Table of Contents
The average cost of professionals carrying out construction work has risen to more than £12,000, new data from Checkatrade reveals.
Although prices are rising, the quality of professionals remains uneven: according to the professional review platform, roofers are considered the least reliable.
Checkatrade said roofers got the worst ratings on its platform.
He claimed roofers were more likely to be “rejected” from the Checkatrade platform than any other trader. However, the average review scores for roofers overall remained fairly high, at 9.54 out of 10.
Not reaching the top: Roofers have been branded as the least trustworthy type of tradesman, according to Checkatrade data
Speaking to This is Money about roofing, Checkatrade said: “It’s generally a high-risk category because it’s an area of our homes that we can’t easily see, which makes us very trusting of any individual who tells us something is wrong. up there.” .
“Typically, large-scale roofing jobs are one of the most expensive home maintenance tasks, so when things go wrong, they come with higher costs.”
Checkatrade told This is Money that builders, landscapers, hardscapers (who design and install things like paths and patios) and plumbers also did poorly in the Trusted Traders rankings.
Taking all trades into account, traders in Southall, Preston and Manchester in London had the lowest average scores in the third quarter.
What operations CAN we trust?
At the other end of the spectrum, chimney sweeps were found to be the most trusted professionals on Checkatrade, followed by alarm and security installers and curtain and blind installers, Checkatrade said.
Residents of Bournemouth, Redhill and Southend-on-Sea can breathe a sigh of relief as Checktrade found that traders across all sectors operating in these areas received the highest ratings on its platform.
All Checkatrade roofers are being re-vetted and we require them to provide evidence of at least six months of incorporation and business history.
“Southend-On-Sea traders are always high performers,” Checkatrade told This is Money.
Jambu Palaniappan, chief executive of Checkatrade, said: ‘We continue to see the problem of dishonest traders plaguing the industry, with rooftops being singled out as a particular problem area.
‘Our research allowed us to block applications from 16 per cent of roofers who sought to join our platform in the third quarter, and we have proactively reviewed our own approach to this challenging sector.
“All Checkatrade roofers are being re-vetted and we require them to provide evidence of at least six months of incorporation and trading history, adding a new layer of peace of mind for consumers.”
Construction costs increase
Rising prices: the cost of construction work in the house is increasing
The average cost of carrying out construction work at home has increased by 19 per cent in a single quarter, Checkatrade’s Home Improvement Index also revealed.
With demand high and labor and material costs rising, the average cost of a construction job is now £12,634, up from £10,626 in the previous quarter.
The average cost of installing a kitchen has risen 12 per cent in a quarter, from £6,574 to £7,376, while the average cost of a plastering job has risen 16 per cent from £2,343.
Meanwhile, insulation installation costs rose 20 per cent to £4,636 and the average cost of gardening work rose 10 per cent to £679.
The cost of carrying out smaller handyman-style jobs has soared by 25 per cent, from £452 to £563, in the latest quarter, Checkatrade added.
Checkatrade said: ‘The overall average cost of each job carried out by Checkatrade members during the quarter increased by 6 per cent.
“But again, there is no impact on demand, as the number of jobs also increased by 6 percent, showing that around 150,000 more jobs were created in the third quarter than in the second “.
Group chief Palaniappan said the 19 per cent rise in average prices was “significant”, adding that it reflected “continued increases in the cost of labor and materials”.
In total, more than 2.7 million jobs were created in the third quarter. Brighton, where average house prices are around £453,000, was the top home improvement hotspot in the quarter. Guildford and Portsmouth came second and third.
In terms of the type of jobs that are popular with homeowners, chimney sweep services increased 211 percent quarter-on-quarter.
There was also a 131 per cent increase in demand for interior design jobs during the period, Checkatrade said. Requests for pest and bug control increased 43 percent.
Did you have a bad experience as a trader? Get in touch: editor@thisismoney.co.uk