Kelly Ohlmus / Thursday, December 15, 2022 / Categories: Meet The Trade Pro Meet David Thorp of Kildare Property Maintenance Kildare-based Plumbing and Property Maintenance expert David Thorp talks property maintenance services and his approach to guaranteeing customer satisfaction. 'Your Reputation Is Your Biggest Asset' David Thorp, David Thorp Property Maintenance OLT: Hi David, Let’s start by telling us a little about you and how long you’ve been in the property maintenance business. DT: Hi there, I’m a plumber by trade, qualifying in 1991. I've been working for myself for 20 years. I carry out all plumbing and property maintenance work in Kildare and Dublin. I do everything from general repairs and maintenance (including painting and tiling) to full bathroom renovations. In my spare time, I help out my son who is studying construction and I love restoring and upcycling old furniture. OLT: David you offer a range of services, do you have an ideal type of project? What do you love working on? DT: I love doing bathroom renovations as you can see all the elements of the process coming together. There's a great sense of satisfaction when meeting and exceeding customer expectations. I've worked on a few renovations where the budget was very limited yet managed to exceed the customer's expectations which is great. OLT: You've great ratings on your profile David, including some lovely comments from happy customers. How do you approach a job to ensure the customer is happy & secure a 5-star rating? DT: Always be punctual, always respect the customer and their property, listen to customer requests, discuss any possible issues or changes that may arise during the course of the job and when issuing a customer with a quote, include details of duration, work schedule and details of work to be carried out OLT: Good tips! Are there any other important lessons you’ve learnt over the years of being in business? DT: Yes, your reputation is your biggest asset. So building up those Ratings is very important. OLT: Indeed they are David especially in keeping your profile high during quieter times. The recession years have been tough on many trade professionals – how have you managed the ups and downs over the past 20 years? DT: Thankfully I had a lot of repeat work from previous customers and referrals. Also a lot of aid from using the Onlinetradesmen website. OLT: Have you any advice for someone just starting out in their career? DT: I'd say carry out work to the highest possible standard and maintain clear communication with the customer throughout the job. OLT: And finally we’d love to know how Onlinetradesmen has helped your business since you joined. DT: It's really helped with many new work contacts, referrals, repeat work and nice promotional opportunities for my business to grow. OLT: Thanks David, that's great to hear. We're delighted to have you as a member of Onlinetradesmen - keep up the great work! Visit David Thorp's Property Maintenance profile today. Homeowner guide for preventing and dealing with frozen pipes in the home Ireland's Most Popular Home Improvement Projects In 2022 Print 190 Rate this article: 5.0 Please login or register to post comments.