Don’t pay the cost of employing cowboys

Honesty in the building profession is sadly not always a priority. There are some cowboys out there just waiting to take money from unsuspecting homeowners. While recommendations from friends and family help, it is important to find out if a tradesperson has the right skills to complete the job. Building a garden wall is not the same as building an extension onto your home.

You don’t have to put up with poor service and workmanship either. Check that the firm/tradesperson you are thinking of using is a member of the Government supported TrustMark-registered scheme (www.trustmark.org.uk) or is on the register of the National Federation of Builders (www.builders.org.uk).

What to do in an emergency

You can still vet a tradesperson in a building emergency. If you only have time to do initial checks by phone, ask what the call-out charge is, the hourly rate and if their prices include VAT. Check if they carry spare parts and materials in their van or if they assess the job and then go and buy the materials needed. If the later is the case, ask if you will be charged for the time it takes them to go and buy the materials. Also ask for an estimate of how long the job will take to finish and an idea of the total cost. Insurance is another point to raise. Check if the firm/tradesperson has insurance and if they offer a guarantee or warranty on their work.

Make an informed decision

Hopefully you won’t have to make a quick decision. If you have the time, make sure you assess the skills, workmanship and history of the tradesperson you are considering for your job. An honest tradesperson should be able to provide references that you can check. Take the time to actually go and inspect their work.

It is also important to note that when you are looking at quotes, make sure you compare like for like. If one quote is a lot cheaper than the others, find out why.

Draw up a work plan

Once you’ve done your detective work and have made your choice, you now need a work specification agreement. This written document should include specific details like what work you want done, who is responsible for removing rubbish, and who is responsible for ‘making good’ on completion of the work. If at any time during the building process changes are made, you need to amend your work specification agreement. This ensures that both you and the tradesperson are clear on all details of the work. You should also ensure that the tradesperson states in writing that all work will conform to Building Regulations. As the owner of the building, you are legally responsible if they don’t.

Money Matters

To avoid any unpleasant situations, draw up a payment schedule before the work gets underway. Ideally all payments should reflect the amount of work completed.

Advanced payments are not unusual in the building trade but they are not for the benefit of homeowners. Try to retain a portion of the total cost until one month after the job is finished. This allows you time to find any problems/defects with the work and incentivise the tradesperson to make them right sooner rather than later. If you are having custom-built items made, in most cases you will have to pay for them upfront.

Home insurance

You need to notify your insurer of any work you have had done to your home. It may affect your home insurance policy. For a home insurance quote and more information about the types of home insurance available from Churchill, visit www.churchill.com/home.