Everyone has heard at least one horror story from our friends or relatives about ‘dodgy’ builders, electricians or other tradesmen. In many cases by the time they discover that there was a problem the perpetrators are already long gone, and there is very little chance of putting the situation right or getting their money back.
So here are our tips to stop you being ripped off by dodgy tradesmen:
- ‘Dodgy Builders’ often ask to be paid upfront – a reliable builder should only be paid once they’ve completed the job, or have done a reasonable amount of work to an agreed standard by, you, the client. This should be outlined in their terms and conditions.
- ‘Dodgy Builders’ ask to be paid in cash – if a builder only accepts cash-in-hand payments, then they might be acting dishonestly by avoiding paying VAT, none of us like it, but we all have to pay the dreaded taxman (unfortunately), so this could be sign they are ‘dodgy’.
- They don’t want to give you an exact timeframe or a written estimate – this indicates that they may not be planning to stick to the time agreed or the decided fees – so best get everything in writing before proceeding.
- They might offer a surprisingly low quote – this could be an indication of their inexperience at being able to give accurate figures and price up jobs properly. If things look too good – or too cheap – to be true, they probably aren’t. Always get three separate quotes from different tradesman for comparison so you get an accurate ‘idea’ of how much the job should cost.
- ‘Dodgy’ tradesmen may be unable or unwilling to provide references – if they can’t show you good recommendations, then they’re probably not worth hiring for the job.
- ‘Dodgy builders’ might want to start work right away – dodgy tradesmen often quickly complete lots of work in one area before moving on to somewhere else completely new, before their dodgy work catches up with them, leaving a trail of unfinished or poor standard work behind them.
- ‘Dodgy builders’ often claim to be affiliated with a trade association – check them out with the association they claim to be with – Don’t just take their word for it.
- They often don’t want to draw up a contract – treat with suspicion if you get the ‘My word is my bond’ speech and the offer of an handshake. Get a contract that includes the timeframe, agreed costs and the obligations of both parties. If your builders won’t draw up a contract – don’t employ them.
- They only want to give you a mobile number – Often ‘dodgy’ tradesmen will only give you a mobile number, so making it easier to disappear if/when things go wrong, and making it much harder for you to track them down. Check if they have a landline too, and a website or email address – these all indicate they are a legitimate and established business.
If you require any building work, choose a name that you can trust and call us at Construction Groundworks Specialists on Nathan 07592 663463 or Louis 07703 666893 for your free no obligation quote.