Tradesman4u.com's Trade and Construction Blog

Why not add another string to your bow and consider a freephone number for your clients.

2012-07-26T12:23:00.001+01:00

Increase sales enquiries with a free-phone 0800 number

We’ve just created a new partnership with 08Direct who are one of the UK's leading suppliers of non-geographic phone numbers and call management packages.

Right now, all of our visitors can take advantage of the best rates on 0800 numbers in the UK.

What's an 0800 number?

An 0800 number is a non-geographic phone number, which means that it can be connected to anywhere in the UK. All calls made to an 0800 number from virtually all UK landlines are free of cost, regardless of how long or often they call.

What are the benefits of connecting an 0800 number with 08Direct?

♦ Give yourself a national presence

♦ Free to call from landlines

♦ Increase sales enquiries by up to 175%

♦ Destination number can be changed at anytime

♦ No Contract

♦ Free Setup

♦ No Hidden Costs

How Does it Work?

The cost is paid for by the business receiving the call. So when you connect an 0800 with 08Direct, you sign up to a monthly inbound minute bundle This is just like a mobile tariff apart from you are paying for inbound minutes, and at 08 Direct you won't be asked to sign up to a minimum contract. The number can be connected to either a landline or mobile, and costs start from just £4.99 a month.

Free Call Management Package

Right now everyone who connects an 0800 number from just £4.99 per month through 08Direct, also receives a FREE Call Management Package. This will give you all the features of a professional telephone system. Missed calls and lost business will become a thing of the past by introducing the following additions:

♦ Free Welcome Message – The call will be greeted with a friendly message

♦ Free Call Whisper – Know you are receiving a business call before answering

♦ Free Voicemail – Have you voicemail delivered direct to your email inbox

♦ Free Simple IVR – Direct calls to the relevant area of the business

♦ Free Call Forwarding – Divert calls to any landline

♦ Free Online Call Stats – Learn more about how you handle calls with online stats

To connect a number visit the special landing page which has been created especially for Tradesman4u. All you need to do is complete the simple form by picking a number, picking a package and providing some contact details.

Once completed you will receive a confirmation email, which will contain a direct debit and package order form. To complete your order, all you need to do is complete the forms and then post, fax or scan & email them over to 08Direct. Their details will be included in the confirmation email.

If you are unsure don’t worry, once they have received your details a member of the 08Direct team will contact you and talk you through everything.

Click Here To Connect Your 0800 Number

Tradesman4u Web advert

2012-07-16T21:11:00.000+01:00

Find a tradesman | Web Advert

Local Builders | Find a local Builder | 6 Steps to Success

2012-06-12T20:57:00.002+01:00

Tradesman4u has a network of local and recommended Builders

If you are looking for a recommended local builder, then in order to avoid contracting a cowboy you need to head to the internet to choose a tradesman with impartial reviews.

By choosing your next builder online you can improve your chances of finding a quality tradesperson and minimise the risk of poor workmanship. The internet allows everyone to be reviewed and gives consumers the ability to publicly rate the work any particular tradesman has carried out.

Our 6 steps to success for choosing and instructing a local builder or tradesperson are:-

1. Set a realistic budget and do some research on the nature of your project. For example checking if you need planning or change of use etc. If so, ensure they are factored into your budget. TOP TIP - Remember to be realistic with your budget also if you want a quality job doing. A shoestring budget may result in disappointment and sometimes its better to wait.

2. Once you have a budget and confirmation that you are in a position to proceed with a job you should post your job for free on our website. When posting your job be as thorough as possible in your job description to ensure the process starts as smoothly as it can.

3. Look to obtain the appropriate number of tenders/quotes for the job you are looking at doing. If you are looking at a reasonably small project then around 3 quotes is usually sufficient. If it's a particularly large job then perhaps you may look towards 5 quotes. Remember that after 3 or 4 quotes it is unlikely you are going to shave much off the prices as you should have a good ballpark figure for what the job is. If after 3 or 4 quotes none are within budget then its realistic to think it's probable your budget forecast was insufficient in the first place rather than keep trying to get the job done for less money. TOP TIP Remember the chances are there is always someone out there who will appear to offer you a 'great' price but ask yourself if you've set a budget of £10,000 and had 4 quotes with prices of £15,000, £15,900, £14,700 and £9,500 then its likely your budget is wrong and the quality of the work may not be what you want. Often the cheapest price can be the most expensive! Ensure also you know the situation with regards VAT on the quote.

4. Once you have spoken to the builders you have received quotes from start to filter them down. Don't simply go off price (whilst important, a decision on your tradesman should never be based solely on price), read feedback left from our other community members to get a feel for how others have found them, check their professional qualification or that they are members of a relevant trade associations. If appropriate ask to see examples of previous work, many Builders have portfolio pictures along with testimonials on work they have completed in the past. Use your gut feeling too, someone may have been reasonable on price but if you didn't get the right feel or rapport with them then maybe they are not the right tradesman for you. TOP TIP Use a combination of price, punctuality, ratings, experience and tummy feel to choose the contractor thats best for you.

