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.

According to a new survey, the national average for repairing disaster work for homeowners is £8,729. 

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. This group is the most likely to hire the first tradesperson they receive a quote from (38%), and along with Millennials, they 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 disappoint their clients the most, 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. Those questioned said personal recommendations give them confidence (64%), being a member of a trusted industry body provides credibility (50%), and 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

1. New bathrooms (23%)
2. General repairs like boiler fixes (20%)
3. New kitchens (18%)
4. Roof work (17%)
5. 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:

• Unreliable behaviour (49%)
• Negative past experiences (41%)
• Feeling ripped off (33%)
• Incomplete or delayed work (29%)
• Lack of fee and cost transparency (29%)

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.”