How Can You Be Sure Your Builder Won’t Cut Corners On Your Building Project?

13 Jun How Can You Be Sure Your Builder Won’t Cut Corners On Your Building Project?

Hiring a builder or contractor to undertake any building project is a significant investment, especially if they’re building your dream home, whether a new build, extension and refurbishment or a stunning barn conversion. While it’s natural to expect a high standard of work, not all builders have the same level of professionalism and commitment to quality. So how can you be sure that your builder won’t cut corners on your project?

In this article, we’ll explore some key steps you can take to ensure you choose a reputable builder or contractor for your project – one who’s committed to delivering high-quality workmanship and meeting your expectations. So from checking their credentials and references to inspecting their previous work, we’ll give you some practical tips to help you make an informed decision and ensure that your new build, barn conversion, or extension is a success.

Why do some builders cut corners?

First, let’s look at why some builders cut corners. Make no mistake, whatever the reason – and there can be plenty – builders cutting corners on any building project is always a choice.

One of the primary reasons is to save on material costs and increase their profits. Using cheaper materials, avoiding necessary steps in the building process, or failing to follow architects’ specifications or building regulations can save the builder money. However, this often results in a lower-quality finish that might require expensive repairs in a few years.

Time constraints are another concern. Building projects will often have schedules and deadlines to stick to, and builders may feel pressure to complete the work quickly by taking shortcuts to meet the deadline. This method puts speed ahead of quality, and, again, it can result in bad workmanship that may only last a few years.

And it’s not unusual for some builders or their team to lack the necessary skills and experience to complete a building project to a high standard. To save on labour costs, they may cut corners themselves or get someone unqualified to do a job for them, resulting in a finish that’s nowhere near good enough.

All these instances highlight the importance of thoroughly checking potential builders before hiring them. Like most people, you’ll be investing the most significant sum of money of your life into building or extending your home, so it pays to ensure they have the necessary qualifications and experience to undertake the project. So how can you be sure that your builder won’t cut corners on your project?

How to know if your builder is reliable

It’s likely that you won’t be a building expert yourself, which is why you’re hiring professionals to complete your new build or extension. However, the reality is that if any corners have been cut during your build, in the fullness of time, they’ll rise to the surface eventually. But when choosing a builder or contractor for your project, there are things to look for that should ensure they’re reliable before making your final choice. These can include:

Insurance

Building projects can be risky, so your builder must protect himself and his team with the right insurance before starting your project. If they don’t offer proof of insurance voluntarily, ask to see their certificates and policies. Crucial insurance cover should include Public Liability, Employer’s Liability, and Contract Works.

VAT Registration

Being VAT registered isn’t essential for every builder, depending on their work, but most are – and VAT registration should assure you that they’re above board. If a builder is VAT registered but offers a cheaper rate for cash to avoid paying VAT, steer clear.

Written quotes

Never rely on verbal prices. A bona fide, trustworthy builder will always give you a written quote covering everything your project requires. This quote should include a total price for the project and a summary of any works to be completed. They should also include how long the price is valid and whether it includes VAT.

Contracts

To ensure complete transparency and accountability in your build project, a formal contract between you and the builder can outline crucial details about what you’re paying for and everything you’ve agreed on, including any involved suppliers or contractors, project specifications, final costs, payment arrangements, and completion dates. Again, never go ahead with your build on a verbal contract.

Start dates

While you might want to start your project as soon as possible, you’ll probably have to wait for your chosen builder to begin. If a builder tells you they can ‘start next week’, it should start ringing alarm bells. Good, reliable, and trusted builders can often be booked for months in advance but are always worth waiting for.

But you can do one essential thing to ensure your chosen builder doesn’t cut corners – talk to previous customers.

Talking to previous customers

Once you’ve found the builder or contractor you trust to deliver your new build project, always ask them for a list of some of their most recent customers and ask to meet with them to understand what their experience was like. They should be happy to share this information with you if they’re confident in their abilities and finished projects. So be very wary of any builder or contractor who refuses this reasonable request.

Talking to previous customers presents a great opportunity to find out what the builder is really like, see examples of their work first-hand, and check the quality of finish. You can also ask whether they experienced any problems during or after the project and how the builder responded to give you a fuller picture of their work ethic.

The experience others have enjoyed will either reassure you that you’re making the right choice or help you realise you’ve avoided a big – and costly – mistake. So be thorough, and don’t be afraid to ask questions – to the builder and the previous customers – before committing. If you’re pinning your hopes of a dream home on one builder, it really does pay to be thorough.

A building contractor you can trust

Transparency, quality, and integrity are three sound values that Unicorn Construction applies to each and every customer. With absolutely no corners cut in anything we do, these values are what makes us different and help us stand out among our competitors. All of this means you can trust us to complete your life-changing new build, extension and refurbishment or barn conversion with complete confidence.

Get in touch today for more information or to ask us about our previous satisfied and happy customers. Call us on 01626 364 521, email [email protected], or send us a message and let’s take the first steps towards your dream home together.