Keeping Track of Your Tradesman

One of the most common complaints that most people have about their tradesman is that they find it difficult to keep track of him while he is carrying out work for them. A good tradesman should always keep you informed of his progress, but if you're struggling to keep track of this there are a few tips to follow that should help.

Getting The Basics From Your Tradesman

Before you sign any contract with a tradesman there are some very basic pieces of information you should obtain that will help you keep track of him. Most good tradesmen will have a business card with all their details on it. If you are not offered this, ask for one. The absolute minimum you should expect from your tradesman with regards to contact details are:

• Company name
• Address – not a PO Box if possible
• Landline telephone number
• Mobile number
• Organisation or authority number

If your tradesman can provide you with all of these, it should be easier to get hold of him when you need to. Only having one form of contact can be difficult, especially if it's only a mobile number.

Start As You Mean To Go On With Your Tradesman

One of the best pieces of advice when it comes to keeping track of your tradesman is that you should set up regular meetings from the beginning. If your tradesman realises that you want to be kept informed about the progress he's making on a regular basis, he will be more likely to keep to a schedule. This is especially effective if you're having a large project carried out.

Ask for progress updates on a daily or weekly basis as is appropriate to your project. Set aside a time each week, making it the same time if possible, and always be there to see how things are progressing. Outline that you want a written undertaking of progress if you're particularly concerned about the speed at which your tradesman is working. If you can, provide your tradesman with a schedule sheet to fill in to give you an indication of what stage your project is at.

Continue these meeting for the entirety of your work as it will show your tradesman that you're on top of the project and are aware when he's not living up to expectations. It's always worthwhile giving your tradesman a little breathing space for unexpected delays, but generally he should be relatively close to his original timeframe.

Keep A Hard Copy of Dates And Progress

Always keep your own hard copy of all progress stages and the dates when you're dealing with a tradesman for a long time. You need to always be able to refer back to your hard copy should you need it in future and having it organised at the beginning can be easier. You can use a simple excel worksheet or even just write it down in word or in a notepad. However you choose to keep track, get dates, progress, any issues and outline what your tradesman has told you. This will help you stay focused on the end of your project as well as letting your tradesman know that you are serious about getting the work down in a timely manner.