1. Different strokes for different folks
Collaborating with a construction company that is aligned with your train of thought is vital for a successful home improvement. Bear in mind that the builder and tradesmen will be in your home for many weeks or even months. Considering this will help you focus on making sure that the company culture and ethics are in line with yours.
Whether you are likely to get on well or not will become clear through the various conversations and meetings before you commit and agree to start the project.
2. Contractor skill set
In the construction industry builders have different skill sets and experience. It is a bit like comparing a GP to a surgeon. You would not want a GP to perform a surgical operation on you for obvious reasons. There are different types of construction companies that will all have expertise in various areas of building.
Some will be loft fitters and others will be extension specialists. Some builders may only have competence in landscaping or driveways. Make sure you check that the contractor you are engaging with has completed several projects similar to your proposed renovation.
3. Avoid a “one man band”
For many years I was a one man band and I know only too well the pressures that having a smaller team and a lack of resources can bring to a home improvement project. Any one man band who is competent and helpful will be busy and likely to be booked up with work for many months in advance.
The things that you will need to think about are the following: What happens if your builder falls ill or cannot continue with your build? Who will take over? Most construction companies will not want to take over a project that has already been started by another builder. Will the one man band builder be able to cope with a large scale project or will it go on far too long due to the lack of staff? Will the communication when making decisions be thorough enough when the one man band builder will be too busy working on the tools to have time to talk through vital decisions relating to the design, layouts and finishes? Will the builder undertake tasks that are better served by a skilled professional?
The plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, plastering, tiling, floor laying, kitchen fitting and decorating should be carried out by a competent tradesmen not by a Jack of all trades. This issue is the reason why so many projects have call backs due to leaks, electrical issues and poor finishes.
4. Avoid cheap quotes
Can the builder provide a detailed itemised quote with descriptions, measurements, and explanations? Have they understood the scope of works in its complete form? In the early stages it is wise to ask the contractor to provide a example of a previous quote to give you an idea of what to expect with regard to the finer details of costings. This will be a guide to how much effort goes into their pre-start process how thorough and accurate the quote is likely to be.
Cheap and unrealistic quotes can be extremely damaging in the long run. If the builder has undervalued the cost of the project it is the home owner that will usually suffer as the builder looks to recoup costs by cutting corners or applying extra costs to “unforeseen” issues that were not part of their quote.
5. Large deposits
Ask the builder what deposit amount they require to secure a start date and begin your project. large deposit requests should be a warning sign as any reputable and experienced builder should be financially stable enough not to require a large deposit from you. The normal amount to expect is to pay is around 5% of the project value.