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Fans of Cilla or Davina's TV dating game shows will know how easily things can go wrong if two perfectly decent people are mismatched. The post-date analysis can quickly descend into verbal abuse, with both parties convinced their version of events is correct, and refusing to listen to the other's point of view.
When true love is at stake, passions inevitably run high, but the relationship between builders and their customers can be just as fraught if they are not well matched. And that's if they find each other in the first place. For some homeowners the very task of finding a builder to transform their property into the home of their dreams can turn into a nightmare. While for the builder, there is constant need to find new jobs to quote for, which can be an expensive and time-consuming business.
Find A Builder is one of the most useful services provided by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The service, which is free to customers, generates valuable business leads to members, at no extra cost. The FMB's London region alone deals with over 300 enquiries each month from customers looking for reputable builders and craftsmen, all of which are passed on to members.
One builder who benefited from this business lead service is Frank Lockhart, who runs a small building and decorating company in South East London. He has been overwhelmed at the response from the Find A Builder service:
"I have had almost daily enquiries since joining the FMB just before Christmas and I am currently working on an extension as a direct result of one of these enquiries. I cannot praise this FMB service enough."
Like many of the best ideas, the service is simple. Potential customers either telephone the FMB or log onto its website, where they can search for a general builder or specific trade in a given location, selected by postcode, STD telephone area code or town/village. The search can also be limited to members offering MasterBond, the FMB's insurance-backed warranty scheme.
Customers can select up to 15 FMB members who match their search criteria, and are sent contact details for these companies by email or post. At the same time, the members are alerted to the business lead and sent contact details for the enquirer, again by email or post as preferred.
But just like the dating game, the initial matchmaking is just the start of a relationship that can either be long and happy - with recommendations for further work from a satisfied customer - or bad-tempered and acrimonious, and at worst ending up in court. All too often, the problem starts when the two parties don't communicate.
The FMB, which offers a dispute resolution service for members and their customers, advises both sides to put things in writing at the outset. Clarity is the key and a contract drawn up with customers before work begins is essential. It is also advisable to agree a timetable and make sure that any changes agreed throughout the job are put in writing.
The FMB has sample contracts for use by its members. These have earned themselves a coveted Crystal Mark from the Plain English Campaign. The contracts are intended for domestic work up to the value of £25,000 and for commercial work to the value of £250,000. They include comprehensive, easily understood guidance notes and a checklist of items to ensure that all points are covered and setting out the obligations of each party.
As FMB director general Ian Davis explains:
"When a dispute occurs between a builder and his customer it is often due to a simple lack of understanding on either side as to what was agreed in the original quotation. With these easy to understand and thorough contracts misunderstandings are kept to a minimum.
"The majority of cases referred to us have one common denominator, when things go wrong there is nothing in writing between the builder and the home owner that says 'this is what you're going to get, for this price and when it will be finished' - so it ends up one person's word against another's."
To find out more about the Find A Builder/Job Lead service, Plain English Contracts and the many other valuable business services offered by FMB membership call free phone number, 08000 965765
First posted: 18 July 2002. Last modified: 18 July 2002.
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