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Building and structural work

House extensions: find vetted builders near you

More room should make your home work better, whether that means a bigger kitchen or space for a growing family. An extension is a substantial commitment. Tell us where you are with the plans and we will help you find vetted tradespeople suited to the work.

Start your project

Free for homeowners. No obligation to hire.

Illustration of home extensions
Good work starts with the right people.

The work

What can your project include?

  • Single-storey and larger home extensions
  • Building work from prepared drawings
  • Alterations connecting a new space to the existing house

Worth thinking about

Be clear about what the builder is pricing

Sketches, planning drawings and construction details do not offer the same level of information. Tell prospective tradespeople which you have. Agree what the quote includes, what remains provisional and who is responsible for design decisions. A lower figure can mean less has been allowed for, rather than better value.

Why we are here

Why Pinnacle exists

Cowboy builders have cost families their savings, and the tradespeople who turn up on time and do the work properly get tarred with the same brush. Most platforms check the company rather than the person who will be standing in your kitchen.

Pinnacle vets the individual. Our founder, Graham Nash, has spent 25 years helping families rebuild after they were let down, more than 500 of them, sometimes out of his own pocket. Identity, insurance, relevant qualifications and references are all checked by a person, against the standard he built that work to.

It costs you nothing, and you are not handed a list and left to it. Pinnacle stays in the middle for the whole project, so if something needs sorting out there is someone to tell.

Graham's story

Pinnacle of All Trades

What happens after you register

You should not have to start from scratch with a list of names. Our vetting follows the standard our founder, Graham Nash, has spent 25 years building. We find suitable tradespeople for your project, so you can concentrate on what your home needs.

  1. Tell us what you need

    Share the work, your postcode and your timing. Add photos or plans if you have them. It is fine to say what you are still deciding.

  2. We find suitable tradespeople

    We match the project with vetted tradespeople. Identity, insurance, relevant qualifications and references are checked before introductions.

  3. You decide how to proceed

    Discuss the work, ask questions and agree the scope and quote before hiring. Pinnacle stays involved, so you have someone to contact if a concern comes up.

Your own project area

Once we have looked at your project, we set up your own project area on Pinnacle and send you the link. You can see where the project stands and what happens next, read the tradespeople we introduce by name, ask one of them to contact you, add photos or documents as the work is scoped, tell us if something is wrong, and keep the project up to date as things change.

More about our checks

A clearer quote

What affects the cost?

Ground conditions, foundations, access and changes to the existing house can affect both price and programme. Kitchen fittings, glazing, decorating and outside reinstatement may sit outside the main building quote. Ask for these boundaries to be written down, together with how changes will be approved.

Before you hire any builder

Graham's homeowner survival kit

From 25 years of helping homeowners after they've been let down. The things every family should check before signing a contract.

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.

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.

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.

On permissions

  • Matters most hereGet 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.
  • Matters most hereUse a structural engineer for any timber or steel work that goes into the property.

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.

The survival kit on its own page, to keep or share

More advice for homeowners

Not just our word for it

From homeowners

Graham has been on ITV This Morning talking about what every homeowner should know before hiring, and in 2021 he was voted the inaugural winner of the SGS Local Hero Award, taking 39% of over 2,000 public votes.

"Contacted Smith Bros Roofing from Pinnacle of All Trades. He was outstanding with the service, came the same day to give a quote and got the job done within 5 hours."

Rashad Mahmood

Homeowner

Before you start

Your questions, answered

Do I need drawings before starting a project here?

You can tell us about the project before everything is final. Be clear about what is available so early discussions are not mistaken for a fixed construction quote.

Will the builder arrange permissions?

Do not assume this is included. Agree who checks the permissions and approvals needed for your property and who is responsible for obtaining them.

Can we live at home during the build?

Discuss this against the proposed work. Access, dust, services and the point where the extension joins the house can all affect what is practical.

How should changes during the build be handled?

Agree a written process for changes, including the price and effect on timing, before authorising additional work. Keep decisions and revised scope together.

Is Pinnacle free for homeowners?

Yes. Registering a project and being introduced to tradespeople costs you nothing, and we take no commission on the work.

Do I have to hire anyone?

No. There is no obligation at any point. Talk to whoever we introduce, get quotes, and walk away if none of them is right for you.

How many tradespeople will I hear from?

It depends on who is available and suitable near you, so it may be one or it may be several. Nothing is exclusive, so you can compare before you decide.

What if something goes wrong?

Tell us. Pinnacle stays in the middle for the whole project rather than stepping back after the introduction, so you are not sorting it out on your own.

How do you vet tradespeople?

A screening call first, then identity, insurance, relevant qualifications and references, all checked by a person before anyone is put in front of you.

Your home. Your next step.

Tell us what you have in mind.

We will help you find the right people to talk to about home extensions.

Start your project

Free for homeowners. No obligation to hire.