Thinking of hiring a tradesperson? Find out what MNers thought of MyBuilder

[EllieMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the Mumsnet users who tried and tested the MyBuilder service. This service test was open to all UK MNers who have a job that needs to be done by a tradesperson. This was a service test on users experience of the MyBuilder service and site rather than the tradespeople themselves.

Here’s what MyBuilder have to say: “We know it can be a hassle searching for available tradespeople. At MyBuilder, our unique match-making process makes it easy to find the right person for your project. When you post a job on MyBuilder, it’s sent to local tradespeople with the right experience, who express an interest in the job if they’re free to take it on. You can then review the profiles of all the interested tradespeople, looking at their experience, photos of their previous work and all the feedback left by previous customers. You then shortlist all the tradespeople you want to speak with before you’re put in touch.

We’re picky at MyBuilder, and turn down almost half of tradespeople who apply to join. Each tradesperson goes through a trade specific evaluation to meet our high standards, because our reputation is only as good as our tradespeople. Our feedback system ensures that tradespeople are rewarded for good work and kept accountable. Our tradespeople relish the opportunity to build an outstanding reputation on MyBuilder, and it’s customer feedback which makes that possible.”

Testers please answer the following questions:
- What was the job you posted?
- How easy was it to post your job?
- What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?
- Is there anything you feel could be improved?
- Would you use MyBuilder again?
- Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.

Testers will be required to leave feedback on their experience of the MyBuilder service on both this thread and by filling in a short survey. Everyone who leaves the required feedback will receive a £40 voucher and also be entered into a prize draw where 3 testers will win £100 voucher each of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[LadyNina00]

-What was the job you posted?
Bathroom refurbishment/ refit

-How easy was it to post your job?
Easy and straightforward
-What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?
I really liked that you could check out the reviews, feedback and photos of previous work of trades people.
-Is there anything you feel could be improved?
There are some jobs completed by trades people but they haven't been left feedback. This makes me feel a bit wary that the feedback may not have been left because it wasn't completely great service and the customer didn't want to leave negative feedback. Could MyBuilder give more Feedback options to counter this?
-Would you use MyBuilder again?
Yes.
-Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.
Would definitely recommend to other people, like being able to see feedback.

[hanliying]

• What was the job you posted? Install Fireplace and garden design
  
• How easy was it to post your job? Very easy
  
• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website? Can see review of the shortlisted builder
  
• Is there anything you feel could be improved? If I can contact their reference
  
• Would you use MyBuilder again? Yes
  
• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not. Yes. It is an efficient way to find trust worthy builder

[thingywotsit]

What was the job you posted? Having the rendering on the top half of the house painted.

How easy was it to post your job? Very, the site is really user-friendly

What did you like most about the MyBuilder website? The step-by-step process and the alerts.

Is there anything you feel could be improved? The ability to choose more than one trade type. My job was suitable for a decorator or an odd-job person.

Would you use MyBuilder again? Yes

Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not. Yes, it's a good way to find tradespeople when you don't have the advantage of personal recommendations.

[PooPooOfferson]

What was the job you posted?
To repair/replace a smoke alarm.

-How easy was it to post your job?
It was very easy and quick to post; the steps were clear to follow.

-What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?

• the design of the website
  
• user-friendly
  
• reading about the tradespeople and their reviews was clear and easy to access
  

-Is there anything you feel could be improved?

• the location set by the site did not match my postcode
  
• photos could not be added during the initial posting
  
• an option for a texting or calling preference
  
• messaging through the site would be useful as texts can get lost
  

-Would you use MyBuilder again?
I would so as to get several quotes from one place rather than doing the groundwork myself.

-Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.
I would recommend for the above reason (although not all tradespeople were local which is what I would ultimately prefer).

[Chocolate50]

What was the job you posted?
fitting 2-3 plug sockets in our home

• How easy was it to post your job?
  

very easy,

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?
  

ease of navigation, easy steps to follow

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?
  

aesthetically it could be more appealing with more pics of tradesmen and women

• Would you use MyBuilder again?
  

yes

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family?
  

yes definitely, I would because the tradespeople are rated and for that reason it works like 'word of mouth' recommendations, which is really what you want

[Ratbagcatbag]

What was the job you posted?
I posted a job for a boiler service.

• How easy was it to post your job?
  

Very easy to post the job, step by step guide and helpful hints to make sure I gave the correct information.

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?
  

I like how user friendly it is.
I like the list of information they can give. For example one of the tradesmen specialised in my type of boiler. It made me feel happier about it selecting him.
Easy to view reviews as well.

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?
  

I maybe misunderstood but once I'd shortlisted a tradesmen I expected them to message further. However that was maybe my misunderstanding so I contacted them instead.

