How to Find a Reliable Tradesman in Turkey: Guide for Expats

A dripping tap, a tripping fuse box or a damp wall that needs repainting can turn into a real headache when you do not speak much Turkish and do not yet know who to call. This guide explains, step by step, how foreign homeowners and tenants in Türkiye can find a reliable plumber, electrician, painter or handyman, check them before work starts and protect themselves if something goes wrong. It reflects the rules as of October 2026.

**Key points**

– The best leads still come from people: neighbours, your building manager (yönetici) and other foreign residents who have used the same tradesman. – Before work starts, ask for an inspection visit (keşif), a written quote (teklif) and photos of similar jobs. – Ask for an invoice (fatura). Under the Tax Procedure Law, registered businesses must issue one when you ask for it. – Natural gas work may only be done by firms certified to work with your local gas distribution company. Electrical internal installations are reserved for electricians registered with the local electricity distribution company. – If a job is defective, consumer law gives you remedies. In 2026, disputes below 186,000 lira go to a Consumer Arbitration Committee (Tüketici Hakem Heyeti), and you can apply through e-Devlet.

This is general information, not legal advice. For a serious dispute, check your case with a lawyer or the provincial trade directorate.

Step 1: Know what kind of tradesman you need

In Turkish, an experienced craftsman is called an **usta** (master). You will hear it used for almost every trade, and "Usta" on its own is a polite way to address the person working in your home. The main trades are:

– **Tesisatçı**: plumber (water and drains). A **doğalgaz tesisatçısı** works on natural gas. – **Elektrikçi**: electrician. – **Boyacı**: painter and decorator. Plastering is **sıva**; the person who does it is a **sıvacı**. – **Fayansçı**: tiler, for bathrooms and kitchens. – **Marangoz**: carpenter, for doors, kitchen units and wardrobes. – **Çilingir**: locksmith. – **Kombi servisi**: boiler service, usually the brand’s authorised service (yetkili servis). – **Tadilat**: renovation. A firm that offers **tadilat ve dekorasyon** takes on larger jobs and coordinates several trades.

For small mixed jobs, such as hanging shelves, fixing a hinge or replacing a socket cover, people often ask for a general handyman, sometimes advertised as **tamirci** or **ev tamircisi**.

Step 2: Start with word of mouth

Most foreign residents find their best tradespeople through a recommendation, and the same is true for Turkish households. Good places to ask:

– **Your building manager (yönetici)** or the site management office (site yönetimi) in a gated complex. Managers deal with leaks, roof repairs and common-area wiring all year and usually know who turns up and who does not. – **The caretaker (kapıcı)** in apartment buildings that have one. – **Neighbours and local shopkeepers.** The hardware store (hırdavatçı) or paint shop (boya bayisi) knows which craftsmen buy materials there and which have good reputations. – **Your landlord or estate agent.** If you rent, check your contract first: some repairs are the owner’s responsibility, so tell the landlord before calling anyone. – **Expat groups.** Local Facebook and WhatsApp groups in places like Fethiye, Alanya or Bodrum often share names. Treat a single glowing post with care and look for repeat recommendations over time.

When someone recommends a tradesman, ask what job was done, how long ago, and whether the price matched the quote.

Step 3: Use online directories as an extra source

Online service directories and classified sites are a useful second step, especially when you have just moved and know no one yet. One example is ilan.com.tr’s directory of home repair and renovation tradespeople, which lists plumbers, electricians, painters, cleaners and other home-service businesses by category and city, with user reviews.

Use any directory as a starting point, not as a guarantee. Read reviews for details (what was fixed, when, by whom), not just star ratings. Check that the reviews actually match the trade you need. Then apply the same checks as for a personal recommendation.

Step 4: Ask for a keşif and a written quote

For anything larger than a quick repair, a serious tradesman will want to see the job before giving a price. This site visit is called a **keşif**. It is a normal step. Some tradespeople charge a call-out fee, so ask beforehand.

