Hunting down the cheapest quote for a tradesperson to come to your home seems like the best way to save money, right?  Getting automated quotes through a tradesman quote comparison site perhaps?  The old adage goes, there’s nothing more expensive than free, but these days, there’s nothing more expensive than cheap!

The problem with quote comparison sites

Quote comparison sites, or tradie booking portals, allow you to choose three local tradespeople and get three quotes, easy peasy right?  Well, no.  Comparison sites charge a substantial fee to the chosen tradesperson, while simultaneously forcing them to undercut competitors.  Who do you think will pick up those losses?  You.  Your quotes may seem surprisingly low, because once the electrician or plumber can properly scope your job, they may provide you with a completely different quote.

The dude who puts flyers in your letterbox

Hiring a local electrician who has his own little business might seem like the cheapest way to get the job done.  The call out fee will likely be less than one of the big guys – but an independent doesn’t have the cash, or the space, to keep parts on site. So, you’ll likely get a nice cheap call out fee, and then a whole lot of hourly rate fees, for your local electrician to go shopping for parts, miles away, in Brisbane traffic. 

The man and van approach

It’s a simple plumbing job, a handyman can take care of it right?  And the fees will be substantially lower.  Until something goes wrong, it’s a Sunday night and you’re literally ankle deep in poop… and your insurance company decides that having an unlicenced contractor work on your home invalidates your insurance.  Then, the cost gets very, very steep.

The big franchises

Massive franchise fees, fixed pricing dictated by the brand, and no choice in suppliers.  Your franchisee tradie is working to very lean margins and may be forced to use inferior parts because the brand makes the decision for them.  They may also insist on providing you with “the best solution that we offer” rather than the “best solution for your problem”.  

Megabrands

At some point, trades became big business and big business is all about growth and profit.  Sure, the plumber call out fee is STEEP, so steep, because someone’s got to pay for all those ads…but at least the work will be… corporatized.  Think of it as the McDonalds of home maintenance.  If they’re a big enough brand, they may also own their own parts supply chain so trusted name appliances and hot water systems won’t be on offer.  So, your blocked drain might be outsourced to a subcontractor.  It might be relegated to low priority and handed off the apprentice.  It might be done in record time, without the proper care and attention needed to prevent future problems.  

So how do you save money on tradies in this expensive day and age?

Choose a mid-sized local firm and ask all the right questions.

At the time of booking, asking a few key questions can help you save a motza! 

Shortlist but don’t choose direct from local Facebook groups

Choose from the plumbers Brisbane recommends – or at least your little part of Brisbane! If 90% of your neighbours are recommending a specific tradie, there’s every chance that that person will do an excellent job, because they understand that word of mouth is no longer one on one, and that if they mess it up, you’ll be in Facebook groups sharing your insights.  Once you have a shortlist, then dig deeper. Because 90% of your neighbours may not have checked the going rate on tradies before booking.  

What is your call out fee and how does your hourly rate work?

You’re going to be paying a call out fee not matter what – even if the company advertises no call out fees, you’ll pay one way or another.  Make sure the hourly rate is charged in the smallest increments.  Usually this is per fifteen minutes.  

Will you be doing the work or are you sending a subbie?

Not all subcontractors are bad tradies,  but, the plumbing company is taking their cut, so your subbie will be on a lower rate, doing work that will impact the company’s reputation, not their own.  Better safe than sorry, avoid subcontractors.

And the big one - while you’re here, can you do other work?

This is the best way to save money on tradies.  Getting the most from a call out fee means preventing a future call out fee.  If you haven’t checked the seals on your hot water system in a while, if you have a tap that drips unless you turn it hard, if you have an occasional clog in the kitchen, your tradie is on hand, with all the tools – ask them for an approximate time to run their snake down the kitchen sink and do a quick washer change here and there – because every tiny problem now, is a call out fee to come.