This page has some general  advice, from various sources, for people wanting to hire a tradesman.

 A word of warning - There are a lot of 'Plasterers' advertising, who have only completed a 5 or 7 day course. We have been called in by a few people to redo the work they have done because it was well below standard. Also there are companies such as Touch Manchester, Accesplace and city visitor who have plasterers listed yet there is no vetting procedure, all they want is people to pay to advertise on their websites. Be careful who you choose.

How to avoid a cowboy builder        - from diydata.com

How to find a good builder               - from Manchesteronline.co.uk

How to renovate your house           - from the BBC  website

Avoiding rip-off tradesmen               -from House move.com

Choosing a good builder                   - from the governments website