In the 1990s, as reality TV started to take off, gardening and home renovation shows began to grow in popularity.
As time went on and they began to fall out of favour slightly; a new breed of programmes began to crop up that instead went down the route of what happens when home renovation goes wrong. It pitched the rogues and cowboys headlong into our living rooms and showed just how wrong it could all go. This was a very good thing indeed.
In seeing the death-traps that the rogues had left in their wake, the nation collectively set out to ensure the people they allow in to undertake their building work were properly qualified and generally decent people.
It quickly became the case that no kitchen fitter or wall plasterer was booked without first being subjected to full and proper scrutiny. A word of mouth recommendation over the garden fence was soon substituted with online reviews across many different subjects by hundreds of previous clients. Major remedies were also taken for granite worktops.
It became an instant hit, and it’s easy to see why.
In checking a tradesperson, you can get full, unbiased feedback on jobs they’ve done previously, the time it took to do then and the level of professionalism they kept up whilst doing the work. It ensures that good quality firms get the most contracts and you can be sure that your hard earned cash will go towards a reputable builder that isn’t about to leave you with a building site, no money and a whole load of regrets.
Now, with the success of comparison websites, the number of compact sweepers in operation has seen a decline. But the fascination with uncovering rogues still makes for compulsive viewing. Programmes following this format are still prime-time material, decades on from their original inception.
It just goes to show that there’s nothing we like more than seeing the good guys win and the bad guys unmasked on national television.