A local recommendation is useful, particularly if the person can tell you what work they had done and how it went. Follow up on those details before hiring. Someone who did a good decorating job may not be the right person for plumbing or electrical work, and a recommendation from years ago may involve a different team from the one working today.
What did they actually do?
A good patio doesn't tell you much about a rewiring job. Ask for recent work similar to yours and find out which part the business completed. If you're looking at photos, ask whether they're its own projects; attractive portfolio pictures can be stock images.
A useful reference can tell you how the job went when something needed changing. Did the contractor explain the cost, finish the work and return to fix a defect? That tells you more than ‘lovely bloke, five stars’.
Find out who is coming
Get the business name, invoice details and the name of the person doing the work. Ask about suitable insurance. For electrical or thermal-installation work, check the relevant company registration and who can issue any required certificate.
Speaking English makes the conversation easier, but it doesn't establish technical competence. Neither does a long menu of services. Ask about the exact task and be willing to use a specialist where the job needs one.
Put the agreement in writing
Write down what is included: materials, labour, rubbish removal, making good, protection of shared areas, permits and certificates. Send the same brief to anyone else quoting so you can compare the answers.
Agree payment stages and have extra work priced before authorising it. Keep the quote, messages, photos and invoices together. Both you and the contractor benefit from being able to check what was agreed if a misunderstanding comes up.
Before you go ahead
- Scope written
- Business identity checked
- Relevant registration or competence checked
- Comparable work reviewed
- Payment stages and change process agreed
Common questions
Is a Facebook recommendation enough?
It is a starting point. Confirm who performed the work, when, what it involved and whether the same business and people will handle your job.
Should I choose the cheapest quote?
Only after checking that scope, materials, tax, waste, access, certificates and exclusions are genuinely comparable.
People are talking about this
A few Reddit discussions behind this guide. These are personal accounts; they aren't a measure of how often it happens.
People looking for trades in Spain repeatedly describe relying on word of mouth because quote sites and individual contractors often fail to respond. Read the discussion
Sources and further reading
Official information checked on 12 October 2026. Rules and procedures can change; verify the live source for your exact circumstances.