How to find trusted builders?
Are builders generally unreliable like this?


Most are reliable. But like any other industry, there are some unscrupulous people who will take your money and run.


  If we can't find a reliable builder through our connections, what options do we have?


Personal connections is my biggest recommendation. Ask your friends &amp; neighbors. Send an email to a local community email list (i.e., don't just ask some random person on the internet). If you talk to enough local people you'll likely find the same good and bad recommendations repeated, and then pick (obviously) one of the "good" ones.


  What is the best way to find a reliable builder?


See above.


  Should we make deal with large organizations that take on contracts rather than a one man band to do all the work?


That can work out well. But you will be paying for overhead (advertising, office staff, equipment, etc.) that the little guys don't have. On the other hand, you will often (but not always) have a larger company that can fix up the tough problems if/when they occur. On the other hand, a large organization that doesn't care much about its customers can actually be worse when things go wrong, for a bunch of reasons. So it is a bit of a toss-up.

In the end, I find personal recommendations to be the most effective way to find good service - whether construction, doctors, lawyers or any other professional.