
While you may need to pay a small deposit for the work up front, you should not be asked to pay for the whole job or even a large deposit before the work has even started.
The job should be the same price whether you live in a wealthy neighborhood or a not so wealthy neighborhood. Sometimes people living in wealthier areas are quoted a higher price than others. If you are calling around for quotes, try to avoid giving out your address before you get the price.
Be wary of being charged for “unforeseen extras” with a job. The best thing to do is to get a fixed price ahead of time for the whole job and have it all written down in a contract.
An honest tradesperson will not mind producing their credentials. You want to make sure the person is qualified and insured for the job you are hiring them to do.
Scam artists like to prey on those most vulnerable, such as elderly ones. Be careful of tradespeople who are too pushy and try to convince you to have the work done there and then. Ask them for their address and ask for details about their previous jobs and the locations of these. If the person is honest, they will have no problem giving the information you require and will not try to get you to make a decision about the job straight away.
You can find good, honest workers out there and by following some of these suggestions, you can avoid those who are not so honest.