How to choose a builder - is the FMB site the best source ?

Hi all,

I have planning permission and building regs all agreed for a small extension (4m x 4m) on the back of my house so i am now at the "choosing a builder" stage in the project.

I have a guy coming who a family member knows well and can vouch for his work, but he isnt local so i expect to be paying slightly over the odds to allow for his 80 mile round trip each day if he is interested in quoting as he is stacked out with local work.

But, i still want to get at least 2 other quotes from some local builders but the ony 2 people local to me that i know have had work done by different builders, personally, i am not blown away by their workmanship and both couples i know had issues along the way.

So, other than Yellow Pages / Google / local advertising, the other source of contacts that i was going to use was the FMB website seen as it "affords a level of protection" i think !

Basically, is being an FMB member a credible qualification and worth the paper its written on or is there some other qualification that i should be looking and asking for ?

If i ask trading standards, do they advise yes if "someone" is "known" to them ?

thanks in advance.
Sean

FMB find a builder, is a good start. Members are expected to be professional and should be able to provide references for you to contact.
They wont be any cheaper and may not be any better than lots of other builders, but if you choose a FMB masterbond member they will have an insurance backed guarantee

thanks for you input 2929twin - appreciated !

Friends and family recommendations will be far better than any register.

Hi Freddie

Thanks for your input also.

I really hope that the guy who has been recommended to us comes in with a good quote and wants the job but as i say, i know he is not looking for work - he hasnt had to advertised for over 15 years now !

I'll at least need some other builders around to quote, even if its only to compare against.

There's nothing stopping you knocking on a few homeowners doors where you see a job in progress and asking what the builders are like. A happy client will usually be more than happy to recommend their builder if they're doing a good job. Most people are fairly approachable and they won't mind giving you a few minutes of their time especially if they're happy!

If you do approach builders 'cold' there's nothing wrong with asking the builder to show you one or two jobs and introducing you to the clients for a quick chat. If they're any good they'll have no hesitation in arranging it. Don't forget to ask to see a copy of their insurance certificate, again they won't mind one bit if they're legit and want the work. Obviously its a sh*t load of money you're splashing out (to you anyway) and you don't wanna get it wrong. A good builder is well worth paying a bit more for as a dodgy builder can be a whole lot more expensive and stressful in the long run. You could also contact a few architects of technicians and see who they'd recommend for contacts. Anyone who doesn't make a first meeting scratch them off the list straight away too.

Make sure your chosen builder is someone you feel you can get along with!

Lastly, others may disagree but get some building regs drawings drawn up, these will form your contract, even for a (relatively) small job like this.

Although I have never checked this out fully myself, I have read numerous times that FMB is nothing other than a marketing-tool for builders, that they demand no proof of competence, financial stability nor do they offer any arbitration schemes( just give a link to RICS).

Have just checked their web-site which is 98% aimed at selling their service to builders, membership minimum requirements not shown as you have to talk to a "membership adviser"

If anyone has any more detailed info, I'd be pleased to be corrected where appropriate.

We went for a FENSA Window fitter and he was a fking rookie, were still pushing him to finish the job properly now over year n half later. FENSA didn't give a sh't when we complained.

So id check first what or if FMB do when there is a dispute or poor workmanship.

Our biggest mistake was not getting referals or checking their previous work for ourselves.

Now then mountain. Facts must be explored before lashing out. There`s more programmes on tv about rogue builders than members of fmb. All this info is available:- Full standard membership requires trading for minimum of 12 months, 3 references of previous clients, proof of liability insurance. Yes they have an arbitation scheme in place.
MasterBond membership tells clients that the company has been inspected and approved for quality standards and financial stability and is regularly checked out. It offers the optional protection of a 10 year insurance backed warranty on the work done.
MasterBond is Government endorsed through the TrustMark scheme and recognised by local authorities throughout the UK
Loads of builders out here, some good, some average, some make it hard to defend in the noble art of building bashing.
Recommend is always best, but if not, why would you not try an accredited organisation which has the biggest membership in the whloe of the construction industry.
Who wants to talk about rogue customers?

freddymercurystwin said:

Friends and family recommendations will be far better than any register.

Click to expand...

This is by far the best advice to follow.

@2929

I thought my response was very measured - lashing out reads much differently.

My reading of the FMB site is that there is no FMB arbitration scheme - people are referred to the RICS sheme. If that is correct then they have no scheme - which means they are taking no responsibility - which is a major shortcoming and you are misleading me by saying they have their own scheme.

As for the other items, i think the fact that trading for 12 months ( and how do they prove that ?) is acceptable for full standard membership shows that requirements are very low.

You also say

"All this info is available:- Full standard membership requires trading for minimum of 12 months, 3 references of previous clients, proof of liability insurance. "

Where is this info available and to whom ? Not on the site I looked at : "contact a membership advisor" is what is there when it concerns membership details.


"Masterbond* is government-endorsed..._"

No , this is also absolutely wrong. This scheme* met the minimum requirents for TrustMark on the day(s) it was examined. This is no different from the MOT test: the fact that a car passes the test does not mean that it is "endorsed" as safe by the MOT, only that it met minimum standards on the day of the test.

Sometime over the past 12 months there was a major organisation (forget who ) selling DIY-type services/products to the public which was instructed to stop using this "endorsed by the Government" language simply because it was ISO 9001 or similar.

I did not send in my comment to attack anybody, just to say that I thought FMB was not a major mark of recognised quality and having done this small amount of research still feel that this is far more a marketing aid than any real attempt to group together quality companies.

Mountain. Sorry, lashing was not a good choice.
Re arbitration. An article in Builder magazine from trade counters had an article giving case studies of problems occuring on builds and a warrantee officer attending site to sort them. Maybe to go further would need outside body to mediate eg RICS. But there is definately a procedure.
Member info. Prob. have to go thro office because of Data protection act. masterbond members become members of trustmark by qualifying. http://www.fmb.org.uk/nrwb/general-information/why-choose-an-nrwb-builder/
Or as I and others said recommend is best.

I just came across this post, and at the risk of mischief would like to comment for the sake of the unwary or the merely inexperienced.
Dont trust or believe anything connected with the self-serving nonsense £trade associations£, or their spammers, put out about themselves.
My experience with various trade associations has been "gimme the money"
" dont worry about this or that qualification, just gimme the money and you are in".
In a word, they are confidence tricks writ large - like Goebbels " dont just lie, tell the biggest lies then more people will believe you."
There are no guarantees in life or the building trade, but, as advised, asking and looking around is the best way to go.

We're three weeks into a build for a side extension above the garage and we are absolutely delighted with the builders. We asked others on the estate who had had building work done for recommendations. We also used the Yellow Pages and looked at websites. We selected eight or nine possibles, after checking online for any reports, good or bad. Two failed to keep their appointment. The one we chose was the one we felt comfortable with, who took the time to make some excellent suggestions about ideas we had never even thought of. He also gave us a long list of recently completed builds, including names and addresses and we did go and see the work for ourselves. Don't pay money up front, any reputable builder will agree staged payments. I hope you are as fortunate in your choice as we have been.

I've recently heard further horror stories about "beyond the rogue builders of tv land" about rogues and incompetents who were members of the this and that Association.

So anyone seeking assurance in the fancy letters of membership of this or that association, which probably consists of three criminals, and five telephones, in a back bedroom, will come to grief. Do rely on word of mouth from people you know or at least someone you can feel comfortable with.

Buyer beware, pre-anything use sites like this to at least get a heads-up before parting with money.
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