How to find and hire a tradie for your job

What to ask when hiring a tradie

Does the tradie have a website? 

The first stage in finding a tradie is to check their website. 

"A professional website with transparent information is important," Tayeh says. "You're looking to make sure the tradies are accredited, licensed and insured, and if there is any warranty for labour and services. Photos of their sign-written vans and uniforms are all good signs," Tayeh says.

How hard is it to contact the tradie?

The next step is to get an online quote, which is usually followed up by the company, or contact potential tradies on the phone. Phone numbers should be easily obtained through an internet search and professional websites.

"Be mindful of the tradie's professionalism on the phone," Tayeh advises. "If you're able to strike up a positive relationship before you hire them, it's a good indication of how the job will run."

Is the tradie trustworthy?

While online reviews are a great indication, Tayeh says word-of-mouth is even better.

"If you know someone that has had a good experience with a tradie, then why wouldn't you use them?" he says. "The tradie will also appreciate the reference and ensure that your experience is consistent."

Can you trust tradies' online reviews?

"The more online reviews a business has, the better the odds of those reviews being accurately positive or negative," Tayeh says.

But always take online reviews with a degree of caution. "Often tradies will have their friends post reviews online," he says.

Many tradies also showcase portfolios on their websites or social media pages. Look for consistency in workmanship and style. If you're hiring for a creative task like landscaping or tiling, visual examples are especially useful.

Tradies' licenses and qualifications

Do tradies need to be registered or licensed?

Licence and registration requirements differ by trade and by state. 

"Some trades require licences, and I would always recommend using a licensed tradie," says Tayeh. "Other trades are not licensed and therefore there's no real governing body."

If you're planning any major home improvement work, always look for licensed builders, carpenters, plumbers and electricians. Depending on the value of the job and type of job, you may also be legally required to engage a registered builder.

Check out the Victorian Building Authority website for more details. 

What about membership bodies and industry associations?

A tradie having industry body membership can give you a level of confidence that a trade will be reputable, plus some support should things go wrong.

The Master Builders Association of Victoria, Master Plumbers Association, National Electrical and Communications Association and Housing Industry Association are all good places to check.

"Membership to these bodies is voluntary and there are membership costs involved," says Tayeh. "The general purpose of these bodies is to support and educate members to build a high-quality trade network. Trades who choose to associate with these bodies are generally motivated to provide a high-quality service and use their membership as a selling point."

What qualifications do tradies need?

While some trades don’t necessarily need to be licensed, you do want your tradie to be qualified. 

Qualifications are different for each trade, so do your research online. If in doubt, call the relevant governing body, like the Master Plumbers Association, to find out which qualifications are required.

Getting a quote from a tradie

How many quotes should you get for a job? Is three still the gold standard?

When it comes to quoting, Tayeh says although there is no magic number, three is a pretty good rule of thumb. Even if you've had a tradie referred by friends or family, it doesn't hurt to get a comparison.

"For a small job, two quotes might be sufficient, but for larger jobs where there's more to lose, always get at least three," he says.

Note that the cheapest option isn't always the best. Sometimes a higher upfront cost reflects better-quality materials, faster completion or fewer unexpected extras later.

So when comparing quotes, don't just look at the bottom line. Consider what's included in the quote (materials, labour, clean-up, GST), whether it's a fixed-price or hourly rate, how long the job will take, and whether warranties are offered.

What should be included in a quote?

The more detail in a quote, the more it can be trusted. 

"A single-dollar value at the bottom of a page is nowhere near sufficient because it leaves room for a tradie to tell you post-job that some things weren't included – such as waste removal," says Tayeh.

"Insist that the written quote includes all the specific details that are important to you. This way you can refer to the quote if any questions around the scope arise once the job is complete."

What about allowing for cost variations?

Ideally cost variations should be avoided. The smaller the job, the easier they are to avoid. 

"Usually on domestic jobs, tradies will quote for a certain amount of work," says Tayeh. "If things change and more work is required, the quote will be revised to suit."

This revised price should always be discussed and agreed to before proceeding with the works.

More: The most common home emergencies for calls to tradies

A good rule of thumb is to contact three tradies before deciding on one.

What else should you ask?

How much detail do you need to give your tradie?

Good communication is the key to a successful working relationship. The more detail, the better. If you have photos that can help clearly illustrate what you want, show them.

"Not only will it improve the chances of the trade providing what you want, it will strengthen your argument if you’re not happy with the final outcome," says Tayeh.

Be upfront about your expectations for working hours, noise and mess, and access to facilities like bathrooms or power outlets. A professional tradie will respect your home and keep you informed throughout the project.

That said, a good tradie will understand you’re not an expert and ask questions where details are lacking.

Will the tradie guarantee the work?

Tayeh says it's paramount to always ask about guarantees before agreeing to hire a tradie.

Products that are installed will be warranted by the supplier or manufacturer, though all claims should initially be channelled through the tradie.

There are also expectations set by the Australian Consumer Law that will hold a service provider accountable for certain situations. Visit the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission for details.

Does the tradie have insurance?

Insurance is one of the most important elements of finding a tradie, says Tayeh. A professional tradie should carry public liability insurance, which covers damage or injury caused by their work.

"Public liability is a non-negotiable, as that will cover any property damage that may be caused by the tradie," he says.

For larger jobs, ask if they're covered by home warranty insurance or builders' warranty, which provides protection if the tradie cannot complete the job. If in doubt, ask to see evidence of insurance cover.

Do you need to sign a contract with a tradie, even if it’s only a small job?

It is always advisable to get everything in writing, advises Tayeh. 

"The acceptance of a documented quote should be the minimum," he says. "This protects the consumer against any dispute around what was included in the scope of works."

Your contract should outline:

• the scope of work
• materials to be used
• the agreed price or payment schedule
• start and finish dates
• any warranties or guarantees.

In Victoria, for domestic building projects worth more than $10,000 a major domestic building contract is legally required.

Should you offer to pay cash to a tradie?

Cash may attract a cheaper price, though this introduces additional risk. 

"There is then no paper trail of the transaction so, should something go wrong, there is no avenue for recourse," says Tayeh.