How to get reassurance a builder is trustworthy and credible?

Risteard

Doozergirl said:

That's not true.  I've had clients at the end of projects offer to speak to any future clients!  No one has even remotely suggested that I'm a lunatic.  

People do ask to speak to previous clients and to that end,  they're happy to do the same when a project is finished.   People are often quite pleased to have the opportunity to show off.  

Fair enough. But here generally people wouldn't be into that. Given the extremely high levels of state surveillance etc. here it would be looked on with suspicion. But I'll accept that in England it might be a thing. Anyway, I've no doubt that your work is excellent.

BananaRepublic

I’ve spoken with builders who give out lists of satisfied clients, who can be contacted. Of course the builder will leave out anyone who was unhappy with the work, but it’s something to go on and gives some reassurance. Probably the best option is to use someone recommended by people you trust. Even then make sure you get the same person or people if it’s a bigger outfit. When I needed a kitchen floor tiling, I rang the independent shop that supplied and fitted the kitchen units, and they recommended someone they used. He did a good job. You could always try that, a bit cheeky if they didn’t fit your kitchen, but they might like passing work to their trades. 

Sites like CheckATrade are worthless except to sort out the extreme crooks eg those who give false contact details, take the deposit and run. There are good trades on those sites, and there are not so good trades, and there are cowboys. I had to kick out bathroom fitters in mid fit, they were found on CheckATrade. CheckATrade ‘investigated’ and said the trades were being generous and would not charge me unpaid fees. Trading Standards intervened and agreed that the work they did in my home was not of an acceptable standard, and that I was due money back. I did eventually get money back after six months, but you really don’t want to get in that situation. The bodgers were also on the Trading Standards approved list, and remained on it even after the fiasco, despite the massive stress and financial hit (having to rent a flat) they caused me. 🤓  My view is that Trading Standards are ineffectual, underfunded and overworked. As for CheckATrade, you can probably guess what I think of those [censored]. 

BananaRepublic

And to add to my last post, good trades have a waiting list of clients through word of mouth. CheckATrade and others sites sign up trades who are new and have not established a reputation, or they don’t have a good enough reputation to keep themselves busy without using CheckATrade. With CheckATrade you are not the customer, the trade is. You are the product that is being supplied to the customer (the trade) hence they aim to keep the trades happy, not you. That is why the rating system (this was 8 years ago) is fixed so as to favour the trade. It is worded to make you want to give a 9 out of 10, and not a 7 or 8.