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Over 60s least likely to face issues, Gen Z hit the hardest
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First-time homeowners fork out an additional £20k to fix errors, compared to £5k for over 60s across all the properties they owned
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Plumbers are most prone to errors
First-time buyers should ask their grandparents for advice on home renovations as a staggering 61% of Gen Z homeowners report having issues with tradespeople, at least once, on their home renovations, compared to just 41% of those over 60s.
Gen Z homeowners have been left with a heavier financial burden spending an eye-watering £20,534 on average to fix botched jobs - compared to the over-60 homeowners who have spent £5,128 over their lifetimes. The national average for repairing disaster work for homeowners is £8,729, according to a new survey.
The study of 2,000 homeowners for the Federation of Master Builders and TrustMark highlights widespread dissatisfaction, trust issues, and significant financial repercussions for UK homeowners.
Older homeowners appear more discerning or fortunate when hiring tradespeople, with 55% of over-60s reporting they’ve never had problems. By contrast, only 26% of 18-29 year olds say the same.
But it might not be a case of Gen Z being more vulnerable as opposed to them cutting corners as this group is the most likely to hire the first tradesperson they receive a quote from (38%) and along with Millennials are also more likely to attempt the work themselves - and then have to pay to fix it (33% of 18-29 year olds and 35% of 30-44 year olds).
Plumbers lead the way in disappointing their clients, with 33% reporting issues. Builders (21%), electricians (17%), roofers (16%), and plasterers (10%) round out the top five.
However, there are ways tradespeople can build trust with homeowners, as those questioned said personal recommendations give them confidence (64%), and being a member of a trusted industry body provides credibility (50%), along with positive reviews on directories (48%).
The home renovation that tops the list of what gets messed up the most is a new bathroom.
Top home improvement tradespeople poor workmanship list
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New bathrooms (23%)
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General repairs like boiler fixes (20%)
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New kitchens (18%)
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Roof work (17%)
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Window installations (12%)
This leads to a lack of trust - with more than half of homeowners (52%) admitting they don’t trust tradespeople. The most common reasons include:
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Unreliable behavior (49%)
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Negative past experiences (41%)
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Feeling ripped off (33%)
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Incomplete or delayed work (29%)
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Lack of fee and cost transparency (29%)
Mark Garnier OBE MP for Wyre Forest: “This research is exactly why it is more important than ever to introduce a licensing regime for builders so we can end this appalling growing catalogue of misery amongst homeowners. This research goes to show cowboy builders are not just targeting people who are elderly and vulnerable, but also those just starting on the housing ladder.
“I have been campaigning with the FMB and TrustMark to get the issue of regulation on the Government’s agenda and am looking forward to the second reading of my Private Members Bill at the end of March.
“Introducing regulation will transform the construction industry by establishing professional accountability that safeguards homeowner investments and industry integrity.”
Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders commented: “It is sad to see how much homeowners have had to fork out to fix dodgy work. It is causing them unnecessary stress and financial strain and sadly also leading to a lack of trust in tradespeople. It is particularly concerning to see younger homeowners disproportionately affected, often spending tens of thousands of pounds to fix the substandard work, which is most likely on their first or second home. This underscores the importance of thorough research, seeking recommendations, and ensuring tradespeople are accredited and trustworthy before hiring.
“We ensure a building company goes through a vigorous vetting and inspection process before becoming a member of the FMB to help protect homeowners and improve the reputation of the industry.”
Simon Ayers MBE, CEO at TrustMark, commented: “Finding the right person to carry out work in your home to high-quality standards is really important particularly when using a tradesperson for the first time. I can’t stress enough the importance of researching a tradesperson before you hire them to ensure that work is carried out to the proper standards and quality, that protection is in place if something goes wrong and that work is done to the correct safety standards.
“While personal recommendations from friends and family are great, we don’t always know a skilled tradesperson locally, so knowing where to look is vital. Being able to signpost homeowners to a ‘find a trader’ search facility such as TrustMark, will help build confidence in the quality of work you can expect to receive.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
A survey of 2,000 homeowners, aged 18 and over, was conducted by Prospectus Global between 7th -10th December 2024.