I also only had two people interested in my job, it may be helpful to be able to understand why my job wasn't that desired. Maybe some pointers from my builder.

• Would you use MyBuilder again?
  

Yes. And I have some jobs that I need gardening/landscaping wise that I have no clue on so it would be helpful to get a range of quotes for those.

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.
  

Yes I would. It was easy to use and made me not have to spend hours trawling for numbers to try and find someone and ask the right questions.

[smoothieooo]

• What was the job you posted?

A bricklayer was required for the rebuild of a low garden wall

• How easy was it to post your job?

Incredibly easy - I would imagine it's virtually impossible to post your job within the wrong section.

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?

It's very easy to navigate. When contacted by tradespeople who are interested in your job, it's useful to be able to see how long they've been part of MyBuilder and to read previous reviews.

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?

It was sometimes difficult to get back to the relevant page to read messages from the shortlisted tradespeople. At one point I had around 6 MyBuilder tabs open on my phone!

• Would you use MyBuilder again?

Yes, definitely. Out of 5 people who contacted me, I shortlisted 2 and 1 came to give me a quote. The second shortlisted bricklayer phoned around a week later but I'd already given the job to the original guy. Unfortunately it didn't work out as the work was due to take place yesterday and I had one message to put it back by an hour, followed by a further message to say he couldn't make it. That's not MyBuilder's fault though.

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.

Yes I would. It's almost as good as a word of mouth recommendation from a friend.

[Cd89]

• What was the job you posted?
  

Whole bedroom requires painting, plus, painting required to touch up where plaster has been repaired in small areas across lounge and hallway.

• How easy was it to post your job?
  

Very easy, form was easy to follow and didn't require any fancy technical lingo.

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?
  

It was clearly laid out and easy to navigate. I could view and compare tradesmen easily.

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?
  

The contact methods didn't really work for me. I was interested in using this service as it was online based and removed the need for phone calls until later in the process. Having my phone number/calls meant that it didn't remove this element at all.

• Would you use MyBuilder again?
  

Yes, it was so convenient.

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.
  

Yes, it completely took out the hassle of searching for someone myself and having to do my own checks and due diligence. Usually I end up asking friends or colleagues and trying to get recommendations which is timely and costly as I often feel obliged to go with someone who has been recommended despite the cost.

[Anita83]

• What was the job you posted?
  

To put tiles on kitchen wall.

• How easy was it to post your job?
  

Very quick and easy.

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?
  

I like that I got response to my job within 5 minutes.

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?
  

To be able to limit the number of responses within my area. Received messages from people too far to travel. And login option, couldn't find messages without clicking on link in my email.

• Would you use MyBuilder again?
  

Yes, definitely.

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.
  

Yes, it was great idea of MyBuilder due to how quick I receive responses.

[WibbleBoy]

- What was the job you posted
Service boiler and 2 replacement radiators

- How easy was it to post your job?
Very easy, the site uses a simple layout which is easy to follow.

- What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?
It's a simple way to contact multiple people who are interested and capable of completing any jobs you need.

- Is there anything you feel could be improved?
The feedback process is flawed in that you can't revisit old reviews, should the circumstances change further down the line. As a result, I feel less confident about the reliability of the reviews, so you need to double check with other review sites (such as Yell and Google), perhaps MyBuilder could ease this process my linking to any such review pages.

- Would you use MyBuilder again?
Possibly, the site has fewer features that some others (such as Checkatrade).

- Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.
It would depend on the circumstances. In my case, the work involved Gas, so at least I had the confidence that the builder was GasSafe certified (though I had to check this separately via the GasSafe website).

[rosybell]

-What was the job you posted?
Tiling our hallway

• How easy was it to post your job?

Really quick and easy - it took me less than 5 minutes, there was no faffing around creating accounts etc.

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?

There seems to be a wide variety of trades people on there. The website itself is use friendly.

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?

Maybe more options for describing the job. E.g. I had to specify if I had already brought the tiles, or if i wanted the builder to source the, The answer was neither as I was only in the stages of getting quotes.

• Would you use MyBuilder again?

Yes I would

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.

Yes, I have recommended them to my parents as they have been stung by cowboy builders before and this seems a good way of getting in contact with reliable tradespeople.

[limomo82]

• What was the job you posted? Complete garden landscape and clearance
  
• How easy was it to post your job? Very easy
  
• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website? Very easy to use. No issues.
  
• Is there anything you feel could be improved? Through the limited use we’ve had it seems fine.
  
• Would you use MyBuilder again? Definitely yes. In fact my next job is to ask for garden quotes once I’ve written this review
  
• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not. Yes. Very pleased with the tradespeople recommended so far. And it’s easy to use.

