News
Cowboy Builders
Thursday 8 January 2009
Up and down the country, cowboy builders are causing devastation and dismay. These reckless workmen are always bad news, leaving behind them piles of rubble, financial angst and heartache.
Now Melinda Messenger and Dominic Littlewood are standing up for aggrieved consumers everywhere by running the cowboys out of town. Each episode of Cowboy Builders focuses on the owners of one home that has suffered at the hands of unreliable workmen. It could be that they have been saddled with a crumbling extension, an illegal loft conversion, a destroyed bathroom or a gutted kitchen – but whichever way, these helpless homeowners are in dire need of help.
What should you look for?
He knocks at your door and has a polite, friendly but insistent manner while selling his services. He is "working in your area and noticed that your drive/roof etc needs urgent attention".
His vehicle may look businesslike, with a yellow flashing beacon and/or "MOTORWAY MAINTENANCE", "TARMAC" or a company name emblazoned on it.
He sometimes quotes a low price without a thorough survey of the work "required".
He tells you that he's got some tarmac, or other materials, left over from another job.
Cost to homeowners
Each year cowboy builders cost homeowners more than £1billion through shoddy building work, illegal practices, or not even turning up after the homeowner has paid for work to be carried out. The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is warning homeowners to be alert to cowboy builders this Christmas and New Year.
