Local Services | Classifieds.co.uk

Choosing Trade and Local Service providers

Classified advertisements have long been the most popular choice both for local tradesmen to advertise their services, and for those wishing to hire them; but in the past this has only ever meant that the customer is restricted to those local trades that advertise themselves, without necessarily offering the best services at the most competitive rates. However, the internet has certainly instigated change by opening up the classified ads on an international scale this means that customers are no longer restricted to those tradesmen in their local area, but they can also compare the cost of the services they wish to hire.

Services Available
Because the category of 'Business' is a relatively open one, the variety of products and services on offer can be far and wide. The most popular types of products advertised tend to be those skills and labour services of local tradesmen such as builders and plumbers, though there are more specialised services available too that might otherwise be more difficult to find in a local newspaper or even telephone directory. Key Cutters, Pet groomers, Florists, Tailors and Cleaners are just some of those listed, but there are more obscure trades available too such as Dog walkers, Genealogists and Clairvoyants.

What to look out for
Although the classifieds can be a fast and cheaper way of finding a specific trade, there are cautions that of course need to be taken. Because it is free to place an advertisement on these sites, there are few regulations that can ensure the seller is genuine. In most cases they are just another way of generating business from decent, honest and hardworking people, but for the customer there are hidden dangers as there is no sure way of proving the tradesman is as qualified or experienced as he or she might claim to be.

It would be very unwise to hire someone that doesn't have a professional qualification in the service they are giving. The internet can be a great place to check for the typical qualifications required for that particular trade such as a gas fitter being CORGI registered or Criminal records checks and teaching qualifications for anyone offering home or personal tuition, particularly if they are going to be working with children. In some cases it might be harder to establish what the professional qualification might be, for example, there are probably few qualifications available for dog walkers or cleaners, so in these instances it is always better to go on any references they provide.

For anyone considering hiring a service through the classifieds, it would be a good idea to get into conversation with the seller firs to ask a few general questions. It is important to ask for references before hiring, talk to other people and find out if they were happy with the service they received. For example; did the Plumber turn up on time? Did the electrician complete the project in the time period they initially suggested? How well did the Builder treat his staff? If the tradesman is of good calibre then they won't have any problem referring you to their referees most good self-employed services rely on word-of-mouth to generate more business.

Making a decision
Because it is easy to find a list of people who might be capable of completing the task you are hiring for, don't feel obliged to go with the first offer you get. It is always advisable to do a bit of shopping around, get a few different quotes and really assess who you think would be the most appropriate person for the job. You can really save yourself some money here and there's nothing to stop you from haggling a bit with other tradesmen to see if they can match or better an offer you have had from someone else. Remember that it is you who is doing the employing so you have every right to ask.

Holding out
After you have selected the right person for the job and agreed a set price upfront, always try to get something in written before parting with any money and before they actually start the job. Building and home improvement works especially have a reputation of being more expensive than first quoted, but you don't want to have to find yourself arguing between solicitors about what was initially agreed and what was never mentioned.
Make sure that payment details are clear too. It would be unadvisable to pay in full upfront, though in some cases it might be appropriate to pay for materials in advance so that the tradesman isn't out of pocket. In some cases it might be possible to pay in instalments, particularly for larger jobs, and this is another way to keep them on their toes if you pay for set parts of the job once you are happy with the standard of the completed work.

When hiring business to business services, many of the foreseeable problems are avoidable with a little bit of simple research. Many of the points to consider are really just common sense but always worth reiterating to ensure protection

Home Page : Post an Ad

UK Home / Services

free classified ads

Local Services

Find all sorts of Local Services, here at Classified Local Services - the home of FREE classified ads.

Either browse through our Services classifications (below) or use the Search & Sort box on the right to filter your results. Or, alternatively, Post your own Ad for FREE.

Most Popular Local Services Classifications

Computer & IT Services (28) Web Design & Hosting (23) Events (22) Cleaning Services (17) Financial Services (16) Design & Printers (15) Hotels (13) Linguists & Translators (13) Tutors (12) Healthcare (10) Builders (8) Handymen (7) Driving Tutors (7) Removals (7) Plumbers (6) Clairvoyants (6) Estate & Lettings Agents (5) Hairstylists & Beauticians (5) Doctors (5) Painters & Decorators (5) Kitchen Fitters (5) Telecoms (5) Marketing & Promotions (4) Plasterers (4) Car Valeting (4) Health Clubs & Gyms (4) Farming Services (4) Electricians (3) Glaziers (3) Carpenters & Joiners (3) Car Hire (3) Bathroom Fitters (3) Pet Sitters (3) Locksmiths & Key Cutters (3) Manufacturers (3) Life Coaching (3) Travel Agents (3) Wedding Services (2) Miscellaneous (2) Personal Shoppers (2) Photography & Video (2) Dog Walkers (2) Domestic Services (2) Caterers (2) Gardeners (2) Health & Safety (2) Entertainers (2) Counsellors (2) Couriers & Delivery Services (2) Fencing & Masons (1) Accountants (1) Coach Hire (1) Bookkeepers (1) Breakdown Recovery (1) Carpet Cleaners (1) Carpet Fitters (1) Mortgage Brokers (1) Motor Repairs (1) House Buying (1) Typing & Secretarial (1) Shops (1) Tailoring (1)

Classified Ad Results ( 1 to 20 of 327 ads found )

03 July 2008

REMOVALS, HOUSE MOVERS, MOVING HOUSE, OFFICE REMOVALS..

