michael adams wrote:
[...]
Whereas if you ask a builder, no matter how old he is etc. etc.
he has an incentive to make a meal of it by erecting scaffolding
and making as much of a fuss, and charging as much, as he can.
[...]

[Sharp intake of breath] Good job you called me in, love! Those
chimneys need repointing all over or they'll come through the roof in
the next gale, and I don't know who did that flashing, but I can tell
without looking you've got leaks into the attic: next thing, it'll be
rot in the timbers, if it hasn't started already, shouldn't wonder.
And the TV aerial! Blimey, what a mess! Too many cowboys around these
days. You do know about those loose slates, don't you? While we're up
there, it won't cost you much more to fit a nice Velux roof-light:
make that attic into a lovely extra room. Plasterboard lining, bit of
flooring...

--
Mike.