Trustworthy builders

[user1465146157]

I'm wanting to get various work done on a house but don't know where to go for trustworthy builders and decorators.

Is there a website that anyone uses?

Always watching Homes under the Hammer and programmes like that and the work done always looks so good. My family have been stung before my shoddy builders so I'm worried this could happen again.

[venys]

Mostly the people on myBullder have been good. They need good reviews so they behave. Although I did have a couple of guys plastering and they were conscientious workers but turned out their plastering was rubbish. (Find out after you give a review). Can you break the jobs up into small chunks. That way you can try a builder on one piece before engaging them in more work?

[EssentialHummus]

Yy to small chunks. I've found Rated People good for all kinds of trades, but even better are local FB pages - NOT tradies recommending themselves, but other people in the neighbourhood who have liked their work. I have good ones in now and am shouting from the proverbial rooftops about them.

[SeetheseeyessogreenIcanstarefo]

Essential if you you in South East near Egham Windsor could you let me know!!

[EssentialHummus]

I'm in the guts of s. London sadly see.

[RoseValleyRambles]

@essentialhummus do you have an electrician you'd recommend? In the same area and struggling - not sold on the checkatrade folks we've met.

[EssentialHummus]

Not really rose. We used a company called A Phillip Electrical (Lewisham) for electrics, because we were in a hurry and needed to get on with it. They were great but I have the feeling we paid over the odds, not sure I'd actively recommend them.

[Crumbelina]

I've used CheckaTrade for a sash window replacer (he was amazing), rubbish collection (fine), a brickie (ok) and now some builders. The latter have glowing reviews but a lot of mistakes on their part have meant that I'm not particularly impressed with them (would probably rate them 6/10) and so I doubt I'll post a review. I've heard that CaT can be quick to remove bad reviews so I'm not sure I'll bother - which makes me wonder how many other people receive okish service but stay quiet?

Generally though, no, I don't think trustworthy builders actually exist in London. They all seem to want to cut corners. Sorry - big generalisation there which is tainted by our own experience, friends' experiences and err ... many, many threads on here.

[venys]

Is wouldn't trust checkatrade..my ex builder would do the job ok to a certain point, ask for a review and get a glowing one, then do a runner leaving the work unfinished. (His colleagues told me this happened every single job).

[Sarahsea1]

Have a look on Federation of Master Builders website - they do various checks so it's not guaranteed they'll be perfect, but you're some way nearer to them at least being established. Use a few nearby postcodes in the Search function as it bases the results on the builder's address and s/he will probably cover different areas.