Short answer: Get at least three written quotes for the same work, check each builder’s identity, insurance and references, and agree a written contract. Pay against clear milestones, not promises. Avoid large upfront payments and keep the final balance until the agreed work and handover are complete.
Clear paperwork cannot prevent every problem, but it makes misunderstandings easier to resolve. Here is what to check before you commit.
1. Compare builders, not just prices
- Give everyone the same brief. Describe the work, materials, finish and access arrangements. Include drawings where needed. Otherwise, a cheaper quote may simply cover less.
- Compare at least three written quotes. CertifySpace lets you compare anonymous quotes from verified property professionals. Use that comparison as a starting point, then check the chosen professional’s identity and suitability before signing or paying.
- Ask about similar projects. Look at examples and speak to recent customers, ideally about comparable work. Ask whether the builder communicated clearly, managed changes fairly and returned to fix defects.
- Check who you are hiring. Get the trader’s legal name, address and contact details. These should match the contract and invoices. A company registration alone does not prove competence.
- Check insurance. Ask for evidence of current public liability cover and whether it covers your type of project. Employers’ liability insurance is usually required where the builder employs staff.
- Check specialist credentials. Gas work must be done by an appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. For electrical work and replacement windows, ask how any required compliance certificates or building control approval will be obtained. Scheme membership is not the only approval route for every job.
Tip: Never feel rushed. Pressure to pay immediately or skip paperwork is a reason to pause, not a reason to commit.
2. Get the scope and contract right
- Distinguish a quote from an estimate. A quote generally offers a price for specified work. An estimate is an approximate cost. Ask which you have and what could change the total.
- Make the price readable. It should show labour, materials, waste removal and whether VAT applies and is included. Identify exclusions and provisional allowances, which may increase once choices or site conditions are confirmed.
- Agree practical details. Record the proposed start date, expected duration, working hours, access, site security and who protects existing finishes. Name the person responsible for coordinating subcontractors.
- Control changes. Require written approval of extra work, its price and any effect on the timetable before it starts. Agree how genuinely urgent discoveries will be handled.
- Set out responsibilities. Confirm who arranges permissions, inspections and certificates. Planning permission and building control approval are different, and neither replaces any landlord or freeholder consent you need.
- Check your authority. Tenants should get written landlord permission before commissioning alterations. Leaseholders should check their lease. Landlords should agree lawful access arrangements with occupants.
Important: Contracts agreed online, by phone or at your home can carry cancellation rights, often including a 14-day cancellation period. Exceptions apply. If work will start during that period, get the cancellation information and any required early-start request documented.
3. Link payments to completed work
- Question the deposit. Some builders request one for booking or materials, but there is no single safe percentage. Ask what it covers. A large advance deserves particular caution, especially without evidence of ordered materials.
- Use measurable stages. Link payments to defined work completed to the agreed standard, rather than dates alone. For substantial projects, consider an independent surveyor or contract administrator to assess progress.
- Choose payment methods carefully. Bank transfers leave a record but usually lack the purchase protection available with qualifying credit card payments. Check changed bank details using a trusted number, not contact details in the payment request.
- Understand card protection. For eligible purchases with a cash price over £100 and up to £30,000, paying even a deposit directly by credit card may provide protection if the supplier breaches the contract or misrepresents the purchase. Payment intermediaries can affect eligibility. Debit card chargeback may help, but is not a legal guarantee.
- Keep an audit trail. Save the contract, invoices, receipts, messages and dated progress photographs. Do not agree to cash payments intended to avoid tax or proper records.
4. Finish with a proper handover
- Inspect together. Make a written snagging list, agree correction dates and collect relevant certificates, guarantees, instructions and building control completion documents where required.
- Agree the final payment upfront. State what completion means and when the balance becomes due. Any retention should be agreed in the contract, not introduced unexpectedly afterwards.
- Raise problems promptly. Explain defects in writing and give the builder a reasonable opportunity to put them right. If unresolved, seek consumer advice for your UK nation or independent legal advice before withholding disputed sums or hiring a replacement.