How to Choose the Right Builder

Choosing the right builder can be a minefield for potential disasters for your building project. By following some simple advice, it could save you money and ensure the work is carried out by an experienced professional.

1. Recommendations

This is one of the first, and most important, things to consider when hiring out a builder. You can start by asking your friends, family and neighbours if they know of a reputable builder they've used previously and if possible go and see the work they had done. If you know another reliable trades person, ask for their recommendations as they will have quite possibly worked alongside a builder who is known for having a good reputation.

Use the internet to source out recommendations. Most building companies will have a website and you can read their customer reviews to gauge how trustworthy they are. Once you have decided on at least three firms to request a quote from, ask about them giving you references from previous clients; any good builder will happily provide this information for you.

2. Paperwork

Ensure all quotes you are given are written and include all the necessary details of the work you wish to have done. Be clear and direct about the work you need to have carried out, right down the finer details such as clearing rubbish, etc. Be dubious of a builder giving a too low a price compared to other quotes you've been given.

Inquire if they are members of a trade association and have the Trustmark logo– there are a few governmental organisations they could be members of - and do checks to see if they’re on their member list. This can be done online so researching this is vital for ensuring the hire of reputable builders in Chiswick. I can personally recommend you these builders Chiswick, as my experience with them shows that they're reliable, trained and experienced professionals.

Does the builder have liability insurance? If they do, they should be able to show you the certificate. You also might want to take out separate insurance for peace of mind should anything go wrong.

3. Payment

To make certain you are being quoted for the appropriate work, ask your builder to itemise each job in the quote. This way, you can see exactly how much you are being charged for each areas of a job, including materials and labour. You must also check that the price included VAT so you won’t get stung with the extra lump sum at the end.

Finally, if a builder asks you for a deposit, be very wary of their intentions. However, you should be expected to pay for bigger projects by instalments so agree before hand with your builder which payment method suits both parties.