Tag Archive for: Tradesperson

Should you tip your tradesperson?

Tipping your tradesperson – is this a thing people are doing? What is considered a common courtesy by some could be regarded as an unnecessary waste of money by others, perhaps even insulting…

…and if you’re paying for the service anyway, should you really be expected to give more?

A recent survey from Heat Insulation Ltd asked the public their views on tipping tradespeople and as it turns out, 51 per cent of respondents admitted to regular tipping!

Those who are most likely to tip tradespeople are aged between 45 and 64, and the least likely are 18 to 29-year olds, not because of disposable income (as one might expect) but actually because “tradespeople charge more than enough”. The top three reasons for not tipping your tradesperson, according to the survey, are:

1. It costs enough
2. The price is agreed before work commences
3. Good work should be expected and not rewarded.

All pretty good reasons.

Yet even if you did decide to offer a tip, how much would you give? There are no hard and fast rules or tipping reference guide. As for suggested percentage, well, who knows?

A survey done with American homeowners revealed that when tradespeople do get a tip, cash is the most-common gratuity offered (although us Brits often like to tip in cups of tea), and most often the tip is less than 20 percent of the total job cost. Most contractors in the survey said that they charge their clients what they feel is fair price for the work being done and don’t expect a tip.

Does this help?

For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.

Top tips for hiring the best boiler engineers

According to new research by consumer association Which?, 75 per cent of home owners trust central heating engineers. This is great news! Especially considering the fact that the survey revealed that four in 10 (38 per cent) of respondents do not trust builders and roofers when employing them for the first time, making these trades the least trusted for domestic building work and repairs.

The rankings from the Which? Trusted Traders survey revealed that Electricians are the most trusted of the traders, clocking 80 per cent of the vote, with central heating engineers a close second (75 per cent), followed by plumbers (73 per cent).

When asked about their biggest worries when hiring a tradesperson, home owners listed their top concern as the tradesperson not turning up at the agreed time, which was cited by 62 per cent of respondents. Poor workmanship was cited as a foremost concern by 55 per cent of home owners and 46 per cent voiced concern about being ripped off.

So, here’s the question: although we do trust our electricians and plumbers mostly, how can we be secure in the fact that we’ll get the best service possible? Which? has some good ideas about how to hire the best boiler engineer for the job you need done:

  • Check that the heating engineer is listed in the Gas Safe Register and also check what type of gas-related work he/she are qualified to undertake before hiring.
  • Get at least three quotes – heating engineers should be able to tell you about the price for a call-out. Be aware though, that additional costs depend on the nature of the problem and any parts required. You might also be charged for travel and parking costs.
  • Good central heating engineers will usually want to see your system before they give you a quote for anything other than a simple job.
  • The best boiler engineers explain what they’ll check, repair or install before they start working and show you what they’ve done afterwards.

And one final tip: keep the paperwork your boiler engineer gives you – you might need this in the event of any future problems, plus most boilers will have a warranty of at least 12 months.
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.

Sources: hvpmag.co.uk – “75% of consumers trust central heating engineers, according to Which?”; Trustedtraders.which.co.uk – “How to hire: boiler engineers”

What homeowners value most when hiring tradespeople

Whether you’re looking for a tradesperson to tile your bathroom, fix your boiler or install a heating system there’s one thing that homeowner’s value above all else – punctuality! Punctuality is the single most desirable quality that homeowners look for in a tradesperson, according to new research by Plentific.com.  There’s nothing more frustrating than taking a day off work only to wait…and wait…and wait – and then be let down at the last minute.

Homeowners also like to know what’s going on; communication and organisation are top priorities when looking to get building, plumbing or engineering done around the house; 78 per cent of homeowners are more likely to hire someone who sends through a professional quote and 69 per cent prefer a tradesperson who creates a solid schedule.

Appearance is not that important for homeowners, which ranked somewhere near at the bottom of the ‘essentials’ table, with a modern, clean and professional looking van only influencing 47 per cent of homeowners, and a branded uniform influencing just 22 per cent. Age, last on the list, is also irrelevant when it comes to hiring!

Spokesperson for Plentific, Stephen Jury, said: “To improve the odds of hiring, tradespeople should focus more on their schedule, process and attitude before spending their well-earned money on appearances!”

As a homeowner, the biggest compliment you can offer a tradesperson who embodies all of the aforementioned characteristics is to recommend his/her services. At AA Cooper we offer free consultation and no-obligation quotes, and we pride ourselves on being punctual.  For more information, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.

Source: hvpmag.co.uk – “punctuality is ‘most influential’ when hiring tradespeople”