A new study reveals that a third of homeowners push back home improvement projects on a regular basis due to their worry of dealing with cowboy tradesmen.
A study carried out by the tradesmen-representative group, Federation of Masters Builders, found that, on average, 100,000 complaints are made every year in regards to ‘rogue’ contract workers, including builders and roofers. Such people can ruin house extensions, roof replacements, or general improvement projects, charging ridiculous prices for jobs they’re knowingly incapable of performing to a high-quality, or having no intention to finish at all.
As common sense demonstrates, finding a reliable builder or roofer is paramount to a successful project that serves its purpose as well as reflects your vision. In an ideal world, every contractor would hold the values, ethics, and skills it takes to own their job title, but unfortunately, this is not the case.
Anxiety only increased after it was revealed by BBC journalists that it was extremely simple to create a fake handyman profile on MyBuilder.com, a website that assists consumers in their hunt for construction workers. Alongside this, the reporter was also able to fake a different profile which allowed them to submit a positive review as a customer, aiding this farce.
When you choose to have work carried out on your home, you naturally want to seek help from someone who you can expect to turn up at the agreed time, treat you courteously, and put in the effort and skills necessary to bring your vision to life. However, finding a tradesman who can tick all of these boxes and also make the precise charge specified in the original quote can be surprisingly arduous.
This is especially the case if you have dealt with few contractors in the past and, therefore, don’t know exactly what you should endeavour to avoid. Naturally, the Internet is a treasure trove of useful information – but be cautious, as it has proven not to be as honest as you may like. Ideally, put your trust in a recommendation from a family or friend who has used them before.
No matter where you found this worker, verify their credentials for yourself. You could do this by checking their qualifications and public liability insurance, and also attaining feedback from other previous customers.
Last year, builders and roofers were voted the least trustworthy tradespeople in Britain, and a large chunk of this comes from rogue contractors taking the place of those genuine, skilled professionals. More than 4 in 10 householders (38%) admitted that they don’t trust either tradesman when employing them for the first time, making both building and roofing the least trusted in the construction industry.
Findley Roofing & Building is the biggest domestic roofing company in the North of England, and they attained that reputation through honest and reliable hard work. Their positive image sees them perform an average of 2,200 extensive roofing or building works every year, with many customers flocking in from positive reviews and great word-of-mouth recommendations.
Grant Findley, managing director of Findley Roofing & Building, says: “It’s such a shame that cowboy builders and roofers are continuing to negatively affect such a rewarding and thriving industry. At Findley Roofing & Building, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without the encouraging and grateful feedback we receive from customers.”
Have you been a victim of a botched building or roofing project? If you can track the culprit down and they refuse to refund your money, you have every right to take them to court. Just remember though, the best solution is always to put the effort and knowledge into finding someone who will do it right the first time.
To find out more about Findley Roofing & Building, visit their website here: www.findleyroofing.co.uk