[godsteeth]

What was the job you posted? Pasterer for my dining room.

How easy was it to post your job? Very easy
What did you like most about the MyBuilder website? It's very quick and easy to use.

Is there anything you feel could be improved? I don't like that I had to add my phone number, would rather do that later. You should be able to reduce or choose the area you want them to come from as some I thought were too far away.

Would you use MyBuilder again? Probably yes, Its a very quick way to find someone.

Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Yes definitely.

[stassy123]

I see how on this post you have used the word 'tradespeople' but on your actual website you use the term 'tradesmen'

I'd use your service if it wasn't for that. Never mind, maybe in 10 more years.

[MsMarple]

Testers please answer the following questions:

• What was the job you posted?

I needed guttering fixing, and a leak in the roof fixing.

• How easy was it to post your job?

Very easy. Everything went smoothly.

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?

I liked that there were almost instant email responses from interested traders when I posted the job. With other sites I have had to trawl through loads of details and contact people who didn't have the time or inclination to do the job. The MyBuilder method saves on a lot of wasted time I think.

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?

I would like to be able to see where interested tradespeople were based more easily, without clicking through. I specifically wanted someone local but had responses from people 40 miles away.

• Would you use MyBuilder again?

Yes.

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.

I already have! Someone was saying to me that they'd had difficulty in people she'd called not being interested in quoting, so I told them about MyBuilder.

[sally2489]

• What was the job you posted?
  

Fixing a flatpack bookcase and putting a heavy mirror onto the wall.

• How easy was it to post your job?
  

Very easy. Much easier than expected.

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?
  

I liked the idea of traders contacting you, rather than the other way round. I liked the option to post a question which could then be answered by tradesmen. I liked the advice guides at the bottom about getting any work done in the home and how to find a good contractor for the job.

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?
  

The option to allow email or message contact before a call, as you could reply at your convenience. Ways to narrow tradespeople by different criteria such as experience, reviews, location etc.

• Would you use MyBuilder again?
  

Yes, it seems like a very useful, trustworthy site. It is very simple to post a job and you just sit back and allow traders to express an interest before shortlisting them.

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.
  

I definitely would recommend because it seems like a trustworthy site and offers a lot of useful impartial advice.

[HeyPesto55]

• What was the job you posted?

A knock through of 2 rooms and further kitchen build / refurb

• How easy was it to post your job?

Very easy

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?

I like being able to invite builders to quote

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?

I had a bad experience with the builder we eventually hired and am now going to court. Although I received some invaluable help from a mybuilder colleague, his intervention had no effect on the builder's behaviour. I wonder whether there should be more stringent penalties for rogue builders
Imposed by the site.

• Would you use MyBuilder again?

Yes

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.

I would but would ensure they understand the limit of the mybuilder remit.

[ostentatiousfamilygardentime]

What was the job you posted?

Painting all rooms and woodwork in 4 bedroom house

How easy was it to post your job?

Very easy, just followed the rough guide

What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?

Simple and easy to navigate

Is there anything you feel could be improved?

Replies from tradesmen not easy to find and would rather our phone number not handed out without prior notification

Would you use MyBuilder again?

Yes, so far the painter we employed has been great

Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.

Would recommend. It's a hassle free way of getting work done.

[eastmidswarwicknightnanny]

@EllieMumsnet

Can I ask when we will be contacted about/receive vouchers please

[BookShop]

@EllieMumsnet

Can I also check about vouchers? I don't want to miss them!

[PooWillyBumBum]

Testers please answer the following questions:

• What was the job you posted?

Re-wire of a house

• How easy was it to post your job?

Very easy

• What did you like most about the MyBuilder website?

Very quick to submit and love that I can see reviews for tradesmen

• Is there anything you feel could be improved?

It would be great to be able to see others quotes/responses as ballpark figures for your area are so hard to come by on the internet!

It would also be good to be able to filter reviews. For instance, tradesmen offen offer more than one service (e.g. electrics and kitchen fitting) so it'd be good to be able to filter by the service you need.

• Would you use MyBuilder again?

Yes

• Would you recommend MyBuilder to friends or family? Please explain why or why not.

Yes, probably!

[HemlockStarglimmer]

Having had no luck with local recommendations I gave this a try. Only one tradesperson responded but he was able to do the job for a reasonable price. Communication was excellent.
The app was easy to use.

[limomo82]

Hello, has anyone heard about the vouchers?

[Mimozaaa]

Hello ,
not I haven’t was wondering what happened

[louisealls]

Has anyone actually received the vouchers .I've tried emailing but they just don't respond. Ridiculous when we put some so much effort in!