bode well either.

Price

A very important matter is the estimate for the whole renovation. Of course, tradespeople can only give one once they hear your specific expectations. So be prepared to state clearly what you want to achieve. But when you hear statements such as "it's hard to say how much it will cost", "roughly this much" or "we'll sort it out once the work is done", alarm bells should start ringing. What kind of specialist cannot put a price on their own work?

So look for tradespeople who can state their rates clearly. It is best to put the final cost estimate in writing in the contract, so that the amount does not surprise you when you settle up.

Do not forget to compare the rates of different tradespeople, either. Do not look for the cheapest, because someone who undervalues their work is probably not a good specialist. The comparison will, however, help you get an idea of how much you should pay for the renovation you have in mind. This will protect you from swindlers.