With horror stories about cowboy builders, budgets spiralling out of control and sites being left half-finished, it’s a wonder anyone builds anything. But the reality is that many builders are both professional and capable, and you can do a great deal to avoid bad experiences simply through the way you choose, manage and communicate with them.
But the challenge is finding a builder who ticks all the boxes and delivers a great job, safely.
Either way, you never really know at the outset how things will turn out, so to be prepared and aware is half the battle.
Why am I qualified to give this advice?
Well, I spent most of my pre-electrical career working on corporate projects (many involving 3rd party builders) in various capacities, including Project Management.
I also have 15+ years experience as a domestic electrician where I’ve seen all sorts of bad workmanship by builders (not just electrical!), plus the experience of a major home rebuild of my own where even I became a sucker to (what turned out to be) a ‘tricky’ builder. Once bitten, twice shy as they say!
1. Finding a Builder
This is the first and important step of any buying process. The best advice is to ask for recommendations from a number of Architects, AND someone who has previously worked with a particular builder. It’s never an absolute guarantee of a happy outcome, but it’s a very good start!
And if your project needs some specialist skill, that would also be an important factor.
2. Getting Quotes and Pre-Measures
Whether a major remodelling or an extension or loft conversion, there are always upfront costs such as architectural drawings (as anyone would need something to quote against). Later will be the cost of Planning Permission and production of engineering drawings (produced by Structural Engineers).
But it’s vital to get an indication (at an early a stage as possible) of whether your planned project estimate meets your budget. Some Architects are or have Quantity Surveyors (QS’s) who can develop costs based on a design, so chosing such an architect is a very good strategy.
TIP: Get at least 3 quotes and expect them to be in similar ballparks. If one is significantly less that the others, this may be a red flag!, but they should, more-or-less, align with QS costs.
BEWARE of the builder who gives ‘fag packet’ quotes with no design in place – the price may look good, but the job may not end well for you!
TIP: If your builder charges VAT, ask them for their VAT registration number, AND verify that online at the GOV.UK VAT service »
TIP: Payments – cash payments can and do soften a deal, but there are some red flags to be aware of:
If you really want to do some cash payments, it’s absolutely vital that you agree upfront with your propsective builder that he gives you a monthly balance sheet showing what’s been paid against the value of the quote. If not, you cash will vanish into the proverbial big black hole and and the end of the job, you’ll have no idea where the money went or what it was spent on.
But since avoiding VAT is illegal, your builder may understandably not wish to document such transactions, in which case, my advice is to pay legitimately via bank transfer then at least there’s an ‘e-trail’ should things turn sour with your project.
TIP: Insurance – Building work is inherently risky, which is why you’ll want to know that your builders are protected with the right insurance should anything go wrong during your project. That way, in the event of an accident, you won’t have to worry about paying for any damage as your builder’s insurance should cover any third-party costs.
Ask your prospective builder for a copy of their insurance document that should cover:
> Public liability insurance
> Employers’ liability insurance
> Contract works insurance
> Professional indemnity insurance
> Building guarantees and warranties
If they can’t, don’t or won’t – WALK AWAY!
TIP: Insolvency – Check that the builder hasn’t been made insolvent – if they have, any insurance covering the work (and your home) will be invalid. You can do that here at GOV.UK Liquidation »
TIP: THE QUOTE – always ensure that your prospective builder’s quote is broken down into labour and materials AND on a per-task basis such as foundations, bricks-and-mortar, steels, roof, carpentry, plastering, electrical, plumbing and heating, windows and doors to name just a few!
If your builder won’t give you such a breakdown, WALK AWAY before you start!
It’s vital that you can measure the cash flow ‘run-rate’, meaning that if the builder has taken 3/4 of the entire budget before you’ve reached the half way mark, then this is a major red flag!
If you do find yourself in this position, you must demand and immediate HALT and discuss with situation with your builder.
TIP: Electrical AND Gas – Prior to signing any contract with a builder, ask for the names and registration numbers of the person/s they plan to use for the electrical & gas work. Then check yourself (online at the competence body they claim to be with) that they are who they say they are. If they can’t or won’t provide this detail, this is a red flag! Then verify the identity of the person/s who show up to do the electrical and gas work!
TIP: Consider obtaining separate quotes from electricians, plumbers etc who may well come in cheaper that what the builder is quoting. But the success of this is down to getting both parties to agree to work with each other!
Contingency
Allow yourself an over-spend budget (10 or 20%) as there are often genuine, unforeseen circumstances that emerge, not to mention constant UK inflation on materials, all of which will impact your budget.
Retention
In construction, this refers to a portion of the payment withheld from contractors or subcontractors until project completion. Typically, this is a percentage of each payment, usually ranging from 5% to 10%. It’s a financial safeguard for project owners to ensure the contractor completes the work to the agreed standard – ask your Architect for advice specific to your build and the part of the country you’re in.
Further more, I personally recommend you agree to hold back at least £1,000 until you receive the electrical (and gas) installation certificate/s AND the Part P electrical certificate (issued by your local building control department once notified by the registered electrician). I suggest at least £1,000 should you have to bring in an independent qualified electrician (and/or gas engineer) to test, maybe correct, and sign off an installation.
Contract
Once you’re happy to proceed, most builders would provide a JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal) off-the-shelf contract that both parties would sign.
3. Projects in Flight
Once your project has commenced, it’s important to keep a daily eye on progress, and a weekly eye on the budget to ensure that the construction is being built to the plans. If you can’t do this yourself, consider getting an independent someone else to help you with this.
Whoever does this, it’s very important to keep a daily log of what’s been done on site (whether planned work or unexpected issues) as details and dates very easily get forgotton! This may seem like a drag, but believe me, it’s worth it!
4. PROBLEMS? Sage Advice once you’re aware of a problem or have concerns!
Assuming that the builder is still on site, flag your concerns and ask them to stop (that part of the) work until the matter is resolved. Ensure you withhold further payments during until the matter is resolved!
If no cooperation is forthcoming, consider:
> REACHING OUT to specific trades (electricians, carpenters, plumbers, or your local authority’s building control department) and request a visit after hours (when your builder has left site for the day) for advice and guidance on your matter of concern.
> EVIDENCE – always collect as much evidence as possible (photographs, and invoices paid, receipts etc) as the builder may well ‘try it on’ with false counter claims or cheap/ baseless legal threats. But above all, don’t be intimidated!
> MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION – with the facts and evidence to hand, clamly consider your options whether legal or practical, and carefully calculate your risks – obviously, you need to get the job finished one way or the other!
From my own experience, don’t be afraid to throw the builder off site for specific failures identified and/ or irreparable decine in your relationship with them; You can always hire trades to finish the job.
5. What to do when your builder messed up, quits or disappears;
If your builder has vanished, and/ or has become incommunicado with the job unfinished, it’s very likely they done so after you’ve paid them, and left you with a load of expensive problems to resolve.
If the builder is not UK based, then it may not be worth the legal expense of chasing ghosts. You may have to swallow the loss and move on.
Again, – with the facts and evidence to hand, clamly consider your options whether legal or practical, and carefully calculate your risks – you need to get the job finished one way or the other!
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