Find and hire a good local pro
Hire Wise Guide is an independent guide to hiring tradespeople and professionals in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia. We read through real discussions from people hiring, or about to hire, builders, plumbers, lawyers, accountants and tutors, and turn what they learned into practical checklists.
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Sections
- Home repair and trades
Builders, roofers, plumbers, electricians, heating engineers and the people who keep a home running. 10 guides.
- Legal
When you need a solicitor or lawyer, what to ask first and how fees are usually structured. 4 guides.
- Accounting and tax
Accountants, bookkeepers and tax return help for individuals and small businesses. 4 guides.
- Events and lessons
Wedding photographers, DJs and private tutors. 3 guides.
- Guides by country
How hiring works in the UK, the US, Australia and Canada, and what to check in each. 3 guides.
Latest guides
- How to vet a builder or general contractor before you hire
Practical checks for vetting a builder or general contractor in the UK, US, Canada and Australia: licences, insurance, references, past jobs and payments.
- Hiring a conveyancing solicitor or real estate lawyer
When you need a conveyancer, solicitor or real estate attorney to buy or sell a home in the UK, US, Canada or Australia, and how to compare their quotes.
- Hiring an accountant for a small business
What a small business accountant does, how sole traders and companies differ, which qualifications to look for by country, and what to agree in writing.
- How to choose and book a wedding photographer
How to judge a wedding photographer on full galleries, not highlights, and what to put in the contract on delivery, backup gear, illness and usage rights.
- Hiring tradespeople and professionals in the UK
How hiring works in the UK: Gas Safe, NICEIC and NAPIT, TrustMark, Building Control, FENSA, solicitors and the SRA, payment norms and your consumer rights.
- Red flags of a bad contractor, and what to do if you already hired one
Warning signs that a builder or contractor is a bad bet, from cash-only deposits to storm door-knockers, and the steps to take if you already hired one.
- Getting a will written: solicitor, will writer or DIY
How to choose between a solicitor, a will writer and a DIY will, what to decide about executors and guardians, and how estate planning works in the US.
- Getting help with your tax return
How to find a qualified person to help with a personal tax return in the UK, US, Canada or Australia, what to bring, and the warning signs of a bad preparer.