It was a case of third time lucky for the lady, who contacted carpenter Tony Saba for a quote to fix her screen door.

The other tradesmen had advised her the door would need to replaced; Mr Saba repaired the door at a fraction of the cost.

“To be fair it probably wasn’t their intention to rip her off,” he said.

“It’s more a case of inexperience, they didn’t think beyond the parameters of what they’d been taught.

“It would have been easier to remove and replace it, and I said my solution might not work out, but I was willing to try it.”

Mr Saba’s lateral thinking was a great relief to his client.

“After being told the door was shot, she was surprised I could fix it,” he said.

“When it worked she was over the moon.”

Consumers can use a number of checks to protect themselves from being overcharged.

Mr Saba said longevity’s the best measure; tradespeople who have been operating in the same area for years are more likely to be trustworthy.

“There are shonky people in all trades,” he said.

“If you are, you don't last very long.”