Builders getting the thumbs up

Around 88 per cent who bought a new home during the 12 months to September 2009 said they were very or fairly satisfied with its overall quality, up from 77 per cent during the previous 12 months.

Of those questioned, 88 per cent also said they would recommend their builder to a friend, up from 76 per cent last year, according to trade body the Home Builders Federation.

The group said its annual customer satisfaction survey showed increased levels of approval across the board, despite the fact that it covered a period during which housebuilders were struggling with the worst property market downturn for 80 years.

Around 84 per cent of nearly 15,000 people questioned said they were very or fairly satisfied with the service they received from the builder during the buying process, while 83 per cent said their builder was good or fairly good at completing the property on time, up from 70 per cent the previous year.

And 86 per cent of people were satisfied with the condition of their home on the day they moved in.

The weakest area for builders was the service they provided after people had moved in, with 76 per cent of people satisfied with this.