5. Once you have selected a builder based on the above criteria, it is courteous to let the unsuccessful builders know that you have placed the order elsewhere. If you are uncomfortable in making a telephone call to them then a quick email, voicemail or even text is sufficient. Afterall the tradespeople have taken time to provide you with advice and quotations it is only courtesy to at least let them know they haven't been successful. TOP TIP It is easier in the long run to let any unsuccessful tenders know about it as chances are they will at some poit look to chase up the quote they have given to you and this will prevent any waisted time or unwanted phonecalls.

6. Once you have everything in writing and you are happy to proceed ensure that timescales, payments schedules and possibly even contracts have all been agreed and signed off. Most builders will be able to discuss with you things such as JCT contracts and even third party payment protectors for both customer and builder benefit. Some builders may ask for payment in advance for materials, others may not and therefore the discussion and sign off process is very important. Be sure also of your cancellation rights too. TOP TIP It is very important to protect your money and we advise as much due diligence as possible before handing over any funds but also remember that it is equally important to any reputable builder that payment terms are clear and the funds are in place to cover the full value of the contract. There are many examples of cowboy builders but there are also many examples of cowboy customers so keep everything clear and transparent in order to prevent any misunderstandings.

If you follow these steps when commissioning a local builder you should generally have a very happy experience and minimise the risk to yourself of any shoddy workmanship. If you've followed these steps, and have agreed an incremental payment process also then the risk to both tradesman and customer will be massively reduced.

Get connected with our network of local builders now for free.

Find a Tradesman the fast and easy way

2012-06-09T13:03:00.001+01:00

If you have ever needed to find a tradesman quickly and easily then we are glad to say that we can help. Tradesman4u.com is proud to introduce its innovative and user friendly website designed to make finding a tradesman easy, quick and free.

The website allows visitors to freely post details of the work they require doing in their home and then the system does the rest. If for example you were looking for a Blackpool Builder then all you would need to do is select the appropriate options from the dropdown boxes on the homepage and tradesman4u will then instantly notify their registered members by both text and email of the details of your work.

Find a tradesman

From there all the interested builders in the Blackpool area who are available and ready to provide you with quotes will contact you based on the information you provided. They are provided with your name, telephone number and the description you input when posting the job. This makes the process much easier for the customer as the builder has all the details they need in front of them.

Once you have been contacted by the tradesmen interested the customer can sign back into their account and they will see the details of the builders and have the ability to read through previous feedback left by other customers who have used their services.

Once you have instructed your workman and the job is completely you can then return to tradesman4u.com and leave appropriate feedback for them

Why not check it out today.

Guest Blog from Asbestos.com providing helpful advice on the dangers and health risks of exposure to Asbestos. - Tradesman4u Blog

2012-06-07T00:12:00.001+01:00

Guest Blog from Asbestos.com providing helpful advice on the dangers and health risks of exposure to Asbestos. - Tradesman4u Blog

tradesman4u's photostream

2012-06-05T12:46:00.001+01:00

tradesman4u's photostream on Flickr.

Some recent images uploaded to Flickr

This made us laugh!

2012-05-29T22:09:00.001+01:00

Whilst completely off topic it nontheless made us chuckle!

Councils seek partner for green deal roll out | News | Inside Housing

2012-05-15T16:46:00.001+01:00

A group of local authorities in north east England is looking for a delivery partner to help it take advantage of the government’s green deal energy efficiency scheme.

Warm Up North, a partnership between Newcastle City Council, Darlington, Durham, Northumberland and South Tyneside, held an ‘awareness day’ on Friday (11 May) for groups that are interested in getting involved.

Warm Up North hopes to improve the energy efficiency of between 10,000 and 15,000 homes within three years when in launches in 2013. It will take advantage of the green deal and energy company obligation to fund the work.

Under the green deal households can get energy efficiency work carried out without paying upfront. They repay the cost of the work using savings on their energy bills.

The £1.3 billion a year ECO fund, which is paid for by energy companies, will be used to subsidise work that would otherwise be too expensive to be carried out under the green deal.

Warm Up North is the five councils’ response to the green deal. It is looking for a delivery partner to run the green deal scheme, which will be paid for by households and landlords. Housing associations and other bodies are expected to get involved in the partnership at a later stage.

David Slater, executive director of environment and regeneration at Newcastle Council, said: ‘Tackling fuel poverty, reducing inequalities and addressing climate change are among the key challenges facing the region. This partnership will help to tackle these.

‘Local authorities will play a key role in coordinating, financing, and providing technical understanding, so that the public can be assured they are not being ripped off.’

Councils seek partner for green deal roll out | News | Inside Housing

Visit our Wordpress Blog

2012-05-14T22:42:00.000+01:00

tradesman4u.wordpress.com

We are new to Blogger and whilst we are preparing our exciting new Blog here we'd like you to visit our existing Blog hosted over at Wordpress. Be sure to subscribe to both our blogs to be kept up to date. www.tradesman4u.wordpress.com

First Official Blogger Post. Welcome to our Blog

2012-05-14T22:20:00.000+01:00

Welcome to our first official Blog post on our new Blogspot webblog. Please feel free to subscribe to us for new and interesting updates each week. Our Blog focuses on news from the world of trade and industry, updates on our website and finally bringing you offers from our partners that may be of use to you as a tradesperson. Don't forget to visit us at www.tradesman4u.com