‘Dodgy’ builders cost £260m
2nd October 2012

Last year homeowners were duped out of £260 million by dodgy builders doing slapdash work, according to research
 
The research – to launch the Master Builder of the Year Awards- shows that almost half of homeowners (48%) are losing out by paying builders for the total project in cash, in an attempt to avoid paying VAT. Over one in 10 (11%) homeowners were left with badly done building work and of these, a shocking 76% paid for the job in cash.*
 
Around 200,000 building projects take place in British homes each year with the average home building job costing £15,740**, this amounts to £260 million* being wasted on shoddy jobs.
 
Brian Berry, spokesperson for the FMB explains:
“Before employing a builder, it is vital to carry out checks to make sure you are using someone reputable, such as an FMB builder. Choosing your builder on price alone can be a false economy which may neither add value to your property nor make for a smooth building project.

“There are plenty of great builders out there, as seen in the entries to the FMB’s "Master Builder of the Year Awards" Master Builder of The Year Awards – the search for the best builders in Britain.  The winners show that choosing the right builder makes the difference between having a dream home or a financial nightmare.”

Architect and Channel 4 presenter George Clarke, who will host the Master Builder of the Year Awards, adds:

“If you pay a builder large amounts of cash upfront then you leave yourself vulnerable to them increasing the price or walking off the job half-way through and you don’t have any warranty if it all goes wrong.  By using a reputable builder, signing a contract, and organising staged payments with receipts, you will have recourse if it all goes wrong”.