A new independent survey published today for once turns around public perception and shows the average small builder in a favourable light.
The report, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), shows a decisive 91% of homeowners were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with building work carried out within the last three years. It was significant that most of those questioned followed sensible procedures for choosing and working with builders, suggesting that increasingly careful behaviour is helping to drive the cowboy builder out of the market.
In turn, this means more opportunities for builders who have developed a good reputation through high quality work and reliable behaviour. For example, 82% had employed either a builder known to them already or because of a recommendation, with 91% getting some form of verbal or written quote prior to the work being done. The majority (82%) made some kind of check – either following up references or checking that the builder was a member of a professional body. The survey also showed that in the minority of cases where problems did occur with the work, these were resolved by the original builder with no extra costs incurred to the homeowner.
Importantly, those who had checked their builder's references reported being dissatisfied in only 4% of cases. It also put paid to the myth that customers have to wait an age for builders to begin work. Most builders (76%) started work within a month of work being commissioned. Chris Blythe CIOB chief executive says: "To see that nine out of ten respondents were satisfied with building work carried out on their homes is really good news for the industry and for the majority of builders who do an excellent job. It means that the public are now doing all the right things by checking references, getting warranties, agreeing payment schedules and comparing quotes and this puts reputable builders at a distinct advantage.
However, the CIOB was keen to stress that there was still some way to go before the cowboys rode off into the sunset for good. The Office of Fair Trading receives over 100,000 complaints each year regarding rogue traders. Not surprisingly, although the incidence of this was relatively low, the survey showed some correlation between those that did not pay VAT and lower levels of satisfaction with the work done. Those who had paid cash reported dissatisfaction with the work in 7% of cases compared to only 3% or those that either had paid VAT or did not need to as their chosen firm came under the VAT threshold. Further encouragement for the CIOB came from the fact that the majority of respondents felt confident about seeking out further sources of advice or information regarding choosing and working with their builder. However, 22% of the sample still did not think they could find these sources, indicating that this is an area for concern. "It is also worrying that almost 40% of respondents did no checks and they were either very lucky or don't know whether they got a good job or not," says Blythe. "However, it's very gratifying that this change has been customer-driven. It's up to the majority of decent builders to help educate the public and continue this trend." |
