Seven Things to Settle Before You Appoint a Builder

Seven things to settle before you appoint a builder

Most difficult builds are not caused by a bad contractor. They are caused by appointing a good contractor too early, against drawings that were not finished, on terms nobody wrote down. These seven points are the ones we insist on before anyone is asked to price.

1. A complete drawing package

Tendering against sketches guarantees a low number and a painful year. Plans, sections, joinery details, lighting and finish schedules should all exist before a builder sees the job.

2. Three prices, not one

A single quotation tells you nothing about whether it is reasonable. Three prices from comparable builders tell you the shape of the market and expose anyone who has misread the scope.

3. A named site manager

Ask who will actually be on site daily, and how many other jobs they are running. This answer predicts your experience more reliably than the company's portfolio.

4. A written programme

Dates for each stage, not a single completion date. A programme lets you see slippage in week six rather than month six.

5. How variations are priced

Agree in advance how changes will be quoted and approved. Variations priced mid-build, under pressure, are where budgets quietly double.

6. Payment tied to stages

Payment against completed stages, not calendar months. It keeps everyone's interests pointed at progress.

7. What happens at the end

Agree the snagging process, the retention, and who returns to fix what. The last two per cent of a build is where goodwill is usually lost.

General guidance drawn from the studio's own contract administration. It is not legal or contractual advice — have your appointment reviewed by a professional.