Research from Which? has revealed that central heating engineers are widely trusted to do a good job, with three quarters (75%) feeling confident in the profession.
While Plumbers also came in high at 73%, the survey showed that roofers and builders were considered the least trustworthy tradespeople.
Four in 10 (38%) householders are said to not trust builders and roofers when employing them for the first time, making these trades the least trusted for domestic building work and repairs.
In contrast, eight in 10 (80%) of those surveyed said they trusted the electrician they called in to make repairs and improvements in their home.
The survey also asked people about their biggest worries when hiring a tradesperson, revealing that the largest concern was that they would not turn up at the agreed time, which was cited by six in 10 (62%).
Poor workmanship and being taken for a ride were other top concerns, with over half (55%) worrying that a trader would do a bad job and a similar number (46%) anxious that they would be ripped off.
Raj Kakar-Clayton, Managing Director of Which? Trusted Traders, said: “It can take a lot of trust to welcome a trader into your home, particularly if they’ve never worked for you before.
“Take the stress out of home improvement by reading online reviews, asking for references and making sure you have a contract in place before the job starts.”
Which? Trusted Traders also gave the following advice:
- Be clear about the work that you want completing and ask for quote, rather than an estimate
- Always ask for references when employing a new trader
- Get a contract in place to protect you in the event of a problem
- Membership of a trade association isn’t a guarantee of a good quality trader but it’s generally a sign that a trader wishes to work professionally
- Find a Which? Trusted Traders endorsed trader in your area by using the search function on the Which? website.
The full list of net trust in tradespeople was:
- Electricians – 80%
- Central heating engineers – 75%
- Plumbers – 73%
- Carpenters – 72%
- Decorators – 70%
- Plasterers – 68%
- Glaziers – 65%
- Mechanics – 64%
- Tilers – 61%
- Kitchen fitters – 58%
- Builders – 53%
- Drain and sewer services – 50%
- Roofers – 48%