Builders - how to find them?

6am

We are looking for a builder to do a house extension, but haven’t had any luck so far. We've tried contacting several local builders, but none have shown any interest.

It’s a lot of money at stake, so we want to make sure we choose someone reliable. I’m trying to figure out how to check if a builder is trustworthy. I've been looking them up on the Companies House website to get a sense of what kind of business they are. But sometimes it’s confusing, for example, I’ve come across builders who are still posting about projects on Facebook, even though Companies House says their company is dissolved. So I’m really not sure what to make of that or what I should be looking for.

That’s why I’m wondering: do any large, nationwide building companies (the kind that build housing estates) also take on custom house extension projects? At least with a bigger company, you’d expect a bit more security and less chance of them disappearing overnight.

If anyone has any advice or can recommend such a company, I’d really appreciate it.

stuart45

You need to talk to @Doozergirl. She's a Hub director for the FMB. Finding a good builder when you're not in the trade, know people in it, or have no one who can recommend a builder, can be quite difficult in this present climate.
Some of the bigger housebuilders like Laings used to have small works departments, but they were really expensive, and used to sub out a lot of the work anyway. 

casper_gutman

AFAIK there aren't many national firms that take on domestic scale projects, and those that exist operate more like the big double glazing firms - lots of focus on sales targets and pushing finance packages that will make them a healthy profit, then often - as stuart45 says - subcontract the actual work anyway!

Have you had any plans drawn up for your extension? If so, can your architect/architectural technologist/designer recommend any builders? Or at least, give you some names they wouldn't actively avoid working with again...?

If not, this may possibly be suggesting to builders that you're not really serious. How can they price a job just based on vague concepts? I'd get drawings done, to planning stage and ideally fully detailed 'building regs' drawings, then builders can really see what's involved and know you're ready when they are to get things moving. The only exception would be if you're looking for someone to undertake the extension on a "design and build" basis, but most builders don't work that way.

EssexExile

I looked around the area for people having similar work done then knocked and asked if they were happy with their builder.

6am

casper_gutman said:

Have you had any plans drawn up for your extension? If so, can your architect/architectural technologist/designer recommend any builders? Or at least, give you some names they wouldn't actively avoid working with again...?

We have the drawings ready, and the architect is involved in the tender process. They have sent proposals to many builders on our behalf, but so far, no one is interested. Nobody wants to look at the project or give us a quote. This has been going on for three months.

So, after three months, we decided to try to find someone ourselves. The chances are slim, if the professional couldn’t make any progress, what chance do we have? We researched some local companies and basically sent them the same package the architect submitted earlier. So far, no luck.

Albermarle

Is there maybe something unusual about the design or materials to be used that is putting builders off?

Sistergold

Made a planning application in 2020 which was approved but due to Covid I never got round to building so expired. As I have it at the back of my mind that I will get the extensions done I have keeping an eye out for builders. I always stop when I see a house being extended and get details. Recently I saw two different house being extensively worked on and the builders I stopped and got details, this seems promising as I gave them my address and they came to have a look. They were also very interested but they said they have a bit of a wait as they are in other projects. This is fine by me as I have to resubmit the planning application and that will take weeks. 

The thing is you really need to be patient. Many of the builders are actually cowboys and it’s better not to start until you are sure. 

I also got names from the architect but only one responded. It’s a slow process as many fail to come, some come and never give a quote. 

WIAWSNB

Hi 6am.
We were in a similar position a few years back. Had an enthusiastic archi draw up the plans, and we discussed possible builders. She had a very few that she'd worked with a few times - and hence approved - and it took some doing to get into her good books. Three provided quotes, which clearly varied (by a significant amount) based on how busy they were at that time.
A different local builder made contact with us having seen our application on the Planning Portal. A quick call to the Archi gave us some shocking tales of their incompetence - some of which she'd been called in to address - and a 'no way'.
Who did we end up going with? Well, 80-year old mil - who was staying with us at the time (the ext was for her) - was walking her stupid dawg the usual 500 yards down our road, but this day got in conversation with a one-man builder who lived in the next street who'd she'd just happened to wave to in passing. 
I'm going to elicit your deep envy by telling you he is the original master builder with huge integrity. And ended up coming in around £20k below the other 'company' quotes. 
No idea what the moral of the story is other than wanting to describe our good fortune.
Oh yes, there are amazing builders out there of high repute, that fly under the radar by simply not having to advertise for work. This guy - and his labouring son - did everything other than the GRP roof, but he knew a guy who could. His work was perfection. And he is a truly terrific human being.
So, as Sistergold says - use local stuff like social media, and filter through the results - run the names past yer archi. And stop at every house in t'hood where you see building work, especially if it doesn't have a liveried van outside of a company you already considered. If they aren't available for the job, ask for names of others they know of. Build up a picture.
'Good' builders know of other good builders in the 'hood. And those to avoid.
Good luck. 

UnsureAboutthis

A "good builder " is one that arrives on time, completes on time, not increase the price whislt on the job and the work is fir for the purpose. Along with that, at times it takes a while to not a problem and the key test is, if the builder comes back to resolve.

Along with the above, never pay up front. If possible, don't even pay for the materials up front

Don't fall for the crap ploy of paying the builder  25/30/50/etc % 3/4/5etc days into the job as the builder may have only torn out the old stuff and a little bit more

We've used a flooring guy that did a great job on one of our kids homes but he f/d up our job and did not come back to sort it.

So, use a builder if possible who is multi-skilled, has a landline nuber and lived at the same address for years and he can demonstrate examples of good work and if he comes back to sort out stuff

 if and whn possible, we give a builder a smaller task and judge him on his time keeping, quality of work and his behaviour and approach to everything - more often than not you can spot a all mouth no substance kid of man vs a decent/honest builder.

Along with all of the above, don't fall for BS quotes and chat on forums etc - just get at least 2 quotes small jobs ie aub 10 k and more for larger jobs. Also think about what 7/8/9/10 thousand pounds of labour is
if they/he is taking a week or two ie 5 or 10 days 7/g hours daily to complete your job

EG - 8k labour for 10 days bathroom refit fully tiles inc shower but bath not refitted etc -  is 100 pounds an hour.
Aslo don't fall for the DAY RATE as the job will drag on for weeks.

gzoom

6am said:

We have the drawings ready, and the architect is involved in the tender process. They have sent proposals to many builders on our behalf, but so far, no one is interested. Nobody wants to look at the project or give us a quote. This has been going on for three months.

You architect must know some builders they regularly work with surely? We sent detailed drawings (X10 A0 print outs) to 5 builders. 3 were builders the architect works with all the time, 2 we found on our own. 2 of the ones the architect works with gave us quotes, and 1 of the builders we contacted direct. 

The variation in the quote was massive, around near 50% difference in price. In the end we went with the builder who the architect works with and had build a friends house, they also happend to be the cheapest. 

I enjoyed the process, even though it took 18 months rather than the original projected 8, and we the final move in cost came at nearly double the original first 1 fix quote. However at time it was stressful, especially when the demolition phase was in full swing and you realise you are totally and utterly dependent on strangers to turn a muddy bit of ground into your family home!!!!

To get no quotes at all back is very unusual? Is there something odd about the project? The budget at quote state is irrelevant as thats what the quote is for? If you are telling builder you have a set budget, and they feel your budget doesn't match the plans might explain why you aren't getting engagement??

You should be expecting to pay roughly £2000/sq meter excluding VAT, a budget substantially below that figure will be unrealistic if you aren't planning to do lots of building work yourself.