Confirm the legal company identity
Check the company name, Companies House details where applicable, trading address and who will contract with you. Make sure the quotation and contract identify the same business you have checked.
Look for relevant project experience
Ask for examples that are genuinely comparable in scale and complexity. An excellent contractor for small maintenance works is not automatically the right contractor for a major extension or structural refurbishment.
Review insurance and responsibilities
Check that the company can provide appropriate insurance information for the work being discussed. Clarify who is responsible for design elements, temporary works, specialist subcontractors and statutory approvals.
Compare scope, exclusions and programme
A quotation should be read alongside its exclusions, assumptions and programme. Clarify access, working hours, protection, waste, scaffolding, temporary services, finishes and client-supplied items before comparing prices.
Understand the payment structure
Ask how valuations, deposits, stage payments, retention and variations will be handled. Payment terms should be clear before work starts and should align with the agreed contract.
Meet the person managing the work
Find out who will run the project day to day, how communication will work and how changes or issues will be recorded. The quality of project management can be as important as the initial price.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose the cheapest builder?
Not automatically. Compare the scope, exclusions, programme, experience, insurance, management approach and payment terms as well as the price.
What documents should I ask a builder for?
Depending on the project, useful information can include company details, insurance evidence, relevant experience, a written quotation, programme, exclusions and the proposed contract terms.
How can BuildConnect UK help?
You can post your project free, allow relevant construction companies to assess the opportunity, review interest and decide when you want to approve an introduction.
Related free guides
How to Find a Builder for Your Project
A practical UK guide to finding suitable builders, checking company information, comparing quotations and choosing who to speak to before appointment.
Read guide →Questions to Ask a Builder Before You Appoint Them
Use these practical questions before appointing a UK builder or construction company for an extension, refurbishment, loft conversion or renovation.
Read guide →How to Compare Builder Quotes Properly
Learn how to compare construction quotations on a like-for-like basis, including scope, exclusions, provisional sums, programme, VAT and client-supplied items.
Read guide →Next step
Post your construction project free.
Describe the work, location, approximate value and timing so relevant construction companies can assess whether the opportunity fits.
Post your projectContractor discovery
Explore construction services and locations.
Use BuildConnect UK's local contractor pages to explore popular trade and location searches before posting your project.
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