Four Questions to Ask Before You Let Anyone In
None of them are awkward, and any decent tradesperson will have the answers ready.
People feel rude asking. The tradespeople worth hiring expect all four and usually have the paperwork to hand before you finish the sentence.
Are You Insured, and Can I See It?
Public liability covers the damage rather than the workmanship. Two million is standard. Ask for the certificate and check the date on it — plenty of policies lapse and the certificate lives on in a van door pocket for years.
Who Is Actually Doing the Work?
Quotes are often given by one person and delivered by another. That is fine as long as you know, and it matters a great deal for anything requiring certification.
Is This Notifiable, and Will I Get a Certificate?
Most electrical work in a home is notifiable under Part P and must be certified. Anyone offering to change a consumer unit without mentioning certification is telling you something important about how they work.
What Happens If It Fails?
Ask for the guarantee period and, more usefully, what it excludes. Ours is twelve months on workmanship and it is written on the invoice. A verbal “we’ll sort it” is worth exactly what it costs.
