Whether you’re having new aluminium windows and doors installed, a new bathroom fitted, or you have a problem with your property that you need a professional tradesperson to fix, you may feel a little wary about welcoming people into your home that you are unfamiliar with. It is perfectly natural to feel this way, as it’s not a situation you are likely to encounter often. However, there are some things you can do to help make the experience more comfortable for you and for the tradesperson.
It’s a two-way street
The first thing to remember is that having tradespeople in your home is a two-way street. They are there because you have employed them to carry out a job, and therefore will be looking to complete the work smoothly and to a high standard. If they are made to feel welcome – and can carry out the job with minimal disturbances – you will see the best results.
When embarking on a new project, it’s important to approach this with a positive mindset! If you have done your due diligence and found a good tradesperson, (see ‘choosing the right tradespeople’ below) there should be no reason to worry.
Five tips to help you build the best relationship with your tradesperson
1.) Prepare your home for visitors
It’s useful for all parties involved if you spend some time considering what your tradesperson will need from you before they start work. If they are installing windows, doors or even a conservatory at the back of the house, they will need access to that area. In this example it would be worth clearing any pathways to the back of the property of rubbish, bins, or bikes, before they arrive, so they can move tools and materials in and out with ease.
Any good tradesperson working inside the home will bring covers for furniture and flooring if the job requires it, but there is no harm in thinking about this yourself too. If you have any possessions that are particularly valuable in the room and want to make sure they don’t get damaged, it’s advisable to remove or cover them yourself. If you know a job will create excess dust, we advise that you cover items in other rooms too, because it’s surprising how far dust can travel!
It is worth talking to your tradesperson about the mess or damage that should be expected before the work is undertaken. For example, in some significant home improvement projects, depending on the space available, materials may get left on the lawn and affect your grass. Or when new windows and doors are installed, you may have some superficial tidying up or decorating to do around the new home improvement. These examples are all easily fixed afterwards, but it is worth pre-empting that there may be some temporary disruption.
2.) Discuss requirements and rules upfront
This applies to both you and the tradesperson. You need to know what to expect from them, and they need to know what to expect from you. Rather than leaving it down to guess work, have a conversation upfront. Are you working from home and so need as much peace and quiet as they can offer, or are they able to have a radio on to help them work? Is there an area of the house that is out of bounds to them because you have pets or children that you want to keep separate from the works, or perhaps you want to keep your kitchen a dust/mess free space. Don’t assume your tradespeople will know what you want because every home they work in is different.
3.) Share your facilities
Unless you are having major building works done over a long period of time, it is unlikely to expect your tradesperson to bring their own portable toilet. Just as you wouldn’t stop a guest in your home using your facilities, you should not expect a tradesperson to manage without using them either. If you have more than one toilet available but would like only one to be used, let your tradespeople know.
Once again, approaching your tradesperson as you would a guest in your home, it is courteous to offer them refreshments where possible. In 2019, House Beautiful magazine reported that according to research conducted by community platform Airtasker, only 1 in 5 tradespeople were offered a coffee while working in the home. In a more recent study (2022) by Checkatrade 73% of adults were offering tradespeople refreshments, with people aged 18-34 years old the least likely to offer anything at all.
Some homeowners find it easier to make the first drink and then invite visitors to make their own, while others keep offering drinks every 2-3 hours. It’s important to do whatever works for you.
4.) Respect the working environment
It is best to keep children and pets out of the way whilst work is being carried out. It is worth considering before the project begins that people may need to go in and out of your home or garden carrying tools or materials and so may need to leave gates or doors open. Discuss this with your tradesperson before work begins so everyone knows what to expect.
It is also worth considering the work environment your tradespeople are operating in. Could you open a window to cool the space down on a hot day, or could you make sure the heating is on if the tradesperson is working indoors in the winter?
5.) Give your tradesperson space but don’t ignore them
No-one wants to be watched like a hawk while they are working, but equally no-one wants to be ignored. Feel free to strike up a conversation with your tradesperson. The better the relationship you can build with them, the more likely they are to want to do a good job and the more likely the project will be a better experience for all involved. Having said that, be sure to respect their space too. Not many trades people will appreciate you watching over them and commenting on their workmanship while they are busy. Wait until the project is complete to give your feedback, unless of course you can see that something is happening that wasn’t agreed or that you are not happy with.
Choosing the right tradespeople
As mentioned above, the best start you can give your project, however big or small, is to choose a trustworthy tradesperson to work with. Asking for recommendations from friends and family is a fantastic way to find someone you can trust. Failing that, using industry sites such as Checkatrade, or for window and door installers specifically FENSA is a useful starting point. Alternatively, some tradespeople might be part of a supplier scheme that includes a rigorous code of conduct to adhere to.
Reynaers at Home offers a programme that connects discerning homeowners to a network of independent partners that have been carefully selected to supply and install Reynaers aluminium windows and doors. We have chosen people with enough experience and expertise to offer the complete service, from design support, to supply and installation. All partners are bound to adhere to our strict terms and conditions and code of conduct.
Ultimately, having strangers in your home is never going to be entirely ideal, but it is necessary to complete certain jobs. Hopefully, this guide will help to make your next encounter with tradespeople a positive one.
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