Home Services Buyer’s Guide 2026: How to Pick the Right Tradesperson

Home services is a low-trust market. In most countries, there is no single trade regulator, no universal rating system, and plenty of anonymous reviewers on platforms that do not verify who left them. This guide gives you a framework for cutting through all of that and hiring someone who will actually turn up, do the job, and stand behind it.

Start With Verification

Before anything else, confirm the provider’s identity has been verified by the platform or, for direct hires, by you. A platform that lets anyone sign up without ID is not a vetting platform; it is a directory with a rating layer on top. GeraHome verifies government-issued ID, business registration where applicable, trade credentials for regulated trades (gas, electrical), and public liability insurance.

• UK gas engineers must be Gas Safe registered. Ask for the number and check it on gassaferegister.co.uk.
• UK electricians should hold NICEIC or NAPIT registration for notifiable work.
• Cleaners and handymen are not formally regulated in most countries, so identity verification and reviews carry more weight.

Read Reviews, Then Discount Them

Reviews are useful signal, not proof. A provider with 200 reviews averaging five stars across 18 months is a much better signal than 40 reviews averaging 4.9 stars accumulated in three weeks. Look for patterns:

• Length and specificity — “fixed the boiler in 40 minutes, gave a written receipt, showed the old part” beats “great, thanks”.
• Response quality — how does the provider handle negative reviews? Professional and factual is good; defensive or absent is bad.
• Photo evidence — before-and-after photos are much harder to fake.
• Review velocity — a sudden spike of reviews in a short window is a red flag for manipulation.

Get a Written Quote

Never start work on a verbal estimate. Every professional tradesperson will give you a written quote — itemised, with labour and materials separated, VAT specified where applicable, and payment terms stated. A provider who refuses to put the price in writing is telling you something important.

For anything over the cost of an evening meal, get at least two quotes. You are not just comparing price; you are comparing scope. Two quotes for “fix leak” that differ by 50% are often comparing two different jobs — one is replacing a washer, the other is replacing the whole tap.

Ask About Guarantees

Every reputable tradesperson warrants their work. Ask: “If the same problem recurs within three months, what happens?” The right answers are “I come back and fix it free” or “you are covered under our platform guarantee.” GeraHome backs all platform-booked jobs with a 30-day rework guarantee for routine services; regulated trades carry their standard industry warranties on top.

The Deposit Rule

For small jobs (under the cost of a smartphone), no deposit. For mid-size jobs, 25% deposit is reasonable. For larger jobs where the tradesperson has to order materials, 50% deposit is normal but should be split across milestones. Never pay the full fee up front.

Pricing — The Real Benchmarks

Prices vary hugely by country and city. Broad 2026 ranges for reference:

• UK house cleaner: 15–25 GBP per hour, minimum 3 hours for a deep clean.
• UK plumber: 60–120 GBP per hour plus call-out fee; 90–200 GBP emergency call-out.
• London electrician: 60–120 GBP per hour.
• Yerevan house cleaner: 2,500–5,000 AMD per hour.
• Nairobi plumber: 1,500–5,000 KSh per visit for small jobs.
• Tbilisi electrician: 50–120 GEL per call.

Red Flags

• No written quote offered.
• Cash-only with no receipt.
• Unmarked van or no business identity.
• Full payment demanded up front for mid-size or large jobs.
• Pressure tactics (“I need to start today or the price doubles”).
• Refusal to identify themselves or show credentials.

The GeraHome Shortcut

GeraHome does most of this for you. Every listed provider is identity-verified, every quote is written, every booking carries a 30-day rework guarantee, and payment is held until work is confirmed complete. That does not mean you stop thinking — you still pick the provider and confirm the work — but it moves most of the verification work off your plate.