You should ask a builder the following questions:
a. Have you completed a similar job to this one?
Ask questions about their previous jobs that are similar to your project, and make sure they have worked on the same type of property before.
b. Do you have a list of references?
Ask for names and details of previous customers so that you can contact them to ask about the work they completed. Anonymous online reviews are not always genuine, so talking to real customers is the best type of testimonial you can get.
c. What insurance, warranties and guarantees do you provide?
A trustworthy builder should be able to provide guarantees in writing and show you their insurance certificates.
d. Do you provide a written quotation?
This is an important question to ask to avoid being hit with hidden costs. A written quotation should be a fixed fee, while some builders will only give a ballpark figure estimate, meaning you could end up paying a lot more than your budget.
e. What is the start date and timescale for the work?
One of the biggest problems that customers face with builders is getting the work started, as builders will often have lots of other work scheduled. You don’t want to be waiting months and months for them to get started, so get a confirmed date before you decide which builders to use.
