Homesearch
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Many people are choosing to improve and extend their home rather than move at the moment, but TV programmes such as Rogue Traders and Builders from Hell have raised concerns about how to find someone you can trust.
Last year more than 106,000 complaints about cowboy builders were registered with Trading Standards departments and it's believed many more are not made official.
If you know where to look, the internet can be a good place to find reputable builders.
The Federation of Master Builders has set up a free service, aptly called www.findabuilder.co.uk . But don't be misled by the title - you can search for everything from scaffolders, demolition teams, electricians and roofers, to stone masons and thatchers. With more than 15,000 member firms, the FMB is the largest trade association in the UK building industry.
www.improveline.com has 150,000 screened home improvement professionals on their books. You can also search by area and type of contractor.
www.homepro.com is the UK's largest quality ranked directory of home improvements professionals.
There is a vast array of tradesmen from general builders to swimming pool installers. Once you have selected the type of tradesman and entered your postcode, a list of vetted professionals in the area is shown, with scores out of ten provided by previous customers.
The Guild of Builders and Contractors is made up of reputable firms in the building industry. Their website www.buildersguild.co.uk is set up for the public to use - just click on a region to display Guild members operating there. The search areas are very broad - rather than towns or counties, they are divided by whole regions, so you find yourself searching the entire north west, south east, and so on.
The Yellow Pages website http://search.yell.com is comprehensive and easy to use.
There are facilities to search under the company name or the general service that you are looking for, such as plumber, builder and so on. All the results are clearly displayed with options to text or save the details and to get a map/directions.
There's also a home improvement section set up in collaboration with six trade associations. Each association has provided information on a whole range of problems and home improvement projects, and homeowners can use the `ask the expert' function to put their own questions through.
If you're fitting a bathroom or kitchen and it's a plumber you need, go to the Institute of Plumbing website www.plumbers.org.uk. More than 11,000 plumbers are registered so you should find a few to choose from in each area.
To run a search for an electrician using your town or postcode, try www.niceic.org.uk ( The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting). A simple list comes up which when clicked reveals further details. There is also the facility to check an electrician's credentials by entering the company name. The council is a non-profit making charity and independent body.
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