Don't get ripped off: The two most common tricks used to fool renovators

If you have no experience hiring tradespeople, it can be difficult to ensure you’re going to get a quality job at the best price. While most tradies are honest and hard-working, there will always be a few who use sneaky tactics to add extra dollars to the job.

Here are the most common tactics used by the unscrupulous types and how you can avoid falling for them.

Scope creep

“Scope creep” is when a tradie suggests you do more on your renovation than you had originally anticipated – even if there’s not a lot of extra benefit for you in doing so.

The best way to stop scope creep is to make sure you know exactly what you want. It needs to be articulated clearly – including which products and finishes they are going to use – so there are no misunderstandings.

When your tradies arrive to quote or carry out the job, remain firm and don’t change your mind. If they come up with some good ideas you hadn’t thought of, consider carefully whether it’s what you need and whether the extra cost is fine with you.

Beware of your tradie over-quoting. Photo: iStock

• Related: What I learnt from our renovation nightmare
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• Related: Bad habits that are damaging your home

Over-quoting

“Over-quoting” is another common trick, often used if you’re new to renovating. Tradies using this trick know you don’t have much knowledge about how much things cost and they can take advantage of that. They quote high and you don’t know the difference.

You should have a general idea of costs before your tradies arrive to quote. A good way to ensure you have some general knowledge about costs is to make some phone calls or talk to experienced renovators to guide you if necessary.

Consider creating a template for yourself so you can articulate all the details of your own renovation – and ultimately end up with exactly the look and feel you want for your home (without blowing your budget). This should include what you’ll do to every surface, fixture and fitting in each room of your house, together with a preliminary cost estimate for each one.

This is called a renovation design plan. It involves going around every part of the house and articulating every single thing that is being renovated – floors, wall colours, kitchen, bathrooms, lighting, window dressings, exterior colours and details, landscaping, driveway, fences and so on.

Another way to avoid being ripped off is to have a common contact. If you contact a tradie because they’ve been recommended by someone you know and trust, or by a retailer, then they’re more likely to be reliable and fair with their price. 

Jane Eyles-Bennett is one of Australia’s leading home renovation and interior design experts. She is an award-winning interior designer with more than 25 years’ experience designing the interiors and exteriors of homes, specialising in kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces.

Contact Jane at jane@hotspaceconsultants.com or via her website.

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