Finding a reliable and competent builder

By far the best way to find a good builder is through a personal recommendation. If this is not possible, your local paper and telephone directory will have lots of adverts for builders. However, you do need to be cautious - anyone can set themselves up as a builder. The following checklist should help you separate the honest builders from the cowboys:

• Check the address of the premises they work from. Avoid builders which only give a telephone number. If possible, visit the premises yourself.
• Avoid builders who only have a mobile phone number.
• Ask them how long they have been in business. Try to use well-established builders.
• Check whether they are a member of a relevant trade association. For example, if you need electrical work, are they a member of the Electrical Contractors Association or National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting? If the work involves moving or installing gas appliances, check they are registered with CORGI. See Section 8: Useful Contacts for details of trade associations.
• Ask to see recent customer references. Check they are genuine by contacting the customers yourself.

You may be approached at home by a builder who points out work that they could do to your home. They may even try to frighten you into having work done - for example by telling you that the rain will pour in next time there is a storm unless you let them fix your roof. Never be pressurised into having work done like this - few reputable builders seek work in this way. For more information on how to deal with doorstep traders see our free information sheet 'Buying Goods or Services at Home' (PDF).

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Getting quotations

Always ask at least two or three different builders to give you a quotation. Write to each of the builders, keeping a copy of the letter for yourself. Your letter should include:

• A full description of the work to be done. Ask for each item of work to be priced separately and ask them to indicate whether VAT is included. 
• A note of any special requirements you have. For example, if you are having electrical work carried out, do you want your light switches and sockets moved so that they are easier to reach? If you are having a window replaced, is it important that locks are fitted on the new window?
• The date you need the work completed. Ask the builder to give you a date when they would be able to start the work, and when they would expect to finish.
• A statement to the effect that you expect the builder to leave your home clean and tidy, taking any rubbish and unused materials away with them.
• A request for details of how and when they wish to be paid. Some builders will just ask for payment on completion while others may want a deposit to pay for materials.

Once you get all the quotations back, check them carefully. Compare each item of work separately. You should find that the prices given by the different builders are similar. If one is much cheaper, check they have priced for everything and whether they have included VAT (some small builders don't have to charge VAT).

Remember, the cheaper quotation is not always the best one to go for. The builder may be using cheap materials or may cut corners, leaving you with shoddy work. Beware of generous guarantees too - the builder may go out of business long before the guarantee runs out!

Don't accept quotations which state that the work must be paid for in advance. It is best never to pay the whole sum in advance. If you are having a lot of work done it is reasonable to pay for each stage of work after it has been completed. When a builder asks for a deposit for materials, make sure you get the receipts or even buy the materials yourself.

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Accepting a quotation

Once you have decided which quotation to accept, put your acceptance in writing, keeping a copy of the letter for yourself. In your acceptance letter state:

• a brief description of the work to be carried out with any special requirements;
• the price agreed;
• the start date and completion date; and 
• the agreed method of payment.

It is a good idea to ask the builder to sign your letter and return a copy to you to finalise the agreement.

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Dealing with problems

The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 covers home improvements and sets out the standard of work you can expect from builders. The Act states that any goods supplied should be 'of satisfactory quality' and 'fit for any particular purpose made known to the supplier'. This means that if you told the builder that you needed to be able to open a particular window without standing on a chair, then you should be able to do this.

Any goods should also be 'as described'. For example if the kitchen cupboards fitted were described as solid wood by the builder, they should not turn out to be veneer.

With regards to the workmanship of the builder, the Act states that anyone providing a service should do so 'with reasonable care and skill', 'within a reasonable time', and 'for a reasonable charge'.

If you believe that your builder has failed to meet these terms and you are unhappy with their work, you can take the following steps.

• Discuss the problem informally with the builder and give them time to put things right.
• If this produces no action, put your complaint in writing to the builder, keeping a copy of the letter for yourself. If you contact the builder by telephone, follow the conversation up with a letter to confirm what was said.
• You may want to withhold payment at this stage. This could encourage the builder to put things right, but it could also lead to legal action being taken against you for non-payment. Before you withhold payment you should get advice from a Citizens Advice Bureau or consumer advice centre.
• If the builder is a member of a trade association, contact the trade association and find out if they have a complaints procedure or an arbitration scheme. If they have, they may be able to investigate and settle the dispute.
• As a last resort you may be able to take the builder to court. A Citizens Advice Bureau, consumer advice centre, or the trading standards department at your local council will be able to give you more advice on this.