Hiring and working with trades

How to find the right people for your building project

The cowboy builder who asked for the full amount upfront and disappeared with a friend’s life savings at the start of a home extension. The plumber who came with stellar reviews from a check a trade website and whose botched bathroom job caused water to leak into the room below. The carpenter who was so flaky he put his foot through the hallway ceiling while in the attic, causing plasterwork to come crashing down on a brand-new wool stair carpet.

Where to look for trades

• Word of mouth – Recommendations from friends, family, colleagues and neighbours are helpful. They can provide first-hand insights into the quality of their work and reliability. Ask if they delivered the project on time and to budget. Were they punctual? Did they keep the site tidy? Were they happy with the result? Another useful source is a recommendation from your architect or other building professionals. Most tradespeople operate locally – and word can travel fast.
• Online platforms – Websites like Local Surveyors Direct, Local Electricians Direct and  Local Architects Direct offer directories of professionals along with reviews from past customers, enabling you to search in your own postcode area for individual trades and to compare quotes. These are helpful online tools.
• Trade associations – organisations such as the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) provide listings of professionals. The FMB does some pre-vetting before members join its organisation, including trade history, credit history, public liability and employer’s liability. Electricians and plumbers (unlike builders) must have specific qualifications. For example, if you are using a plumber to fit a cooker in your new kitchen, ensure they are Gas Safe Registered. When choosing an electrician, you should choose a contractor who is registered with a Competent Person scheme, such as NICEIC or ELECSA.

Comparing quotes

When you’ve identified several candidates, the next step is to try to get a price out of them. Builders are often busy doing the actual work so you may have to wait several weeks or more for them to give you a formal quote for the job. There’s a big difference between an initial estimate and a fully costed, itemised quote for the work which takes time.

 It helps if you provide a clear, detailed description of the work you need.  Include any technical drawings. A general builder will want everything but that won’t suit individual trades.  A window fitter only needs the drawings associated with windows, for example.

Invite tradespeople to visit the site. This allows them to assess the scope of work more accurately and, crucially, measure up. It also gives you an opportunity to meet them. Whether you’re hiring a builder or bathroom fitter – it’s important to feel comfortable around them as they will be working in your home for weeks or even months at a time. Do they understand your project? Have they shown an interest, made positive suggestions? Sometimes, they may suggest ways you can make savings while achieving a similar result.

Request itemised quotes to understand how the costs add up. This transparency helps in comparing quotes effectively. Perhaps include a section highlighting anything they think is missing from your brief and a price for it. This minimises the chances of extras, such a scaffolding or skips, being added that bump up costs mid-build.  Ensure the quotes include all aspects of a job and a breakdown of costs for materials, labour, VAT if charged and a timeline. Aim for two or three like-for-like quotes for each element of the job, which you can scrutinise.

It’s important that your chosen builder is fully insured. There are three types of insurance every trustworthy builder should have: public liability insurance, employer’s liability insurance and installer’s all-risk cover, according to the Consumer Protection Agency.

Programming the works

Effective management is vital to the success of any major home building project. This is all about what needs to be done, by who and when. Create a realistic schedule that outlines each phase of the project. Your builder or project manager could develop this for you. A building contractor will ensure that different trades are scheduled in a logical sequence to avoid downtimes and conflicts. For instance, electricians should complete their work before plasterers begin.

Talk to tradespeople and installers to understand when they need to be on site and what needs to be ready for them to do their work. Maintain open lines of communication. Regular updates can prevent misunderstandings.  Break the project into milestones with target completion dates. For instance, pouring of foundations. This helps in tracking progress and ensuring the project stays on schedule.