01
Know who they are
- Business identity & trading history
- Relevant previous work
Builders guide
How to check a builderbefore you hire.
From extensions to renovations, building work can involve significant cost, disruption and a number of different responsibilities. This guide explains what to verify, what evidence can support confidence, and what to agree before work starts.
Check a builderAt a glance
For a builder, pay particular attention to:
02
Check they’re properly set up
- Insurance
- Planning & building control
03
Agree how the work will run
- Scope & specification
- Payment structure
04
Get it in writing
- Written agreement
- Completion & snagging
What to verify
The essentials at a glance.
Start with the four areas that matter most. Open any one to see the detailed checks.
Practical conversations
Questions worth asking
Resolve the responsibilities, assumptions and practical details that matter before work begins.
Who will manage the job day to day?
Know your main contact and who has authority to agree changes.
Who will actually carry out the work?
Clarify employees versus subcontractors and any specialist trades involved.
What is specifically excluded from the quote?
Exclusions are often as important as the headline price.
How will unexpected work or changes be approved?
Agree that material variations are described and priced before proceeding wherever practical.
Who handles planning, building control and specialist certification?
Responsibility should be explicit rather than assumed.
What happens at completion?
Agree inspection, snagging, final payment and which certificates, warranties or documents you should receive.
Look for a coherent pattern
Evidence that supports confidence
Look for several consistent signals rather than relying on any one claim or profile.
- Consistent business identity
- Established trading history
- Comparable previous projects
- Verifiable scheme or professional memberships
Resolve uncertainty
Things worth investigating
These are prompts to clarify before you commit, not automatic reasons to reject a builder.
- The name on the quotation does not clearly match the business identity you researched.
- Claimed memberships, registrations or years of trading cannot be reconciled with the evidence found.
- The builder cannot show or explain recent comparable work.
- A substantial project is proposed with little written detail about scope or specification.
Protect the project
Before you agree the work
For a substantial building project, get clarity in writing on:
Exactly what work the builder is responsible for.
Amounts, timing or milestones, and what evidence of progress is expected before each payment.
Who can authorise changes, how they will be priced and how approval will be recorded.
How completion is agreed, defects recorded and outstanding work resolved.
Useful answers
Builder hiring FAQs
Straightforward answers to common questions about hiring a builder.
Does a builder need a licence to work in the UK?
There is no single universal builder licence covering ordinary domestic building work across the UK. Particular parts of a project can be regulated and may require specific approvals, registrations or competent specialists.
Does my building project need planning permission?
It depends on the project and property. Some development needs permission, while some household work can fall within permitted-development rights. Confirm the position for your project rather than assuming an extension or alteration is automatically permitted.
Is planning permission the same as Building Regulations approval?
No. They are separate systems. A project may need one, both or neither depending on the work.
Should I get a written quote or an estimate?
For meaningful building work, seek a detailed written quote and clear scope. Record the agreed work, materials and price in writing.
Should I pay a builder upfront?
There is no universal safe deposit percentage. For substantial projects, understand what any upfront amount covers and agree a documented payment schedule linked sensibly to the project.
What should be in a building contract?
Document the parties, scope, price, payment arrangements, timing, responsibilities and how changes are agreed. Substantial works may also need drawings, subcontractors, permissions, insurance, warranties, completion and snagging covered.
What should I receive when the project is finished?
Agree the relevant handover evidence in advance. This may include warranties, manuals, specialist installation certificates, building-control completion evidence or other project documents.
Check before you commit
Ready to check this builder?
Check the builder's details and get a clearer view of the evidence before you commit.