After the visit, ask for a written quote (**teklif** or **fiyat teklifi**). A message on WhatsApp is better than nothing; a signed document on the firm’s letterhead is better still. A useful quote shows:

– what work will be done, room by room or item by item; – who supplies the materials and which brand or quality (for example, the paint brand and number of coats); – the total price, and whether VAT (KDV) is included; – the start date and expected duration; – how payment will be made; – any guarantee (**garanti**) on the work.

Get two or three quotes for bigger jobs. A price far below the others is a reason to ask questions, not a reason to sign straight away.

Step 5: Check the tradesman before you agree

– **Ask for photos of past work.** Most tradespeople keep pictures on their phone. Ask for recent jobs similar to yours. – **Ask for a reference** you can call, ideally someone in your area. – **Check there is a real business.** A shop, a tax number on the quote or an invoice book are good signs. You will need these details if you ever have to complain. – **For gas work, check the authorisation.** Under the Natural Gas Market Internal Installation Regulation, a customer’s internal gas installation must be designed and built by a certificate holder. The local distribution company approves the project, checks the work and turns the gas on only when the installation complies. Many distribution companies publish lists of their authorised firms. Never let an uncertified person move a gas pipe or connect a cooker or boiler. – **For electrical installations, check registration.** The Electrical Internal Installations Regulation says internal installations must be carried out by electricians registered with the local distribution operator. These include electrical engineers and qualified technical staff. The same regulation requires residual current protection (hata akımı koruma) in residential distribution boards. If your fuse board has no such device, ask a qualified electrician about it.

If you are buying an older home, faulty or unauthorised work can be part of a wider problem. See our guide to buying property in Turkey as a foreigner. If a renovation would change the building itself, read our zoning amnesty explainer before work starts.

Step 6: Agree payment carefully

Practices vary. For small repairs, people usually pay when the job is done. For painting or renovation, tradespeople often ask for money in advance to buy materials, and sometimes in stages.

Be cautious with advance payments:

– Pay as little as possible up front. Where you can, buy expensive materials yourself or pay the supplier directly. – Link payments to visible progress, for example "after tiling is finished", not to dates. – Pay by bank transfer or card rather than cash, so there is a record. Write the job in the payment description. – Keep every message, quote and receipt. – Ask for a **fatura** (invoice) at the end. Under Article 232 of the Tax Procedure Law, a business must give you an invoice if you ask for one, whatever the amount. Without an invoice it is much harder to prove what was agreed.

No official price list covers private plumbing, electrical or painting work, and prices differ by city, season and job. Comparing quotes is the most reliable way to judge a fair price.

Step 7: If something goes wrong

Talk to the tradesman first, calmly and in writing, with photos. Many problems are fixed at this stage, especially if a guarantee was agreed.

If not, the Consumer Protection Law (No. 6502) treats a service as defective when it does not have the agreed or reasonably expected qualities. The consumer can then choose one of the following:

– having the service done again free of charge; – free repair of the work; – a price reduction in proportion to the defect; – withdrawal from the contract.

The provider must also cover any damage. A free repair or re-performance must be completed within 30 working days of your request. Claims for defective services generally become time-barred two years after the service was performed, unless a longer period applies.

**Consumer Arbitration Committees.** For applications made in 2026, disputes below 186,000 lira must go to a provincial or district Consumer Arbitration Committee (Tüketici Hakem Heyeti). The Trade Ministry set this limit in a communiqué published in the Official Gazette on 23 December 2025. It is revised every year. You apply to the committee where you live or where the transaction took place. You can apply in person, by post, or online through e-Devlet using the ministry’s Consumer Information System (TÜBİS). Foreigners can apply with a foreign identity number or a passport number. The committee’s decisions are binding, and either side can object to the consumer court within two weeks of notification. Disputes at or above the limit go to the consumer court, after compulsory mediation.

To use the online route you need an e-Devlet account. Our guide explains how foreign residents get an e-Devlet password.

