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Nowadays, you always have to be on the watch for cowboy builders and other nefarious people trying to make a quick buck from the construction industry. There are a lot of shady characters out there, but there are also plenty of ways to ensure that you have a legitimate business working with you to get the best results.

They Have Good Reviews

Firstly, you should be able to find plenty of positive reviews and testimonials about their work – and not just on their own website! For example, if you are searching for the people behind some of the finest roof repairs Edinburgh has to offer, you need to make sure that you are searching for multiple reviews across as many sites as you can.

Start with their own site and social media to see if they have testimonials and pictures of jobs completed. However, this not always enough. You should also try to track them down on multiple reputable trusted trader sites and take a look at their reviews there. If everything looks positive, you should be able to reach out and start discussing the project and a quote with them.

They are Busy

Though many industries have a lull and a time of year where they might not be as busy as usual, you should not be the only date in the diary when you arrange your project. Ideally, they will have to fit you in around other projects that they are completing for others.

If yours is a particularly time-sensitive project, such as a leaky roof during winter where more exposure could cause more damage, they should be in-tune with this and therefore keen to rectify it as soon as possible. They might know some freelancers who are willing to come out and work on behalf of them if they truly cannot meet your needs at the right time. A legitimate tradesman should always want to go above and beyond.

They are Fully Qualified

To be able to work as a tradesman requires more work than someone might initially think. A good tradesman needs to not only have all the qualifications and insurance needed to carry out their work, but they should also be working for a firm that is fully accredited and insured too.

If you as a customer have any questions about their qualifications, they should be able to relieve you of any concerns by showing their accreditations or giving you the right reference numbers so you can look them up yourselves. It should never be an issue to do so. Depending on where you live, contractors may or may not need to be licensed or have official registrations.  You can inquire at your local municipality if you are not sure.

These are three important markers you should always look for when trying to find the right tradesman for you. Ultimately, you want someone who is open and honest, and happy to answer any questions you might have for them. They should definitely be able to show that they are busy and trusted by other people too. If you can find a tradesperson who fits these requirements, you should have found someone legitimate.

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