Independent consumer rights organisation Which?, have published interesting results from a recent survey which has identified the top five problems that their members have experienced with builders. Their top 5 problems are:
1) Timing issues
2) Cost more than original quote
3) Poor quality job
4) Rubbish left behind
5) Poor communication
DIY Doctor are not surprised at all by these results, and it highlights the absolute necessity of having a contract in place with your builder. A contract such as our Desired Outcome Building Contract would mean that all five potential problems would be pre-empted or at least you would know what to do should they arise. Any builder worth dealing with shouldn’t have a problem with completing a contract with you, afterall it is for his benefit as well!
The other factor to mention, and it is particularly pertinent to number three of the top five problems – make sure you use a reputable and trustworthy builder in the first place.
TrustMark, the Government endorsed not-for-profit scheme, has the largest databse of accredited tradesmen in the UK, and provides a free service to householders to select a builder with confidence. TrustMark are the only scheme that requires tradesmen to have on-site inspections to check on workmanship and trading practices. These checks are carried out by independent, qualified inspectors. To find a tradesperson in your area via TrustMark, just got to our Find a Tradesman page.
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