Hiring & trust guides
Practical, UK-focused advice on finding and vetting a tradesperson you can trust. Hiring the right person for a job at home isn't just about price — it's about knowing what to check, what to ask, and how to spot the warning signs before you hand over a deposit.
These guides cover the questions that matter most: how to tell a genuinely vetted tradesperson from someone who's simply listed themselves online, how the major UK comparison directories differ, and how to read reviews and star ratings without being misled by fakes.
Available guides
- 15 Questions to Ask a Builder Before You Hire (2026)
- Checkatrade vs MyBuilder vs Rated People — 2026 Guide
- How to Find a Tradesman You Can Trust (UK Guide 2026)
- How to Read Tradesperson Reviews & Ratings (UK Guide)
Ready to put it into practice? Compare up to 5 free quotes from tradespeople we've already vetted for you.
Why this matters more than it seems
Most people only hire a tradesperson a handful of times a year, so it's easy to feel out of your depth, because the checks that separate a genuine professional from a chancer aren't always obvious until something goes wrong. A few minutes spent reading the right guide before you commit can save considerably more time and money than researching after the fact, which is exactly why we've written these guides in plain English rather than burying the advice in small print.
Start with whichever guide fits your situation
If you're about to hire for the first time, begin with how to find a tradesman you can trust, since it covers the fundamentals every other guide builds on. Already comparing directories or reading reviews for a specific job? Jump straight to the guide that matches, because each one stands on its own and doesn't assume you've read the others first.