I have just completed a nine month "nightmare" of renovating my backyard and it has involved dealing with various tradesmen.

Unfortunately, I dealt with more bad ones then good.

If you are going to use a tradie for a job, do your homework on them.

Check to see if their business name is registered, check out that their ABN is legit, check to see if they are registered for GST (otherwise they can not charge GST for their job), have 2 contact phone numbers from them and know their business address or their residential address (vital if you need to get a bailiff to issue a summons).

And never give them a cash cheque – regardless of their pleas.

I also ring, say the day before the job, and double confirm the time for them to turn up. And if they don't turn up at the appointed time, give them an hours grace and contact them on their whereabouts. This is so you don't spend/waste all day, waiting for someone to turn up.

Sometimes, when you spend big money on renos (IP or PPOR), you need to cover your butt and learn from prior mistakes.

Lyrae