How to Choose the Right Tradesperson in Belgium: A Homeowner's Checklist
From writing a clear job description to checking the KBO, comparing quotes like-for-like and paying safely: a practical checklist for Belgian homeowners, and how tamam.be builds these checks in.
A leaking roof, a heat pump you have been thinking about for a year, a bathroom that needs a full renovation: sooner or later every Belgian homeowner needs a tradesperson. Finding a good one is still mostly word of mouth and luck. This checklist helps you choose with more certainty, whether you find your professional through friends, a search engine or a platform like tamam.be.
1. Describe the job properly
The quality of the quotes you get depends on the quality of your description. A vague request ("bathroom needs work") leads to vague quotes that are impossible to compare. Include:
- What needs to be done, and what the current situation is.
- Photos of the space, the problem and any access points.
- Dimensions where relevant: surface of the roof, length of the fence, size of the room.
- Timing: urgent, within a month, or flexible.
- Materials or preferences you already have in mind.
On tamam.be you can describe a job in a few sentences, add photos, or simply record a voice message if typing it out is too much.
2. Check that the business is real
Every Belgian business has a company number in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO/BCE). You can look it up yourself for free in the public KBO search, and check a VAT number in the European VIES system. Look for:
- an active registration, not a stopped or struck-off one;
- activities that match the job you want done;
- an address and business name that match the quote.
A professional who cannot or will not give you a company number is the first red flag on this list.
3. Ask about insurance
Things can go wrong on any job site: water damage, a broken window, a fall. Ask whether the professional has liability insurance and ask to see the certificate, especially for roofing, structural work and anything involving gas or electricity. A serious professional will not be offended by the question.
4. Get more than one quote, but not too many
Two to five quotes is usually the sweet spot. One gives you no reference point; ten wastes everyone's time and makes the good professionals less keen to quote. On tamam.be, your job is never sent to more than five professionals at the same time, so you get a real comparison without your phone ringing all day.
5. Compare like-for-like
The cheapest quote is not always the best deal. Put the quotes side by side and check:
- Scope: what exactly is included, and what is explicitly excluded? Removing old materials, waste disposal, finishing work?
- Materials: brand, quality and quantities.
- VAT: is the price including or excluding VAT, and at which rate? For renovation of private homes older than ten years, a reduced 6% VAT rate may apply instead of 21%, under conditions. Ask the professional whether it applies to your job.
- Timing: start date and expected duration.
- Payment terms and warranty.
On tamam.be, every quote shows the total including VAT in the same format, and you can ask the professional questions in the chat before you decide. Quotes are non-binding until you accept one.
6. Read reviews critically
Reviews help, but only if they are real. Five-star ratings from three anonymous accounts say little. Look for reviews that describe a specific job, and for a professional with a consistent track record over many jobs. On tamam.be, only customers who paid through the platform can leave a review, and only after the job is done and the payment released. The rating also takes the number of reviews into account, so a single five-star review does not outweigh a hundred solid ones.
7. Pay safely
Be careful with large advance payments in cash or without an invoice. For bigger projects, paying in stages linked to progress is normal; paying most of the amount before any work starts is not. On tamam.be, you pay by Visa, Mastercard, Bancontact or SEPA, and the money is held in escrow. It is only released to the professional after you confirm the job is done, or automatically after seven days if you do not respond. If something goes wrong, tamam.be mediates, and the payment stays in escrow while the dispute is open.
8. Watch for red flags
- No company number, or one that does not match the name on the quote.
- Pressure to decide today ("this price is only valid now").
- Cash only, no invoice.
- A quote without any breakdown of work or materials.
- Unwillingness to answer questions about insurance or warranty.
How tamam.be builds this in
Much of this checklist is built into tamam.be. Every professional's KBO number is checked against the official register and the VAT number via VIES, and the result is visible on their profile. Your address is only shared with the professional you choose. Posting a job, comparing quotes and chatting are free. When a job goes ahead, a fixed contribution applies that is settled against the quote; see the pricing page for the current terms. The platform covers more than 40 services across Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia, in seven languages.
Have a job in mind?
Describe it on tamam.be and compare quotes from verified local professionals. tamam.be is built and operated by Probex in Genk.