How to find a good tradesperson on Checkatrade (from a tradesman who’s on it)

How to find a good tradesperson on Checkatrade (from a tradesman who’s on it)

I’m Richard, a handyman in Aylesbury. I’ve been on Checkatrade since 2023, and it’s where I’d send anyone looking for a tradesperson. I’ll say that plainly up front: I’m a member, so I have an interest.

But I see job requests from the other side, and how you post a job makes a big difference to who turns up. Here’s what I’d tell a friend.

Guide · The Honest Fix

Why I point people to Checkatrade

• Checked before they join. Checkatrade tradespeople have passed up to 12 checks, including ID, proof of address, county court judgments and financial checks, and they’re rechecked while they stay.^[1]
• Not every profile is checked. You may also see free profiles. Those tradespeople haven’t been through the checks and can’t be contacted through Checkatrade.^[2]
• Reviews. Checkatrade says it checks reviews for authenticity.^[3]
• A guarantee, with conditions. If you hire and pay your tradesperson through Checkatrade, eligible work may be covered up to £1,000. Read the guarantee terms before you rely on it.^[3]

Don’t post it as urgent (unless it really is)

This is the big one. If you post a job as urgent, you get whoever is free right now. That might be a great tradesperson. But the good ones usually have a diary, and you’re more likely to get the right person if you give them time to fit you in.

So if you’re planning a project, take your time. Think ahead, then post the job with plenty of notice.

A real emergency is different. For a burst pipe, turn off the water at the stopcock first. If you smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

Write a job description that gets good replies

• What you want done, in plain words.
• Photos of the job, and of anything nearby that matters (the wall, the pipework, the access).
• Measurements, if it’s something to be fitted.
• Whether you’ve bought the materials, or want them supplied.
• When you’d like it done, with some flexibility.
• A rough budget, if you have one.

A vague job gets vague replies. A clear one tells a good tradesperson it’s worth their time.

Choosing from the replies

• Read the recent reviews, especially for jobs like yours.
• Look at their photos of past work.
• See how they reply to reviews, good and bad.
• For anything bigger than a small job, ask them to come and look before quoting.
• Get the quote in writing, and check what’s included.
• Speak to more than one, and don’t rush the decision.

Red flags

• Pressure to decide today.
• A large cash deposit before any work starts.
• No written quote.
• No photos or reviews of similar work.

When you need a registered specialist

Some jobs need a specific registration, whoever you find. Anything on gas needs a Gas Safe registered engineer. New electrical circuits, and most electrical work in bathrooms, need a qualified electrician. See Moving or fitting a gas hob and Replacing an electric shower.