The government is rolling out its Quality Mark register on a national basis in an attempt to beat cowboy builders and boost the construction industry.
The scheme is going national following successful pilots in Birmingham and Somerset over the past year.
Paul Martin, director general of the Timber Trade Federation (TTF), said: ‘We very much welcome the government extending this initiative. It fits in with the Code of Conduct we are introducing for our members on April 25. We hope the two combined will give consumers better confidence in timber building products.’
The government reckons about £4bn worth of domestic work is shelved every year because people are scared of poor workmanship or being ripped off.
Construction minister Brian Wilson said: ‘The Quality Mark brings peace of mind for consumers by providing, for the first time, a Govenment-backed assurance of quality work. It offers reputable tradesmen the opportunity to clearly separate themselves from the cowboys.’
A total of 160 companies covering 18 domestic trades have achieved the Quality Mark, while 30,000 consumers have accessed the list of approved tradesmen.
Quality Mark tradesmen sign a customer care code and have their work independently assessed and covered by warranty for up to six years.
However, the Institute of Carpenters has written to the DTI asking for a more specific initiative aimed at individual tradesmen.
Institute secretary David Winson believes the Quality Mark is aimed more at building companies and says the £2,000 registration fee will put off many carpenters and joiners.
