DIY Doctor have a new video available to view via YouTube which explains our Desired Outcome Building Contract and why you should use one.
It forms part of our solution to ridding the industry of cowboy builders, aiming to help both the homeowner and builder equally with any building project you may be embarking on.
The contract is available for FREE via our Home Improvement Protection Solution page on the website.
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DIY Doctor is dismayed about 1 in 3 of you suffering cowboy builders.
We’ve now solved the problem.
DIY Doctor have launched their Price Doctor extension pricing system to help the home improver price up the labour and materials involved when planning an extension. This information can then help you to compare this against any quotes you may have received from builders and contractors to check accuracy. The price you get via Price Doctor should be within 15% of any quotes.
You also have the opportunity to save designs so that you can go back and alter things you have already entered to see what pricing changes it would make.
You can register and use a free demonstration version before you decide if you would like to buy the full version, with prices starting at £20.
Click here to find out more about Price Doctor and register to trial or to buy.
Price Doctor is part of the 5 step programme Home Improver Protection Solution (HIPS) created by DIY Doctor.
As one of the major DIY stores begin trialing a scheme offering independent tradespeople to do the jobs that homeowners either cannot do themselves or just choose not to do, we pose the question – is it better to DIY or GSI (get someone in)?
As the DIY Doctor website shows, there are plenty of jobs that are relatively easy to do yourself, but if you don’t have the skills or indeed the inclination, there are plenty of tradespeople out there to do the job.
Sometimes it’s the fear of being ripped off that puts people off, and that’s where DIY Doctor’s ‘Find a Tradesman’ scheme is perfect. You just fill in your details along with a brief description on the task in hand and you can receive up to 5 FREE no obligation quotes from tradespeople in your local area.
If you are looking at getting someone in, always get at least three quotes, follow up references and if possible try and view previous work of the tradesperson. DON’T be tempted to go for the cheapest quote just because it’s the cheapest – there might be good reason for it being cheap, if you are taking someone on for a large project make sure you get a contract drawn up (see our Desired Outcome Building Contract) and make sure your chosen tradesperson is insured and has the appropriate certification (eg gas safety, part P registered etc)
For more advice on avoiding cowboy builders see our project page and our page on building contracts, where you can request a free copy of our contract.
There have been some interesting findings in a recent survey conducted by Which?
The results suggested that over 2.5 million people have had a dispute with a builder or tradesman in the last 3 years, and a quarter of those actually took formal action. When you look at the reasons for disagreements between client and tradesmen, the cowboys are definately rearing their ugly heads. The most common disagreement was regarding the quality of work, but other problems included not turning up when agreed, delays over completion and general untidyness.
Other feedback from the Which? survey showed that a quarter of people didn’t get a written quote before start of work, and 4% were asked to pay the upfront for the whole job.
Obviously here at DIY Doctor HQ, we aren’t exactly surprised by the results of the survey, and their executive director, Richard Lloyd has some wise words
“To avoid problems, you should always have a written agreement between you and the trader. And it’s important to do your homework – make sure you get several quotes before deciding who to use, choose a recommended trader and check they’re a member of a professional body.”
So with the DIY Doctor free ‘Desired Outcome Building Contract’, you shouldn’t find yourself in dispute. The contract protects homeowners against rogue traders while protecting good tradesmen from rogue homeowners (yes, there are such people!).
There is no better test of anything than to put it in the hands of the people who will use it the most and we are happy to say (as you can see from the video below), the Desired Outcome Building Contract passed all tests with flying colours.
The homeowners felt that they had full control of their job and had no fear of ‘surprises’ while the builder knew he was going to get paid, the right amount and on time.
The Desired Outcome Building Contract proves what we have said all along. With the right tradesman both parties have exactly the same agenda. The right job, for the right price.
If you are looking for reliable, insured tradesmen, click here
