A poll by home services marketplace Plentific.com found that punctuality is the most desirable quality homeowners look for when hiring tradesmen, narrowly ahead of politeness and someone who is willing to talk them through their work.

Having a polite manner and responding promptly in communication is more likely to help a tradesman get hired according to 83% of homeowners, while 81% feel that they are more likely to hire a tradesman who can talk them through the process of their project.

Communication as well as organisation appear to dominate the top of the table, which shows how much homeowners value professionalism when hiring tradesmen. This is further emphasised by the qualities which follow on the list: 78% are more likely to hire a tradesman if they send through a professional quote, while 69% are more likely to choose a tradesman if they create a solid schedule.

The qualities ranking bottom of the list suggest that appearances have less of an impact on a homeowner’s choices. Having a modern, clean and professional looking van only makes 47% of homeowners more likely to hire a tradesman, whilst wearing a branded uniform only influences 22%. Sitting at the bottom of the table, a tradesman’s age has the lowest impact on the homeowner’s likelihood of hiring, regardless of whether they are older (19%) or younger (7%).

Looking at the results by location, a tradesman’s punctuality has the highest influence in Sheffield and Edinburgh, with 91% of local respondents admitting they were more likely to hire a tradesman with this quality.

London displays similar preferences to the national average. Punctuality, talking through the process of a job and responding promptly in communication all share the top spot with 83% of respondents calling them the most desirable qualities for a tradesman to have. However, being polite falls slightly in the rankings, as only 81% would be more likely to hire a Pro with this quality. The similarity between local results suggests that location has little impact on a homeowner’s preferences when hiring tradesmen.

Spokesperson for Plentific, Stephen Jury, said: “Whilst all of these qualities can help a tradesman get hired, it is clear from our findings that appearances make less of an impact on a homeowner’s decisions. Organisation is key: arriving on time, being prompt in communication and generally having a polite and positive manner will make potential clients more likely to hire a tradesman.

“To improve the odds of hiring, tradesmen should focus more on their schedule, process and attitude before spending their well-earned money on appearances.”