How to find a top notch builder

Collette Lord

Collette is an experienced property investor from Lancashire. In this article she offers tips and advice on how to find a 'top notch builder. - Ranjan Bhattacharya

If you invest in a new area, and you want some building work done - How DO you find a good new top-notch builder?

1. Get in your car

I drive round the town a bit and look out for properties which are having work done on them. There are often builders’ vans parked outside, with names and numbers on them. I make a note and drive off. I go back early that evening, knock on the door and ask, very politely, if the householder will discuss the type of work they are having done, as I am looking for a good local guy, and would he recommend the builder whose van I saw earlier. I have been inside many a stranger’s house, doing this!

People often want to show off their extension, kitchen, bathroom whatever, especially if it is good workmanship. I have also seen what a householder thinks is good workmanship that I would not touch with a bargepole!

Folks will often tell you almost everything you need to know about a builder, especially if you ask with a smile :-). Here are some questions to ask:

did he come and work everyday for a full day
did he add on any extra costs during the course of the works
did he clean up properly at the end of each day
did he communicate adequately when problems arose
was he easy to get on with
did he do what he said he would do, when he said he would do it
did he want payment upfront
did he let you talk to some of his other customers
would you use him again ?

2. Visit local builders’ merchants

Visit a couple of small local builders’ merchants - they get local builders in all day long, buying this, that and the other. Purchase something cheap for yourself, and have a discreet chat in a corner with the oldest looking employee there – establish if he/she has worked there for a long time. He/she is likely to know which are the "fly by night" boys, as opposed to the long established firms who are reliable, have a good reputation and pay their bills on time. Ask who he/she would recommend.

I have also found electricians this way, by going into small electrical shops.

2. Search the Web

Here are some really useful websites that I have found:

www.WhoToUse.co.uk

It is a good site as it contains the name and address and telephone numbers of companies which have been recommended by customers. It is also a very easy web site to navigate through. It contains names of: Builders, Electricians, Plumbers, Roofers, Garages, Removals etc

www.fmb.org.uk - Federation of Master Builders

This site offers a huge amount of information, as well as a free contract for the building works, a free regular building works e-zine and lots more. It is possible to buy a Masterbond warranty – a 10 year insurance backed guarantee - for the building works you commission.

www.iphe.org.uk is the website for the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineers - you can find plumbers in your local area by entering your postcode.

www.corgi-gas-safety.com/ lists CORGI registered gas engineers. Not all engineers are qualified and certificated to install every type of gas appliance – remember, you will need to read the individual plumber’s CORGI card to establish this.

www.eca.co.uk lists electrical contractors – click on "Associate client Specifier"

www.nfrc.co.uk/Contractors.aspx is the website for the National Federation of Roofing Contractors. Click on the UK map and a list of registered contractors will appear – but geographical accuracy seems to have gone astray as builders from all over the country seem to pop up in my chosen location, so be careful.

4. Meet and talk to them

Meet and talk to at least 6 builders. Make sure they belong to a professional body – phone up and find out if that is true. Although you may have already drawn up a detailed specification of works, let them tell you what they would do – let them do the talking. You will learn more about a builder by listening than talking.

Choose at least 3 to 4 and ask them to quote for the job. It is amazing how frequently a builder will come and spend 1, 2, 3 hours with you and will discuss the project at some length and will go through a specification of works in detail, and then you never hear from him again!!

Ask to see a Certificate of Public Liability Insurance, ensure it is valid and worth at least £1,000,000.

Establish a start date. Make sure you both sign and date the contract.

Make sure you both agree the Specification of Works in detail in advance of signing the contract.

Agree payment dates and KEEP THEM - builders need funds to pay their sub-contractors. Do not make the final payment until you are 110% satisfied with the work - even if it is Christmas in 2 days time!

5. Only choose those builders who will allow you to talk to, and MEET previous customers without them being there.

REMEMBER - A Rogue builder will :-

Avoid giving you references from previous customers
Offer to do a cash job – cheap – no VAT
Confuse you with lots of jargon and long explanations
Say there is no need for a written contract
Be able to start tomorrow (good builders are always busy)
Be unable to breakdown the costs as "things change"
Not want to bother with plans
Give you an extremely low quote in comparison with others
Not have a landline number or home address on his card
Keep telling you not to worry about the details

GOOD LUCK - there are good builders out there and plenty of them !!!

Ok Ranjan, I want to know more about your Proven Property Investment System.

Tell me more about the Build Your Property Empire Home Study Course

Tell me more about your one day seminars

Tell me more about your 1 year property investors mentorship programme

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