Find a Good Reliable Builder

YDZ

Hi everybody I read a lot of good tips and advise in this forum about home improvments. Anybody can help me further?
We bought a house that in need of complete renovation and we are worried about choosing a builder any tips on how to start looking for a good builder? Some people suggested trust a trader.com, has any one here tried it?

Poppy09_2

I've used www . check a trade . com they have symbols of recommended vetted monitored etc.
Don't know if that helps you a bit?

cattie

Some local authorities have a list of recommended tradesmen & I'd always make that one of my first points of call.

It's always best if you can get personal recommendations rather than trusting to websites, which may not be reliable.

YDZ

Thanks Poppy09 and Cattie, I will check both the website and local authorities. How many quotes should I try to get ? and do you have an idea about what the cost of building an extention would be?

cattie

Get at least 3 quotes to get a fair comparison.

Also, sometimes it can be helpful to knock on local neighbours doors if you see work being carried out & ask if they are satisfied with builder & would recommend them.

Extension costs vary so much depending on type of extension & where in the country you are situated. In London you can expect a rear extension across the back of the house to cost anywhere from £25k up & a decent loft conversion from £30k up.

If an extension is what you are after, then do get references & ask if it's possible to visit a previous customer to evaluate work carried out.

moonrakerz

Walk around your area in the evening and see who is having work done. Knock on the door, apologise, and ask what they think of their builder.

I did this a few years back, and asked at one house who was having an extension built (which looked very good), after the householder had finished saying how good the builder was, he said: "By the way, I am the Chief Building Inspector for ****** Borough Council".
Guess who I went to ?

leveller2911

I think Moonrakerz is spot on.You will never beat "word of mouth" .Ive been making joinery for 22yrs and have never needed to advertise and most of the good builders in my area are the same, they will have a sign written van but thats all.
I would never recommend newspapers or advertising magazines either and TBH I don't know anyone in my area that advertises in these online trade checking sites.At the end of the day most of them are businesses making money from people signing up, its rather like the NHBC warranty on houses, NHBC is funded by the construction companies, conflict of interest springs to mind.

moonrakerz

leveller2911 wrote: »

NHBC is funded by the construction companies, conflict of interest springs to mind.

I once wrote to the NHBC about faults with my house>

The response I got was:-
Dear Mr *****, thank you etc, etc. Please find enclosed a copy of our booklet "what to do if your builder goes bust" (he hadn't, and I had never said he had !) . Signed: Totally illegible squiggle.

Hand written on the bottom of the letter was a note:-

"this booklet is tempoarily out of stock" !!!

Chocolate teapots and motorcycle ashrays spring to mind.

usignuolo

where in London do you live?

YDZ

Hi everyone
Thanks to all of you, I think you are right the best thing is to get a personal recommendation, as I see a lot of building going on in my area.
Moonrakerz you were very lucky I will try to be as lucky as you were.
I live in London Southeast and the house we are procceeding to buy is in need of complete renovation. The conservatory around the kitchen is very old what we want to do is to include this space in the kitchen area to make an open living kitchen space then build a master insuite bedroom on the top . Adding to that redecorate the house. Any idea of how to calculate the cost, do we need a planning permission, we don't intend to go beyond what is already there.

usignuolo

YDZ - send me a private message and I will recommend someone to you who did my bathroom but also does kitchens and bedrooms and all other rooms and building work and can come highly recommended.