We’ve all heard the horror stories. You have grand plans for an extension or a renovation, but you don’t have the biggest budget in the world to get it done. Then along comes a builder who promises they can do everything and more, within your price range!
Fast forward a few months, and you’re left with a wonky extension and a leaking roof, and very much out of pocket. Cowboy builders ae the bane of our existence as professional builders, and they give us all a bad name. So today we wanted to share with you a few red flags to help you spot and avoid cowboy builders.
They Have No References
If any builder is unwilling or reluctant to show you their previous work, or even provide you with references, this is a huge red flag. Before you work with any builder you should see their portfolio of completed and in-progress work, or even visit a current site if you can. More to the point, any builder worth their salt will happily share these with you, and will be proud to do it! The very least you should be doing is checking their reviews online and their website to see if they can actually deliver on what they promise – because 9 times out of 10, they can’t.
Very Low Quotes
Generally, when you’re looking for a builder you should look to get quotes from at least 3 separate companies. This is to help you find a builder you like who is in your price range, but also to help you spot a cowboy who might be hiding in the group. If one of those quotes is much lower than the others, it’s a red flag. If you’ve asked 10-15 builders for quotes (since only a handful will get back to you) and given them all the same information, then you should have a good idea of what the job will cost. An enticingly low quote often results in a bodge job, as the builder likely skimped on materials, underquoted on labour or plans to spring a lot of hidden costs on you down the line.
Keeping Things Vague
On top of a low quote, cowboy builders will also intentionally avoid giving you any details on their quote or the work. This is usually so that they can add things for an additional charge or descope things during your build, so you end up paying way more than the original quote amount. Make sure you’re getting detailed quotes from each builder, and if a builder won’t provide one, move on.
Wants To Work ‘Off The Books’
If any builder is asking for cash in hand for the whole job, don’t want to give you a proper quote or doesn’t want to pay VAT, you should be questioning the kind of business they are running. Legitimate businesses don’t operate this way, and if they’re willing to fleece the tax man, how do you know they won’t do the same to you? We generally advise you avoid paying cash for any building work for your own protection.
If you want to work with a professional, registered and insured builder, our door is always open. Just give us a call to find out more.
