HOME IMPROVEMENTS GONE WRONG
Home renovations gone wrong When it comes to the home renovations that get messed up the most, a new bathroom tops the list. Here is the list from homeowners on poor-workmanship home renovations: ● New bathrooms (23%) ● General repairs like boiler fixes (20%) ● New kitchens (18%) ● Roof work (17%) ● Window installations (12%) k Poor work leads to a lack of trust, with 52 per cent of homeowners saying they do not trust tradespeople. The most common reasons include: ● Unreliable behavior (49%) ● Negative past experiences (41%) ● Feeling ripped off (33%) ff ● Incomplete or delayed work (29%) ● Lack of transparency on costs (29%) Brian Berry, CEO of the FMB, said: “It is sad to see how much homeowners have had to fork out to fix dodgy work. It is causing them unnecessary stress and financial strain and sadly also leading to a lack of trust in tradespeople. “It is particularly concerning to see younger homeowners disproportionately affected, often spending tens of thousands of pounds to fix the substandard work, which is most likely on their first or second home. This underscores the importance of thorough research, seeking recommendations, and ensuring tradespeople are accredited and trustworthy before hiring. “We ensure a building company goes through a vigorous vetting and inspection process before becoming a member of the FMB to help protect homeowners and improve the reputation of the industry.” Simon Ayers MBE, CEO at TrustMark, said: “I can’t stress enough the importance of researching a tradesperson before you hire them to ensure that work is carried out to the proper standards and quality, that protection is in place if something goes wrong and that work is done to the correct safety standards. “While personal recommendations from friends and family are great, we don’t always know a skilled tradesperson locally, so knowing where to look is vital.”
Ranking different trades’ reliability Homeowners have their own views on the tradespeople who are most likely to disappoint them, with:
21% reporting issues with builders
33% reporting issues with plumbers
17% reporting issues with electricians
16% reporting issues with roofers
10% reporting issues with plasterers
There are ways for tradespeople to build trust with homeowners. of those questioned said personal recommendations give them confidence. Also important to homeowners was that their tradesperson: ● Belonged to a trusted industry body (50%) ● Had positive reviews on directories (48%) 64%
cent of 18-29 year olds (Gen Z comprises those aged 13 to 29) say the same. It might not be the case that Gen Z is more vulnerable though; it could have more to do with them cutting corners. This group is the most likely to hire the first tradesperson they receive a quote from (38 per cent). Along with Millennials (aged 30 to 44), Gen Z is more likely to attempt the work themselves – and then pay to fix it (33 per cent of Gen Z and 35 per cent of Millenials).
35
Master Builder
www.fmb.org.uk www.fm b.org.uk
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker