Like most people, we're guilty of assuming big-brand companies have better-quality products than their smaller counterparts – whether that's clothes, jewellery, or even food.
So when it comes to big-ticket items like a new house (it doesn't get much bigger than that, after all), it's no surprise that most of us look to the bigger house-build firms to get the job done.
But research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) suggests that opting for small and medium-sized (SME) companies could get you a higher-quality build than the big-name alternatives.
The research shows that, among people who have bought a new-build home in the past five years, twice as many people (36 per cent) say they're 'very satisfied' with the quality of their house if purchased from a SME house builder, compared with those whose home was built by one of the top 20 large builders (17 per cent).
Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: 'There is a popular misconception that new build homes are poor quality compared to period properties that were built to last. Small local house builders, who hang their hat on delivering high-quality new build homes, find this view immensely frustrating.
'This research draws a clear distinction between what is being delivered by SMEs and what is being delivered by larger firms. For a small, local builder, reputation is everything. They will typically reside in the same community that they’re building in and are therefore doubly motivated to deliver a high quality product that the home buyer will love. Furthermore, SME building firms are more likely to work with a small team of broadly skilled tradespeople.'
Maybe it's time to think outside the box and go local for your next building project.
