Top tips for writing a great job post

When posting a job on Rated People, we want to make sure you’re contacted by suitable tradespeople. We’ve compiled a few hints and tips (taken from common questions asked) to help make this process as easy as possible.

Be specific with timings

Be as specific as you can with when you want work to start. It’s much easier for tradespeople to schedule work in around other homeowners if they have an idea of when you want the job to go ahead. If you want work to start on a specific date or have time constraints, include this in your description. You don’t want to find out that the tradesperson you’ve set your heart on is unable to work to your timelines.

For example, if you post a job for an end of tenancy clean and mention the exact date you’ll need them, you’re likely to be contacted by companies that know they’ll be free on the day you need them.

Give a clear idea of your intentions

Simply put, tradespeople won’t want to spend money buying your job lead if they know there’s no chance of them getting business. It’s important to remember real companies/tradespeople will be contacting you wanting to discuss the work in more detail and help you get the job done so it helps to be as committed as possible once you’ve found the right tradesperson, even if that work gets booked in for couple of months away.

They may choose to buy a job lead where you’ve stated you’re looking for quotes but this is normally when they can see there’s potential for them to be considered for the work at a later date. If you’re not intending to book work in and you’re looking for design ideas, or you have a question about a project, you may be better asking tradespeople a question on ask an expert instead.

Set a realistic budget

It’s a common misconception that “if you put a high budget, more tradespeople will want to quote.” Tradespeople pay a small fee to give you a quote on a job which is partly determined by your budget.

If you put a budget of £1,000 for changing a tap, a tradesperson might not purchase it because they would pay more to buy the lead then they would make back on the job. At the same time, posting a job for an extension with a budget of under £100 may put a tradesperson off as they wouldn’t be able to build a whole extension for that price.

If you’re really stuck, use the mid-lower budget recommendation and state in the description that you’re unsure of how much the work will cost. This will let a tradesperson know that you’re willing to pay them a fair amount for the work, so the price is negotiable once they’ve bought the job lead. It’s a tradesperson’s job to help you with the quote – they’re aware that you may get contacted by other companies, so they know to keep costs competitive.

Be detailed with your description

It’s possible to be specific without knowing any technical terms. Keep in mind that a tradesperson has never seen your property so the more information you can give them, the better. Even if not specific or technically worded, a rough idea will help. For example, about 20 tiles need replacing, your roof is leaking in 2 places or your box room needs painting. This should help support the budget you have set. Where you can, include measurements and let the tradesperson know if you’ll be providing materials for the work or you would like them to provide them.

Plan ahead where you can to account for seasonality

There are times of the year when certain tradespeople are busier than others. Gardeners get a lot of work in the summer when the weather is nice and we’re all spending more time outside. Heating engineers get a lot of work in the winter when the weather’s taken a turn for the worse and people have tried to switch the heating on to find that it no longer works. If your work is seasonal, try to “ride the wave” by planning ahead and getting a tradesperson in when they’re less busy. You’re more likely to get a really competitive rate this way too.

If you’re currently looking for a tradesperson, visit our homepage to post your job.