Getting work done in your house: AIBU or is it always a lottery as to whether you get ripped off?

[crew2022]

Posting for traffic really.
In the last few years I have had more bad than good experiences with trades doing work on our home.
I'm literally done with it now and feel like just not starting any more jobs. But am I just unlucky?
I used Checkatrade until second time in and I lost £3000 by paying a 'reputable' tradesman to complete some drainage work which he basically never turned up for. Checkatrade said sorry but we did all the checks so over to you, we can't help.
So instead decided to try local Facebook and nextdoor app recommendations
Paid (this time on debit card) large deposit for fittings etc for a plumber to refit a bathroom. He didn't turn up and said he would send a refund. It never turned up either. Bank refunded it as I paid on debit card, but all the time spent getting quotes and choosing tiles etc wasted.
Double glazing turned into a nightmare as company measured one room wrongly. They paid for replacements but we went through winter with poorly fitted windows and window sills were ruined.
Tiler (recommended) laid our outdoor tiles wrong and consequently they have blown due to frost.
We have lots more jobs to do but I am just exasperated by it all and feel like just leaving it until we move in a few years.
Am I just unlucky or is it so hard to get competent and honest tradespeople?

Don’t tradesmen buy their materials at a trade discount though? Do you lose out on that?

The costlier risk is if you buy materials which quickly become faulty. If you do, you only have a guarantee for the workmanship and not the materials which you bought. Whereas, if you pay for a workman to buy the materials as part of a job, if any part fails in an unreasonable time period, you can expect that faulty item to be replaced and for them to make the repair at no cost to yourself.

I buy what is required after consulting with the tradesman. So we agree that what is required is x and I buy x. It's therefore mine. I haven't paid him upfront for non-existent items and can return them if necessary. Once I know a tradesman is OK I'm happy for them to buy, but still don't pay up front.