From 25 years of helping homeowners after they've been let down. The things every family should check before signing a contract.
The checks below are short on purpose. Keep this page to hand while you compare quotes, or send it to somebody who is about to hire a builder.
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On payment
Get a staged quote, not a lump sum. Each stage clearly priced.
Never pay fully up front. Builders who insist on it can disappear with the money.
Watch for front-loading. A schedule weighted heavily at the start means the builder is covering their risk, not yours.
Pay by credit card where possible. You get legal protection if something goes wrong.
Pay into a business account in the right name. Never in cash, and match the account name to the person doing the work.
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On contracts
Get it in writing, signed by both parties. Include scope, timescale, and what counts as additional work. Most disputes happen at the back end of a project because nobody agreed up front what was extra and what wasn't.
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On insurance
Check both their public liability AND employers' liability before work starts.
Make sure your own home insurance is set up correctly for the work being done.
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On permissions
Get planning permission, or confirm permitted development applies, before any work starts. Extensions, new roofs, anything structural.
Building Regulations approval is separate from planning. Get a building inspector to sign off where required.
Use a structural engineer for any timber or steel work that goes into the property.
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On materials
For bespoke items like windows, steel or anything custom, pay the supplier directly, not through the builder.
No checklist is foolproof, and neither is any vetting. We check every tradesperson hard, but if a job ever stops feeling right, trust your instincts, run it past this list, and tell us. Because Pinnacle of All Trades sits in the middle, you're never sorting it out on your own.
Where the guides go further
Graham's longer guides go into these checks in more depth.
We introduce you to tradespeople we have vetted ourselves, and we stay in the middle for the whole project rather than stepping back after the introduction.
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