My Builder website

Littleweedj

Thinking of getting quotes for some major alternations and worried about 'cowboy builders'.

Have read differing opinions on Checkatrade and Rated People so wondering if anyone has used My Builder website and can recommend it.

What's the best way to ensure you are getting skilled tradesmen - through websites, flyers, local newspapers etc. Unfortunately just moved to a new area so don't know which companies have the best reputations.

Jamie_Yorkshire

We have used mybuilder a few times including for full renovation of a property and to get an electrician for a full rewire as well as some smaller jobs.

Everytime we have used it we have been without problems. However, we always read the reviews which have been left previously and make our decision based on this. We have read some bad reviews so avoided those tradesman. Also before the full refurb we did go and view the tradesman previous work as it was quite extensive job.

We have also always have good prices for the work and the people who quote are interested in doing the job, rather than trying to phone round seeing if you can get someone to turn up to quote.

Edit: if gas or electrics when they come to quote, check their registrations with the relevant gas / electric regulators to ensure they are qualified to do the work.

eskimo26

All these 'review' sites are a big con. They are paid by the tradesmen so they are there clients not you and as such your unlikely to find any bad reviews because they screen them.

Your local council should have a list of reliable tradesmen, I believe they all have something called the 'buy with confidence, approved traders scheme' but never used it myself.

nzmegs

Don't rely on these sites. Ask around for recommendations (it will be a good way to meet your neighbours). then get at least three quotes and follow up all of the work examples they offer you. this means arranging to visit the properties they have worked on an seeing how they work and what the final results were.

Never pay more than 10% in advance and only pay for the proportion of work which has been completed when it is complete and not before. Ask for a break down of how this will work.

My husband is a tradesman and would never use one of these sites becuase he knows they are a con - the reviews are often made up.,

paulsad

I advertise on there and I can assure you I take it very seriously - the above posters are scaremongering - all the reviews cannot be "made up" because the majority are from people I have done work for through mybuilder - the customer posts a review after you have done the work - you can't "screen" the feedback either. Of course when you first join you have to get a couple of old customers to give feedback - mybuilder contacts them ... after the first couple the rest come from jobs you've done for mybuilder customers so why would they give you good feedback for sh*tty work? They have nothing to lose not like ebay where it works both ways.

quota

Unfortunately a lot of the reviews that are on sites like these are made up to get the company to the top of the lists. Some of the sites that offer multiple quotes don't do the public rating but rather only allow companies on their books which have the required accreditation. I won't mention them as people will just say I'm promoting but do a search for something like "free home improvement quotes" in google.

paulhopkinson99

i would add from my experience that I have used mybuilder before and i was pleased with the outcome. I've recommended it to a few friends and as far as I know they've not had any issues.

I think the reviews are checked by mybuilder, and references are contacted, so fake reviews shouldn't happen. I asked the bathroom fitter about previous reviews and you could tell they were genuine jobs.

i would say do your research and ask them questions before you invite them to do any work. the good ones will take the time to talk to you and help you out.