Easy explainer: Hiring a tradie during COVID-19 pandemic
Tradies are still on the tools even during lockdown, but there are a number of things you need to know before booking a repair job.
At Work
Don't miss out on the headlines from At Work. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tradies can continue to work and come into our homes – they just need to abide by social distancing regulations.
That was the message from the Employment department, which confirmed there were no Federal-level bans on trade services as the country’s workforce continued to divide into essential and non-essential workers.
Online trade marketplace hipages chief executive and co-founder Roby Sharon-Zipser cleared up some common questions about Australia’s tradespeople during the coronavirus outbreak.
CAN WE STILL HIRE TRADIES?
“The measures announced by the Australian government have been designed to enforce social distancing by keeping groups of people apart. These measures do not affect the hiring of a tradie,” he said.
“Customers can still post jobs through the hipages platform and tradies can continue to accept job leads.
“Tradies have not been added to the restricted services list announced by the Government, and it is paramount that tradies remain on the list of essential services during the coronavirus crisis.
The role that tradies play in keeping Australian households safe, secure and comfortable is critical.
“Whether it’s a blocked drain, a leaky roof, an electrical fault, unwanted vermin or mowing the lawn, most homes cannot function without the regular assistance of a qualified tradie.”
ARE THERE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY TRADE SITUATIONS?
Mr Sharon-Zipser said emergencies such as burst pipes, roof repairs, electrical surges and window repairs could not be ignored without putting homeowners at risk of further damage to their home or themselves.
For now, tradies remained in the list of essential services allowed to continue to operate whether responding to an emergency situation or not.
“It is still safe to hire a tradie, whilst following current health protocols,” he said.
“Should homeowners wish to get jobs done around the home, now is the perfect time to do so.
“A licensed professional should always be hired to complete jobs like plumbing, electrical, home extensions and renovations and repairs to any damaged property.
“It is illegal to undergo most of these works around your home without a proper licence and these licences vary from state to state, and per trade category.”
He said people could also hire tradies to help make their home life more comfortable.
“With Australian’s spending more time at home, especially working from home, it has never been more important to ensure that you are properly set up to work from home,” he said.
“Tradies can help with everything from furniture assembling to get your home office set up, to data cabling as well as home security.”
HOW ARE TRADIES CHANGING THE WAY THEY CONDUCT BUSINESS?
Mr Sharon-Zipser said hipages was providing guidance to its tradies, in adherence with Government recommendations, on how to stay safe and work with customers effectively and professionally.
“Over the past few weeks, we have seen tradies adapt to the new regulations and continue to safely provide their services, ensuring homeowners remain safe and comfortable in their homes,” he said.
This included avoiding handshakes; wearing gloves on the job and washing hands regularly; accepting payment via credit card, direct debit or the hipages app to avoid handling cash; ensuring tools were kept clean by wiping them down regularly with a disinfectant cloth; and staying home if feeling unwell.
Originally published as Easy explainer: Hiring a tradie during COVID-19 pandemic