Start with the workflow that matches what you are actually trying to do.
The tools are not presented as generic calculators. Choose whether you are a client, contractor or construction professional and BuildConnect will show you the most useful sequence and the reason for each step.
Prepare the project before you ask anyone to price it.
Use the tools in a sequence that reduces missing information, unclear budgets and difficult quotation comparisons.
1. Build the brief
Define scope, approvals, access, budget and contractor requirements before going to market.
Create project brief →2. Check the budget
Separate construction cost, VAT, fees, client-supplied items, allowances and contingency.
Plan the budget →3. Compare offers properly
Review price basis, exclusions, provisional sums, programme and cost per m² without relying on one headline total.
Compare quotations →Project Concierge
Upload key PDF drawings, specifications, approvals or surveys and let BuildConnect organise them into a first contractor-brief draft for you to review before posting.
Upload project documentsConstruction Project Brief Generator
Turn an early project idea into a structured brief covering scope, design status, approvals, access, programme, budget, contractor requirements and constraints.
Create a project briefBuilder Quote Comparison Tool
Compare up to five quotations, normalise VAT treatment and known exclusions, keep provisional sums visible and review proposed programme duration side by side.
Compare builder quotesRenovation Budget Planner
Organise construction cost, VAT, professional fees, client-supplied products, provisional allowances and contingency into one clear planning budget.
Plan a renovation budgetContractor Prequalification Checklist
Review business identity, relevant experience, management capability, insurance, references, programme and commercial clarity without turning due diligence into a simplistic score.
Review contractor evidenceConstruction Cost per m² Comparison
Divide entered quotation totals by one consistent project area so clients, contractors and professionals can compare the same project on an additional cost-per-area basis.
Compare cost per m²Construction VAT Comparison Calculator
Add or extract VAT from entered construction figures once the relevant VAT rate has been confirmed, helping you compare net and gross quotation or budget values consistently.
Calculate VAT comparisonConstruction Programme Working-Day Planner
Convert a planned working-day duration into indicative finish dates using a selected weekly working pattern and an additional programme allowance.
Plan working daysTurn project and contractor information into a clearer decision process.
Construction prices and programmes can differ because firms interpret drawings, specifications, exclusions, constraints and delivery responsibilities differently. These free tools help organise the information. They do not replace professional cost advice, legal advice, tax advice, statutory duties or project-specific due diligence.
Use the tools alongside practical construction guides.
Renovation budgeting
Review the main cost categories to include before committing your available budget to the initial construction price.
Budget checklist →Comparing quotations
Check scope, exclusions, VAT treatment, provisional sums and programme before treating contractor totals as directly comparable.
Quote comparison guide →Finding a builder
Use a structured approach to contractor experience, insurance, scope, programme, references and contract terms before appointment.
Find-a-builder guide →Better project information helps clients, professionals and contractors.
Clearer briefs
Clients who understand scope, budget and programme can present opportunities with fewer assumptions.
Better comparisons
Structured comparisons make it easier to identify genuine commercial differences instead of relying only on headline totals.
Better due diligence
Separating company identity, market experience and project-specific competence encourages more disciplined contractor selection.
A practical project journey, not a collection of isolated calculators.
1. Prepare
Upload existing project information or create the brief manually, then organise budget assumptions and programme before asking companies to price the work.
Upload drawings to Project Concierge →2. Compare & check
Normalise quotations, review cost-per-area information and work through contractor evidence without reducing appointment decisions to a simplistic score.
Compare quotations →3. Post & connect
When the project is ready, publish the opportunity on BuildConnect and decide which interested companies you want to connect with.
Post project — FreeComparing ways to find contractors? Explore the UK construction marketplace comparison hub →
You stay in control of what becomes public and when you connect.
BuildConnect separates useful marketplace information from private account details. The controls differ by role, so clients, contractors and professionals can participate without having to make everything public.
Clients
Client contact details remain private until the client chooses to connect with a contractor. Start with the project information rather than publishing personal contact details.
Post a projectContractors
A public contractor profile is optional. If enabled after verification, selected company information can be published while private account details and insurance expiry dates remain private.
Create contractor accountProfessionals
Professional public profiles are optional and require approval. Work email addresses are not displayed publicly, and marketing updates have a separate optional opt-in.
Join professional network