Welcome to londonmoves- the home of quick, efficient, reliable and friendly removals. please click: http://www. london-moves. co. uk or call free: 08000 076 075 - for free quote office@london-moves. co. uk fully insured removals company. 1 man and van –. .

EC1M

Earning a living, working from the comforts of you..

Home based typist/ data entry specialist/ information products processor, the perfect job for housewives, students and people looking for a bit of extra cash. (money + business + home= the perfect life) a simple and easy to follow home base business, that could be ear. .

£25

NE65

Data Recovery Services..

Mjm data recovery ltd can perform data recovery on all manufacturers of hard drives and offer the best experience and service in the industry. because of our in-depth knowledge of data recovery, we perform work for several data recovery companies situated throughout eu. .

SG6

02 July 2008

odd job man for the lady in leeds or near....

Ladies needing a man round house for odd jobs or garden, get in touch. .

Call Canada for only 2p per minute..

Call canada for only 2p per minute to landlines and mobiles. call 0844 838 1462 followed by your destination number in canada. dont press any key, wait until you get connected. its that simple. you will be billed by your landline provider. for other countries visit. .

DA13

All graphic and design work at rock bottom prices ..

All graphic and design work at rock bottom prices from £30 - £100 maximum. including websites, printed, marketing material, stationery, seo for both commerical and personal purposes. call now on 07989743255 or email nick rushworth - business logo &poun. .

Thai Malay Indonesian Cooking Classes ..

Join a one-off day/evening class teaching the art of cooking authentic southeast asian cuisine! participants learn by preparing food in our house based in east london. each individual will be fully equipped with necessary cooking tools and we provide the ingredients t. .

E18

Get relief from arthritis joint pain - aboutglucosamine..

Are you looking for natural remedies for arthritis joint pain relief. get free guidance, tips and articles on .

E17

Who needs Adobe Flex Developer Team?..

1 our hourly rate is very very low. 2. we are top adobe flex outsourcing service provider. 3. we have 60+ full time flex developers working at the same office. 4. our company was registered both in san francisco and beijing. 5. our skill set is "adobe flex/air + c. .

NE69

Plumber All South West London..

Clapham plumbers provide plumbing services to the domestic and commercial markets in wibledon, clapham and south west london. we only employ corgi registered gas central heating engineers. services we provide include: fault finding and repair boiler repairs boiler main. .

£80

SW4

Gardener All South West London ..

Gardening and landscaping services in london. clapham gardeners provide high quality gardening and landscaping services in south west london. our gardeners, landscape gardeners, builders and designers have over 20 years experience in all aspects of garden design, garde. .

SW4

01 July 2008

GRANITE KITCHEN WORKTOPS, QUARTZ WORKTOPS, MARBLE FLOOR..

Granite worktops london kitchen worktops granite tops marble vanity worktops granite floors london uk location: london marble and granite professional fabricator and fitting services. solid granite worktops, limestone flooring, marble bath surrounds, natural stone . .

Manned Security Services..

Hi please do take a look at our sties and if we can be of service please do get back to us thank you alan .

RG7

Call Spain for only 2p per minute..

Call spain for 2p per minute to landlines. spanish landlines - call 0844 838 1462 - 2p per minute spanish mobiles - call 0905 306 7178 - 15p per minute followed by your destination number in spain. dont press any key, wait until you get connected. its that simple. .

DA13

Entrepreneur with great business idea seeks partner..

Entrepreneur with great business idea seeks moneyman or recent graduate with bags of enthusiasm to get a fantastic idea off the ground and make lots of money. domain name and trademark in 4 classes already obtained. for more information please contact me with details a. .

SS12

Diamond Lengths Hair Extensions..

Yasmine: 07504688166 mobile service welcome to diamond lengths hair extensions hello girls. are you fed up of short hair or damage from previous hair extensions? join the club. and then resign. the future is brighter. my name is yasmine i am a qualified hair extension . .

£300

Driving Lessons Acton, Brentford, Brompton, Chelsea, Ch..

Our driving instructors are patient, friendly and experienced in helping nervous drivers. we can offer you:1-2-1 tuition manual or automatic intensive courses pass plus refresher lessons driving instructor training tel: 0800 6122 765 email: mail@cds123. co. uk web: ww. .

W13

30 June 2008

Call South Africa for only 4p per minute..

Call south africa for only 4p per minute to landlines and 15p per minute to mobiles. landlines in south africa call 0844 904 4092 mobiles in south africa call 0905 306 7178 followed by your destination number in south africa dont press any key, wait until you get . .

DA13

Thai Massage Treatments and Courses..

Advanced instructor fully certified and insured. treatments include full body thai massage, thai head massage, thai foot massage and indian head massage starting at just £35 daily courses suitable for the beginner or those wishing to expand their skills for. .

NLP Life Coaching..

Nlp life coaching by phone, online, or in person for individuals worldwide on all aspects of life the process of life coaching is ideal for: . - adults, children & teenagers, . - people with busy & traveling schedules, . - people anywhere on the planet, . .

BR3

First

Last

...

Information & Advice on Local Services
Find all sorts of Local Services, here at Classified Local Services - the home of FREE classified ads.