U.K. and Ireland - New homeowner in London - tradesmen recommendations?

Hi there, this is a bit of a longshot but if anyone can help it would be much appreciated.

I've just entered the ranks of the property-owning (probably just in time for the market to crash and rates to spike) and have bought a nice Victorian house in Leytonstone.

I'm hoping that some of you London-based sages would be able to recommend tradesmen to me. In particular, I need:

- a builder who doesn't mind doing small jobs; handyman is more accurate I suppose,

- a plumber who won't rip me off when I ask him (her?) to install a new boiler,

- a design firm which will help me apply for planning permission to extend the first-floor extension, and

- a firm which does loft conversions.

Folks with an East End prediliction are of course much appreciated.

Your recommendations are much appreciated. Please feel free to PM me if you wish.

Thanks very much!

0800handyman.co.uk

Top bunch. They have a guy called Don (photo on website) who has done loads for me over the last 2-3 years - fixing broken toilets, wiring up lights, fitting new door handles, putting up wardrobe rails, basic tiling and a massive job involving ripping out two extractor fans and associated cabling and sourcing and installing two replacements. The tiling was a 6/10 job (but it was in a utility room) - everything else he has ever done for me was 10+/10. 2 other people had told me that my broken toilet couldn't be fixed and would have to be ripped out which would have involved retiling the whole bathroom - Don diagnosed the fault, got Grohe to send over the part from Germany then came round to fit it.

Plumbers - Pimlico Plumbers are the only semi-reliable large chain. They are expensive but guarantee to keep coming out for free if there fix doesn't work. They once came out 3 times on a job for me and only charged me for the 1 trip. Punctuality and reliability is excellent.

Here's a top hint for London. Go to http://www.royalwarrant.org/ This is the official list of Royal Warrant holders - ie those groups who do work for the Royal Family. Personally, if someone has refurbished a bathroom for the Queen (as Chadder & Co seems to have) then I'd be prepared to let them loose on my flat. Not sure Buck House has ever had a loft conversion, though!

0800handyman.co.uk

Plumbers - Pimlico Plumbers are the only semi-reliable large chain. They are expensive but guarantee to keep coming out for free if there fix doesn't work. They once came out 3 times on a job for me and only charged me for the 1 trip. Punctuality and reliability is excellent.

I would agree that they are very good, they always turn up spot on time- which when you should be at work is sooo important, they also do a proper job. BUT they are seriously expensive in my experience, like so much in life you are really paying for more time and less hassle- I have no problem in leaving these guys in my flat all day getting on with it because I know that they will do a decent job. A cheaper guy, in my experience, will get the job done but he will take longer and will ask more questions......you pays your money you takes your choice:)

I can't recommend any of the others as most of the people that I have had have been pants.

Cheers gents, much appreciated! I'll let you know how I get on.

I can't recommend any of the others as most of the people that I have had have been pants.

So, so true. My only recommendation would be the aforementioned Pimlico Plumbers. Expensive, but they won't screw it up.