Choosing builders is a nightmare as there are so many people out there who offer these services, but many of them have no formal training, and indeed just masquerade as builders. One only has to watch programmes on TV to understand that cowboy builders exist everywhere, and they are unscrupulous in their activities. They flout building regulations, have no respect for the house owners and charge exorbitant upfront fees and then fail to complete the work. These may be builders who are involved in physical construction or those who knock on your front door and offer to resurface your drive. The latter will use substandard materials, provide poor preparation work, and within a few months you will have undulations all over the drive, such that birds will think you created swimming pools for them.
Qualifications
Builders can obtain qualifications from local colleges and if they hold these then they should be prepared to offer them to you for inspection. Central Heating engineers must be registered with an appropriate authority and electricians should be duly certified with a recognized authority. However qualifications alone are not a recommendation. You can be qualified and still produce sub standard work.
Recommendations
One of the best ways to choose a builder is recommendation. If a builder is confident of his ability to produce quality work, he will be happy to give you contact details of previous clients and you can then either talk to them, or visit and inspect the work done. If you are having major work done that requires building approval then talk to the local building regulations officer and ask if he has knowledge of the builder. He will always be happy to give advice as if a job is done properly it will make his life easier. Be aware of builders who demand large sums of money before they start or keep asking for money as they work progresses. Have an agreed payment plan at the outset and keep to it.
Do be wise in your choice of builder and ensure that he carries appropriate insurance. He may offer a certificate but do not be afraid to ensure that it is still in force.
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