Useful Turkish phrases

– **Bir tesisatçı / elektrikçi arıyorum.** I am looking for a plumber / an electrician. – **Keşfe gelebilir misiniz?** Can you come and look at the job? – **Yazılı fiyat teklifi alabilir miyim?** Can I get a written quote? – **Malzeme dahil mi?** Are materials included? – **KDV dahil mi?** Is VAT included? – **İş ne zaman biter?** When will the job be finished? – **İşçiliğe garanti veriyor musunuz?** Do you give a guarantee on the work? – **Fatura kesebilir misiniz?** Can you issue an invoice? – **Su kaçağı var.** There is a water leak. – **Sigorta atıyor.** The fuse keeps tripping. – **Duvar nem yapmış.** The wall has damp.

Red flags

– No fixed address, no tax number and refusal to give a written quote. – Pressure to pay most of the price in cash before any work starts. – A quote far below everyone else’s, with vague details. – Refusal to issue an invoice. – Offers to "just move" a gas pipe or meter without the distribution company’s involvement. – Electrical work without a proper distribution board, or with protective devices removed "because they keep tripping". – Reviews that are all very recent, very short or not about the trade you need.

Quick checklist

1. Ask your yönetici, neighbours and other residents for names. 2. Check a directory or two for extra options and reviews. 3. Arrange a keşif and get two or three written quotes. 4. Ask for photos of past work and a reference. 5. For gas, use only a firm authorised by the distribution company. For wiring, use a registered electrician. 6. Agree materials, timeline, payment stages and guarantee in writing. 7. Keep advance payments small and pay by transfer or card. 8. Ask for a fatura and keep all records. 9. If there is a defect, complain in writing, then use the Tüketici Hakem Heyeti route if needed.

Bottom line

Finding a good usta in Türkiye takes some legwork, but you can manage it. Combine personal recommendations with a careful look at directories, insist on a keşif, a written teklif and a fatura, and keep advance payments small. For gas and electrics, use authorised and registered professionals, because safety and the law both depend on it.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Do I have to pay for a keşif?

A: Often not for ordinary household jobs, but there is no single rule. Some tradespeople charge a call-out fee, so ask when you book the visit.

Q: Can a foreigner apply to the Tüketici Hakem Heyeti?

A: Yes. The Trade Ministry accepts a foreign identity number or a passport number on the application. You can apply in person, by post or online through e-Devlet.

Q: What is the limit for the Consumer Arbitration Committee in 2026?

A: For applications made in 2026, disputes below 186,000 lira go to the committees. Larger disputes go to the consumer court after mediation. The limit is updated every January.

Q: Who can change the gas pipes in my flat?

A: Only a firm certified to work with your local gas distribution company. The distribution company approves the project and checks the work before supplying gas.

Q: Is a WhatsApp quote enough?

A: It is better than a verbal agreement, but a written quote with the firm’s details, and an invoice at the end, give you much stronger evidence if there is a dispute.

Q: Should I pay the full price up front?

A: It is safer not to. Pay a small deposit for materials if needed, link the rest to finished stages, and pay by bank transfer so there is a record.

Planning to buy a home in Türkiye? Download our free property guide for a step-by-step checklist.

Sources

• Communiqué raising monetary limits under Consumer Protection Law No. 6502 for 2026: committee limit 186,000 lira (Trade Ministry, Official Gazette No. 33116, 23 Dec 2025; TÜRMOB copy)
• Consumer Arbitration Committees information note: where and how to apply, TÜBİS via e-Devlet, binding decisions, two-week objection, 2026 limit (Ministry of Trade)
• Electronic applications to Consumer Arbitration Committees via e-Devlet (Ministry of Trade)
• Consumer Protection Law No. 6502, Articles 13, 15, 16: defective services, remedies, 30 working days, two-year limitation (Lexpera)
• Natural Gas Market Internal Installation Regulation, Article 6: certified installers, distribution company approval and inspection (Lexpera)
• Electrical Internal Installations Regulation, Articles 6, 7, 18: registered installers, residual current protection (Lexpera)
• Invoices under the Tax Procedure Law, Article 232: invoice must be issued on request (Alomaliye)

Photo: jesse orrico / Unsplash License, via Unsplash