Choosing a builder is the decision that decides how the whole project goes. Most people pick on price and a gut feeling. Here are the ten questions I’d want a family member to ask before signing with anyone – including us – and how we answer them.
1. Can I see recent work, and speak to the people you did it for?
Any established builder should be able to show you photos of recent jobs and put you in touch with a past client or two. Google reviews help, but a five-minute phone call with someone who’s lived through the build tells you far more.
Our answer: yes. Our reviews are on our Google listing, and we’ll happily put you in touch with previous clients in Mill Hill and the surrounding area.
2. Who will actually be on site, and who’s in charge?
Some firms sell the job and then hand it to whoever’s available. You want to know who runs the site day to day and who you call when there’s a decision to make.
Our answer: I’m your single point of contact from the first visit to the last snag, and you’ll know who’s on site and when before we start.
3. Is your quote itemised, and what’s not included?
A single figure on one page is impossible to compare and easy to inflate later. Ask for a breakdown by stage and trade, with allowances for things like tiles and sanitaryware stated, and a list of exclusions.
Our answer: every quote is itemised and lists what’s excluded – typically architect’s and engineer’s fees, planning and Building Control fees, and party wall surveyors.
4. Will there be a written contract?
Yes or it’s a no. The contract should cover scope, price, payment stages, start and finish dates, and how changes are handled.
Our answer: always. Payments are tied to stages of work completed, never to dates on a calendar.
5. How do you handle changes and surprises?
There will be some. What you’re checking for is that changes are priced and agreed in writing before they happen, not discovered on the final invoice.
Our answer: anything unexpected – behind the plaster, in the ground – you hear about from me the same day, with options and costs. Nothing is done until you’ve agreed it.
6. Who deals with Building Control and the paperwork?
Every structural project needs Building Regulations approval and a completion certificate at the end. You’ll need that certificate when you sell. Make sure the builder is dealing with the inspector, not leaving it to you.
Our answer: we handle Building Control on every job, and we can introduce you to architects, structural engineers and party wall surveyors if you don’t have them.
7. Are you insured?
Ask to see public liability insurance and, if they employ people, employer’s liability insurance. Any professional builder will show you the certificates without being offended.
Our answer: ask us and we’ll show you.
8. What happens if something goes wrong after you’ve finished?
Houses settle, plaster dries, a door starts to catch. The question is whether the builder comes back.
Our answer: we come back and sort it. We care about how our work holds up, and nearly all of our work comes from recommendations – which only happens when the job is still right a year later.
9. How will you protect my house and my neighbours’ goodwill?
Dust sheets, floor protection, a tidy site at the end of each day, sensible working hours, and a bit of courtesy to the people next door go a long way – especially on a terrace where the neighbours are a metre away.
Our answer: we agree how the site will run on day one and stick to it.
10. Why are you cheaper (or dearer) than the other quote?
A quote that’s a lot lower than the others is usually leaving something out, using cheaper materials, or planning to make it up in extras. A good builder can explain their price line by line.
Our answer: we’re not the cheapest, and we don’t try to be. We price the job properly, with the right materials and the right people, and we tell you exactly what you’re paying for.
One more: does it feel right?
You’ll be living with this person in your house for two or three months. If they’re evasive on any of the above, or you don’t feel you can pick up the phone to them, listen to that. The best builds happen when the homeowner and the builder trust each other – and trust is built with straight answers.
Ask us the ten questions yourself. Get in touch via the contact page or call Monday to Friday, 10am–2pm, and we’ll arrange a free visit to your home in Mill Hill, Barnet, Finchley, Hampstead or Edgware.
Related: our building services, and our pages for builders in Mill Hill, builders in Barnet and builders in North London.