Looking after your home and property
New Zealand families do not have full-time servants, gardeners or cooks, but a small number do hire ‘home help’ – usually an individual who comes in to do their house cleaning for a few hours each week.
More commonly, New Zealanders hire ‘handymen’ or small ‘odd job’ contractors to mow lawns, maintain gardens and/or complete minor repairs. However, electrical, gasfitting and plumbing work must be done by registered tradesmen.
Organising someone to do work for you
When you want someone to do some work for you, it is best to make sure you know what the work is going to cost. There are two ways of doing this:
- Ask for a ‘quote’. A quote is a fixed price. If you accept the quote, the contractor has to do the work for that price, unless you agree to change it.
- Ask for an ‘estimate’. An estimate is a price the contractor thinks the work will cost but it is not as definite as a quote. If you decide to go this way, make it clear that you want to be told – before work starts – if the final price is going to be higher than the estimate.
Ask for all quotes and estimates in writing.
Further information
Talk to your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
Visit www.consumer.org.nz
