Work with social distancing
ROBYN WILLIS
YOU asked: Now that I’m m spending more time working from home, I’m more aware of the things that need fixing around the house. Is it still OK to have tradies visit or should I try to do it myself?
WORKING from home in recent weeks has certainly had its share of ups and downs for many households. Finding ding room for everyone to work and negotiating individual daily routines in a full house has been challenging for many.
But with all this time at home, Hipages chief customer officer Stuart Tucker says we’re also noticing something else – the number of odd jobs that require attention.
“Now that we’re settling into the new norm, a couple of things are happening,” Stuart says. “We’re noticing jobs around the house that need to be done, particularly gardening and outdoor jobs.”
With some homeowners rightly concerned about social distancing, this has led to a rise in DIY projects, as evidenced by the long queues at hardware store chains such as Bunnings. However, Stuart says the outcomes have been mixed. WE WANT
“We have a great culture of DIY in this country but people do need to know their limits,” he says. “Our research has shown that the older you are, the wiser you are. Gen Y are the biggest culprits of DIY disasters at 27 per cent with Baby Boomers less likely to stuff up DIY with 16 per cent ending in tears.”
Fixing DIY attempts can be an expensive exercise. Stuart suggests getting some expert help from the outset.
“Sometimes, it’s about knowing when to get a tradie in,” he says. “It’s essential for things like electrical work or dangerous things like climbing ladders.
“I have booked a job to get my gutters cleaned because I am not going to get up on the roof – I want a professional to come in and do a job like that.”
At the moment, the official government advice is that if it’s a job you can put off, you should.
By law, electrical work and some plumbing tasks must be done by a licensed professional.
Stuart says there are ways of adhering to the advice on social distancing and still safely engage a tradie to come to your house.
“There are opportunities to reduce the amount of face-toface contact required,” he says.
“Sharing photos or a FaceTime call to show the tradie the area might reduce the need to talk directly on a first visit.
“Avoiding paying in cash is another one – you can pay through the Hipages platform or use a credit card.”
You can also create a zone where the tradie can work, away from the rest of the family, and use the sink for washing up.
Most tradies are already adjusting to the new working environment, Stuart says, washing their hands after every job and keeping their distance from householders.
“We have been providing tradies with information on how to be respectful to customers in this environment,” he says. “It’s things like not coming to the door if you don’t need to and washing your hands after every job,” he says. “This way we can get on with it. It is such an important part of keeping Australian households ticking over.”
For some jobs, like lawn mowing and tree lopping, there is virtually no need to be in contact with the tradie.
If you’re stuck deciding which skills are needed for the job, Stuart says the Hipages online platform makes the process easier, allowing you to post a description of the work required, along with any photos, and letting tradies respond.
“The good thing about Hipages is that you can connect with the appropriate people,” he says.
“Sometimes you don’t know what tradie you need – is it a gas fitter or a plumber? And who does wallpapering? Getting the right tradie is half the battle.”
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