How to spot a top tradesman

Every year, cowboy builders and rogue traders clock up around £1.5 billion worth of problems for homeowners across the country. From shoddy kitchens, to improperly installed whitegoods, to leaky roofs, there are plenty of horror tales around.

With large numbers of rogue tradesmen roaming the country, the good news is that there are still registered builders who are reliable and do an excellent job. But what can you do to protect yourself from making the wrong choice and potentially ruining your home? It's not as if they wear nametags that read "hello, my name is Matt and I'm a cowboy builder".

Fortunately there is some help at hand. After a nationwide search to find Britainís top tradesman by TrustMark, the Government backed not-for-profit quality mark for tradesmen, Bristol builder Nick Orchard has beaten off stiff competition to be named as Britain's No 1 tradesman.

In the following video, Nick gives his top tips on how to do renovations right. How should you pay the tradesman? What's the best way to find out how reliable they are? Check out the video below to discover how to pick a tradesman that won't rob you of all your cattle.

For more information visit www.trustmark.org.uk

Further reading

• The Trades Explained: The Roofer
• The Trades Explained: The Carpenter
• The Trades Explained: The Bricklayer