How do I find a good builder?

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We’ve all heard the stories of cowboy builders and rogue traders who will leave clients high and dry with poor quality or incomplete work. Once work begins on a project, it’s pretty easy to tell what kind of contractor you’ve hired but how do you spot the right builder out of a crowd and dodge the ones that will give you grief? 

Here’s some advice that will help you make the right choice.

Accreditation and Qualifications

Even without qualifications or licensing, anyone can call themselves a builder which means there are plenty of inexperienced professionals flooding the market and looking to take advantage. 

There are, however, certain accreditations which can guarantee a little piece of mind. TrustMark for example is a non-profit scheme introduced by the government to help set up homeowners with tradespeople they can rely on.

Availability

A good builder will likely be busy and you will have to wait some time for them so watch out for anyone who says that they are free to start right away. Committing to work immediately could be a sign of a lack of steady work or juggling multiple builds at once.

References and Recommendations

Endorsements from past clients are always subjective but are great way to gauge how reliable or unreliable a contractor is.

When interviewing builders be sure to get a solid overview of their work, not just their most recent project or the one they’re the proudest of. If possible, visiting a complete site to check out the quality is always a good idea.

Timeline to complete work

Getting a rough time schedule and a plan for how any potential delays will be handled will also help weed out the poor quality builders from the ones you can trust. Be wary of timelines that seem too good to be true as they usually are.

Insurance

Without the right insurance in place, homeowners can open themselves up to a mountain of legal fees and damages. Any builder worth their salt will have cover against personal and public liability in the event of an accident or injury on your site. By law they should also have employers liability insurance. 

Payment

One thing that should definitely raise red flags are builders who ask for payments upfront. Insist on structuring pay in stages based on evaluations. Once the contract administrator approves, funds will be released to the builder.



For complete peace of mind on your build, Resi’s complimentary Connect service  can put you in touch with the best local contractors and suppliers wherever you are. Their completely online platform allows you handle everything, in one place, from the comfort of you home.

Take a look at the brilliant work Resi have completed with this London renovation.

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