How to hire the right builder for the job

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Hiring the right builder is pretty crucial to the success of your project. The first thing to do is check whether your first choice builder is available to undertake the work according to your deadline. Next, you need to also see what other work and projects they have also done over the years too. Have a good look at their portfolio and see also if they will let you talk with some of their other clients too.

Research as much as you can

Once you’ve found no fewer than three TrustMark-accredited tradespeople or companies you’d consider hiring, it’s time to do your research on them. If they have no reviews on a review website like Check a trade or similar, check their reviews on Trustpilot and Google Reviews. However, if they still have no reviews, ask them for three references from homeowners who they’ve done work for, and photographic examples from those jobs. Most builders should have this. If they’re a decent and reputable tradesperson or company, they won’t mind you asking for these. And if they object, then you’ll know you don’t want to hire them. In addition, not all tradespeople hold qualifications, but electricians should be qualified. So ask to see proof of their qualifications and confirm these with the awards body, if possible.

Go over their quotes in detail

It’s the cast-iron law of These Three Rooms that you should get at least three quotes for any building or renovation work. Don’t just accept a spoken estimate though, make sure the tradesperson provides you with a quote in writing. Then ask: does that amount include VAT? Does it include both labour and materials? And do you accept credit card (preferably) or bank transfers? (We would advise you not to pay in cash. Not only is it unlikely to be declared to HMRC, but you’ll have no proof that you paid the tradesperson should problems arise).

When you compare the quotes, it’s natural to want to choose the cheapest tradesperson. And clearly, if you don’t have the budget for a high quote, then you can’t use that person or firm (though it’s always worth explaining this and asking for a discount). However, it’s best to consider every point raised in this feature when deciding who to hire, not just price. It’s better to pay a little more for higher quality work from a reliable and trustworthy tradesperson. Do this rather than less money for the opposite.

Insurance – this is vital in no end of ways

Before committing to hire a builder or other tradesperson, check that they hold public liability insurance. That way, if anything goes wrong with the work, you’re covered. Also check your own home insurance policy, because it’s not just the work itself that’s a consideration. There’s also the chance that your home is at greater risk of a break-in if it’s more accessible or uninhabited while the work takes place. If you need to take action against the tradesperson, having legal cover is invaluable, so it’s definitely worth adding this optional extra to your policy. Also add legal expenses cover while you’re at it, just in case the tradesperson gets injured on your property and takes action against you. It’s also good form to let your home insurer know you’re having building work carried out. This is key in case some aspect of it invalidates your home insurance policy. It’s worth telling them and getting the go ahead for sheer peace of mind.

You should never have to pay upfront ahead of the works proceeding

A reputable tradesperson won’t ask for the full amount upfront, and you should never pay it. It’s common for tradespeople to ask for an upfront cost for materials. It’s acceptable to pay this. You shouldn’t pay for labour until the section of labour being invoiced for is complete. Negotiating a payment plan that both you and the tradesperson are happy with is important. This should be included in the contract. If they don’t accept credit cards, tell them they can get a card reader inexpensively. For instance, a SumUp machine costs just £29.

Add that you’ll pay more to cover the £29 and the 1.69% transaction fee. This is the best way of ensuring you can get your money back if everything goes wrong, as credit card companies are jointly liable if the standard of work you’ve paid for is unacceptable. If you’re thinking, ‘But that’s nearly £200 extra I’m paying on a £10,000 renovation!’, I’d say yes, but £198 is a small price to pay to ensure you get the entire £10,000 back if everything goes wrong. If you can’t find a single tradesperson prepared to carry out the work who will accept this arrangement, then pay by bank transfer. However, though there’s proof of payment, it’s more difficult to get your money back. This is as banks aren’t subject to the same laws as credit card companies.

Look local if you can

Finding a builder locally can have huge benefits when it comes to your build. Time on site, their knowledge of local planning permission, builders’ merchants and other local trades are all invaluable nuggets of knowledge that you’ll welcome on site.

There’s no harm in taking a walk around where you live. Or going on a little drive locally to spot any works going on in your area. It’ll give you an idea of the builders who are active close by. Plus if you see a builder’s board, it’s a sign that at the very least this is a builder proud of their job. It also shows that they are looking for more work too. You don’t necessarily have to like the style of work they are currently carrying out – after all, many people opt for ordinary extensions and new homes – but a builder can only produce what’s on the plans in front of them.

Also have a good look as to who is available online

A good place to starting looking online to find a builder is on sites like the Federation of Master Builders. They have a search tool where you can find specific trades in your area and look at their references. All FMB members are vetted and independently inspected, and are checked to ensure that they have the correct insurances in place. Advertisement Checkatrade and the Guild of Master Craftsmen are also good places to find a builder local to where you live. They offer stringent checks, which should give you more reassurance. If you’ve found a few contacts, take a look at their website. Do this as a means to find out what work they cover. Also do this to see if you can look at examples of their previous work.

Overall, what you need to know, in detail

We are an impatient lot on the whole. Once we have obtained the approvals for a project, we want to get going as quickly as possible. In a typical scenario, out come the Yellow Pages. There follows a series of calls to everyone on the list until we find someone who can start on Monday. But stop. Ask yourself why they are available at such short notice. Good tradesmen are busy tradesmen. They will probably have the next client lined up and quite possibly the next one, too.

If a builder is available at such short notice, the chances are they are trying their luck. They will look at you as an easy touch. Or even worse, they have just been ‘finished’ on another job for poor standards of workmanship. Don’t forget that absolutely no qualifications are required before anyone sets themselves up as a builder. So you need to do your homework on whoever you employ! A good tradesman is most unlikely to turn into a poor tradesman overnight, whereas a cowboy has probably never had any construction skills in the first place. So it’s fair to assume that if someone has done a good job for someone else, they will be able to replicate this for you.

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