Federation of Master Builders Reviews 

The Federation were brilliant in helping me to settle this claim, I don’t feel as though I could have done it without them and I was looking at having to take the builders to court. But they managed to get a resolution for me and my money back. Thank you so very much to the Federation for their help.

The complete process of becoming an FMB member was great. The surveyors who inspected my work was very professional.

This organisation positions itself as a quality mark, but our experience shows that it exists only to protect its builder members and not to uphold quality. We had the misfortune to employ a company called Cavetto Construction who made much of their membership of FMB and the insurance backing, but left us with a total nightmare with shockingly bad work (much of which may have to be taken down and started again) and left our extension with live wires hanging out of walls and ceilings and a front door with a hole in it. We explained to FMB that the builder left the project in this state and refused to fix the huge number of defects until we made a very large unscheduled payment. We gave many shocking examples with photos and asked them to urgently send a surveyor to check the appalling state of the structure we have been left with, because we obviously have to make it safe and secure asap.

We also told FMB that the builder, Mark Hawkins, was not responding to any communications and despite numerous requests had not provided the insurance details which he made so much of when he sold his services to us (i.e. the advantage of using an FMB member with insurance backing). I pointed out to FMB that this insurance is pointless if the builder doesn’t hand the details over when the customer needs to make a claim.

FMB confirmed that insurance was a requirement and that they had the details on file but could not provide them and they felt sure their member would (he hasn’t/didn’t). They said there was nothing they could do but “monitor” their member over a number of jobs (which obviously could take years).

Surely a “quality mark” would immediately want to come and inspect Cavetto's shocking work as a matter of urgency, before they cause more carnage, but apparently not! I wrote to the CEO of FMB, Brian Berry and asked if he realised that their member, had left our building in a dangerous and unsecure state (in addition to basic mistakes like not enough drainpipes to take water from the roof and a damp proof course installed at ground level and therefore useless). Brian just said it has to go through their process (internal monitoring) regardless and there was nothing else he could do and also that FMB do require insurance, but they made a mistake, and it is not on file!

More than 2 weeks later, in an urgent situation, there has not been a single further word from FMB.

So now we are having to pay twice to replace work and make our building safe and secure as a matter or urgency. This includes: replacing flooring we paid for ourselves ruined in 2 floods (caused by Cavetto’s plumbers and electricians respectively going through the pipes Cavetto themselves had installed in the wrong places), replace stock damaged where Cavetto’s roofers left the roof open over night during a storm, replace damaged doors, kitchen units and windows, pay again for high value items that were never supplied by the builder, plus fix defects too numerous to list here.

We will do everything we can to make sure FMB cannot continue to mislead the public like this about their true remit, which is to represent their members and not uphold quality standards.

UPDATE FROM BELOW REPLY: FMB have not denied the points above, they have just dismissed our complaint and won't come and inspect Mark Hawkins / Cavettos work. They just say they cannot help but will continue to internally monitor (which means nothing of course without proof of action). Apparently the only type of inspection at FMB is when the builder first joins - after that nothing, they won't even inspect in this case where we have sent photos and told them about our building being left in an unsafe and unsecure state. You cannot have a quality mark without quality control which means inspection. A quality mark where the body providing that mark are funded by the people who benefit from their marketing is a clear conflict of interest.

Tracey was very helpfull and friendly, clearly guiding me through the process and application.
Thank you

It was a really easy process and the surveyor was very helpful.

Great to be a member of the FMB, they offer so much to their members with helpful advice and other invaluable resourses. It is also good that they do not let just anyone join without proper vetting.

I give the FMB a 3 star rating because, generally speaking you are good at supporting, informing, and generally keeping your members updated on what’s happening in the industry.
But and it’s a big but, you need to increase your brand awareness to the general public. You can’t sell or promote anything unless you have brand awareness. End of .

Thanks

Great awards from start to finish. You can really see how much time and effort went into the awards.

Having been a member for many years it seems that apart from Which ? That the FMB are still the only real organisation fighting for our trades, a lot of these more recent pop up sites are only interested in profit . We have personally put right to local Building Control satisfaction several botched contracts by other so called companies, often they have appeared on these sites , and unbelievably are still recognised, one contract in particular was a major potential fire risk to not only the home owner but his neighbour affected also, sadly it would appear nothing is being done by government to catch and punish those responsible, I personally hear these horror stories so much it’s become common place, The FMB have an uphill struggle but at least we have them . I hope they continue the fight.Mick

We have been a member of the FMB for several years and have found the Federation to be a great source of information and support for our business. We would highly recommend membership to all quality SME builders and contractor in the building trade.

There when you need them, Always honest, Great to be affiliated with them, because it really helps when securing work, as clients feel safer when a contractor is registered with them, it assures security and confidence

Fmb inspection not easy
But good thing they checked everything

Being part of FMB makes us feel important and worthy. It assures our clients and make everyone trustworthy.

I contacted MD Pro contracts for an emergency gutter cleaning service. I got a quick response from Martin and got a quick fair estimate and fixed the appointment. Really happy with the quick service and the team member was here on time , fully equipped and also shared me tips to prevent any future problems.

Great no problem at all.

We have been working with the support of FMB for around 4years and this have helped our company keeping compliant with all current standards , so would definitely recommend to others.

Spoke to the disputes team regarding a problematic client and found that their advice and help was phenomenal. Dawn especially was great and helped me through a very stressful time. Explaining each stage and step in detail to help me understand the processes better. Can't fault it!

FMB are easy to deal with and all staff are knowledgable and helpful.

We've been proud members of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and recently renewed our subscription without hesitation. The FMB has been an invaluable resource for our business, providing expert advice, industry updates, and opportunities to connect with other professionals.

Their support in maintaining high standards within the industry is commendable, and being an FMB member reassures our clients that we adhere to the best practices in construction. From legal guidance to marketing tools, the benefits of membership are well worth it.

Thank you to the FMB team for your continued dedication to helping builders like us thrive. We look forward to another great year as part of this fantastic organization!