Why ask AI for a tradie?
When you ask a friend for a tradie recommendation, you get one or two names, with context: "she did our bathroom, was on time, cleaned up after herself." That's infinitely more useful than scrolling through 50 Google results.
AI assistants work the same way. Instead of giving you a list of links, they give you recommendations with reasons — and you can ask follow-up questions.
How to ask (with examples)
The key is to be specific. The more detail you give, the better the recommendation:
Too vague:
"Find me a plumber"
Much better:
"I need a licensed plumber in Sydney's Inner West who can fix a leaking hot water system. Preferably someone with good reviews who's available this week."
Even better:
"Can you recommend a plumber in Marrickville or Newtown? I have a leaking Rinnai hot water unit. I need someone who's licensed, insured, and has experience with gas hot water systems."
Which AI assistant to use
They all work, but each has strengths:
- ChatGPT — best for detailed, conversational recommendations
- Gemini — tightly integrated with Google, good for local search
- Claude — excellent at nuanced analysis and comparing options
- Siri — convenient on iPhone, improving rapidly
- Perplexity — cites its sources, good for verification
What to ask after the initial recommendation
Don't stop at the first answer. Ask follow-ups:
- "Are they licensed and insured?"
- "What do their reviews say?"
- "How do their prices compare to others in the area?"
- "Can you find their ABN?"
- "What's their Quoteable profile?"
Tips for getting better results
- Include your suburb — "Inner West" is better than "Sydney"
- Mention the specific job — "switchboard upgrade" is better than "electrical work"
- Ask for credentials — "licensed and insured" filters out cowboys
- Request multiple options — "give me three options with pros and cons"
- Verify independently — always check credentials on the ABN Lookup and your state's licence register
Where AI pulls its data from
AI assistants build recommendations from structured sources:
- Google Business Profiles
- Platforms with structured data (like Quoteable)
- Review sites with schema markup
- Government registers (ABN, licences)
This is why tradies with a Quoteable profile tend to surface in AI recommendations — the data is structured specifically for AI to read.
A word of caution
AI recommendations are a great starting point, but always:
- Verify the ABN at abr.business.gov.au
- Check the licence on your state's register
- Get multiple quotes — never go with the first price
- Read recent reviews — not just the star rating
- Meet in person before committing to large jobs