Originally Posted by
Joda
...or not. I've seen a few examples of aircraft built by these "pro builders" that were pure hack jobs. Just because someone hangs out a shingle and claims to be a "pro builder" doesn't make them a craftsman. If one is contemplating going that route, you'd best do your homework lest you end up with something you're not happy with.
As a DAR, I try to ferret out these aircraft by questioning the builder and looking hard at their builder logs. The more evasive and unsure they are about certain things, the more I suspect that something is up. It hasn't happened yet on any of the aircraft I have inspected, but there certainly could be a case where use of a pro builder could lead to a denial of the amateur-built certificate. Go carefully!