Builders and Building Contractors - Urmston Flixton and Davyhulme in Trafford, Manchester UK. (Lancashire)

Tips for choosing a builder

Building a new home or property in Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme in Trafford, Manchester can be a long drawn out and tiring process. But if you have the right builder doing the job, you will get a quality property that you can enjoy long after the work is completed.

You can find builders everywhere; anyone can set up shop claiming to be a builder. But what a quality builder can construct for you, no one else including yourself can. So it is mandatory that you select the builder with care. According to The National Federation of Builders, if you follow a checklist of factors, you can get a builder that gives you value-for-money.

The factors to be checked for include:

* Recommendations / References: Looking for a builder who has done some construction for a close friend or relative of yours is the best place to start; talk to friend and family members and ask them to refer you to builders they have worked with.



If there are none, then go to the local yellow pages for Urmston, Flixton and Daveyhulme in Trafford, Manchester and pick builders that have a proper registered address. Contact them and ask them to give you contact details of past local customers. You should then talk to these customers about the conduct of the builder and his handling of the project. If possible, pay a visit to their properties to get an idea about the construction quality of the builder(s).

* Compare Estimates: Never finalise a builder after receiving just one estimate. Rather, talk to three to four builders and get them to provide you written estimates for the work. The estimate should give you a complete breakdown of the work that the builder will be carrying out on your site with the prices for and quality of construction materials used. Check details about their VAT registration and charges and ensure there are no hidden costs. Your builder should also be able to tell you if planning permission is required and if required, whether he will get it for you.



* Trade Association Membership: The National Federation of Builders is the central and most reputable body for builders. They have a strict vetting process for any builder who wishes to become a member. If there are any complaints against members, the body follows a clear procedure to resolve the issue. Any builder that is registered with the Federation will have clear credentials and would be worth considering.



To get a list of registered members from Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme in Trafford, Manchester, you can contact any of the 14 branch offices of the Federation around the country. You should do this particularly for builders whom you pick from the yellow pages or who have come to you without any references. Check with the Federation about any complaints or issues raised against the builder, his overall conduct, and involvement in Federation activities. Builders that play an active role in the Federation are generally reputable and straightforward.

* Check their Insurance Certification: All builders are required to carry up-to-date public liability insurance. If by any chance, the builder damages your property while it is under construction, the insurance will cover costs of repairs. Any builder who does not have insurance coverage is not a good choice to work with.



* Finalise the Work in Writing: Always insist on a written work agreement from your builder. This allows you specify clearly what you want your property in Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme in Trafford, Manchester to be built like. The agreement should cover everything, right from building specifications, to start and completion dates, security and training, disposal of waste, hours of work, payment terms and so on.



If you feel the need for any changes, you should insist on having these included in the agreement. Once the agreement is signed by both parties, it becomes legally binding and you can insist that the builder follows it in case of discrepancies.

* Payment Terms: These should be included in the work agreement without fail, with the stipulation that there will be no advance payment. Work out a payment schedule in writing and make all payment by cheque. You are generally not required to make any deposits or advance payments, unless you require the builder to use specialised or custom-made materials in the construction. Even for these materials, the builder should first provide you at least three different estimates along with all contact details of the supplier so that you can take an informed decision.



Any builder who is ready to accept cash payments and offers a “VAT free” deal should be treated with suspicion. This could mean that the builder is very small and does less than £47,000 worth of business in the year or is trying to avoid his legal tax liabilities. It might also happen that the builder will close shop before completing your work or become unavailable at a later date if you need repairs.

While cash payment means you will not have any proof of payment, a builder that does not ask for VAT means he might not be legally authorised to carry our construction in Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme in Trafford, Manchester. This would not be a great position to be in especially when you are undertaking work on perhaps your biggest asset.

By carefully considering all of the above criteria, you can rest assured that the builder you finalise will be a good one. By doing everything in writing and keeping day-to-day records of work done, you would not have to face any issues with getting your property built. Stay in constant contact with your builder, talk to him about any changes you need and seek his advice about the effectiveness and cost of these changes. If the builder is professional and experienced, he would be in a great position to give you the right advice.

If at any point of time, you feel that you have handed over your project to a wrong guy, you can always terminate it and switch builders; though this might cost you a lot more and lead to delays in your property construction. 

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