The Enquirer revealed last week that specialist contractors are considering quitting the business rather than paying backhanders to win work.

And firms across the country have been getting in-touch with their horror stories about site corruption.

One roofing specialist said: “I read your story on bribery and brown envelopes that are passed to people who make decisions as to who gets what contract. Believe me when I tell you it goes way beyond that

“It is astonishing what still goes on in construction in terms of backhanders.”

Another refurbishment specialist said: “We would often get visits from council officials/surveyors/project managers and they would often leave with a bulging envelope, checking it on the way out.

“Other contractors we spoke to admitted that they had to pay to keep on their list of preferred contractors.”

Another civils specialist added: “It was also not only cash, I’ve seen project managers demand work on their private properties like new windows, extensions, landscaping and kitchens

“You just have to suck it up or run the risk of losing so much work that you could go out of business.”

One fed-up specialist said: “Everyone knows this is still going on at site level in construction.

“We need the Government or the trade federations to have a serious look at this or it will continue to undermine any construction recovery.”