Letter: How to outlaw cowboy builders

Sir: If the experience of my own very excellent builder is anything to go by, many property owners only have themselves to blame for becoming the victims of cowboys ("Warning shot fired at cowboy builders", 5 March). Time and again he loses work because too many people are not prepared to pay a reasonable price for a first-class job. They go for a cheap quote and get what they pay for.

I think they are unable to recognise that those highly skilled in manual work are just as entitled to expect premium payment for their skills as those who work with the pen.

Norman Godfrey

London NW3