🧰 What to Check Before Hiring a Tradie (Learned the Hard Way)

Hiring the wrong tradie can turn a small job into a long, expensive nightmare. Whether you’re fixing a leak or doing a full renovation, here’s what every homeowner (or renter) in New Zealand should check before saying yes to a quote.

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✅ 1. Are They Actually Licensed?

For many types of work — especially building, plumbing, electrical, and gas — tradies must be licensed or certified.

Here’s how to check:

Trade	Where to Check
Builder / Designer	LBP Register
Electrician	EWRB Register
Plumber / Gasfitter	PGDB Register

Tip: Some tradies may say they’re certified but aren’t. Always check the public register before signing anything.

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📄 2. Is It a Quote or an Estimate?

A quote is fixed. An estimate is just… a guess.

Make sure your tradie uses the word “quote” if you want a set price. Otherwise, you could be hit with unexpected charges.

🔍 Ask: “Is this a quote or just an estimate?”

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🖊️ 3. Is It All in Writing?

Never rely on a phone call or handshake.

✅ You should get:

• A written description of the work
• Total cost (or clear hourly rate + expected time)
• Start and finish dates
• Payment schedule
• Warranties or guarantees

This protects both you and them if something goes wrong.

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🧾 4. What’s the Payment Schedule?

🚩 Red flag: They want full payment upfront.

✅ Standard practice:

• Small jobs: pay after completion
• Large jobs: deposit, then staged payments as work progresses

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🔍 5. Can You See Recent Reviews or Photos?

Ask to see:

• Recent work (photos or physical examples)
• Client reviews (Google, Facebook, or TradeMe Services)
• How long they’ve been in business

No reviews = no go.

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🧯 6. Are They Insured?

You hope you’ll never need it — but if something catches fire, floods, or collapses, you’ll wish you asked.

Ask if they have:

• Public liability insurance
• Workmanship guarantees

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⚠️ 7. Common Red Flags

Avoid tradies who:

• Pressure you to decide fast (“today only!”)
• Won’t give you a written quote
• Ask for cash with no invoice
• Get defensive when you ask questions
• Say things like “don’t worry about council, I’ve done this heaps”

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🧠 Final Thoughts

A good tradie won’t mind you asking questions — they’ll expect it.

Take 10 minutes to do a few checks now, and you’ll save yourself hours (and dollars) later.