New research from the Federation of Master Builders shows rogue builders have affected one in ten Welsh homeowners
FMB Cymru has estimated that over the last five years, Welsh cowboy builders have caused a loss of £239m for Welsh homeowners.
That equates to about £1,139 per person, or £14.3bn total spanning the whole of the UK.
12% of Welsh homeowners have personally lost money to rogue builders
Furthermore, the research found that 30% of Welsh homeowners had never hired a builder, meaning many folk have limited experience choosing a builder, making hiring a cowboy builder more likely.
12% of respondents said they had previously felt unsafe or intimidated by a builder in their home, and 21% said they felt uncomfortable allowing a builder they did not know into their home. Just 33% of Welsh people said that they had hired a builder and that the work had met or exceeded their expectations.
The research is being used by the FMB to reiterate the call for a mandatory licensing scheme for builders, as anyone can be a builder at the moment. There is no method of proving competence, qualifications, or experience.
Ifan Glyn, director of FMB Cymru, said: “Wales has a proud tradition of skilled local builders, but this research makes clear that too many homeowners are still falling victim to incompetent tradespeople. When communication breaks down or homeowners don’t feel equipped to ask the right questions, it becomes far easier for rogue builders to slip through the net.
“A mandatory licensing scheme would ensure that every builder meets minimum professional standards, giving consumers confidence, raising the overall quality of the industry in Wales – and protecting the reputation of those builders who do a brilliant job – like our members.”
Many people falsely believe that a licence already exists
In May last year, the FMB conducted a similar survey in England and found that nearly half of the surveyed homeowners incorrectly believed that builders were already required to be licensed.
When corrected, 81% then went on to support the idea of introducing a scheme.
Furthermore:
- 44% of respondents feel there are fewer builders available now than five years ago
- 85% reported the cost of hiring a builder rising, nearly half of these said it had risen “a lot”
- 37% had delayed planned renovations due to cost or availability
- 34% resorted to doing the work themselves
- 16% gave up on the project entirely
- 35% had to pay unexpected costs with their builder
- 22% saw jobs left unfinished
- 33% reported low-quality work
- 15% had lost money in the past five years, averaging to £1,759 per person
