How to Choose a Good General Builder in London

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Many individuals wish to improve their home and increase living space. One of the many ways this can be accomplished is by using a general builder in London. General builders are able to convert lofts, complete garage conversions and even add entirely new home extensions. We hear tales of woe, however, from peoples that have used incompetent builders in London. How does one avoid the rogue builder, and opt for a trustworthy and reliable general builder?

It is feasible to utilise a vetting website, however, in our experience, there is actually no vetting carried out. They merely ask for insurance documents, take the builders hard earned cash, and advertise them freely. Rated People are one of these sites. A previous customer commented that their building work was sub-standard, yet this builder had numerous good reviews on Rated People. We are not focussing on this one website, as there are many similar sites that purport to vet their trades people, when in fact, they do not.

Another option is to utilise a trade body organisation such as the FMB, Federation of Master Builders. Whilst the FMB perform an onsite check of physical building work and its quality, a number of its members have appeared on the BBC show, hosted by Dominic Littlewood, that names and shams builders of poor quality.

You can in fact perform your own checks, which cost very little, but will provide peace of mind. In the first instance you want to ensure the builder works as a bona-fide company. Using WebCheck at the Companies House website will allow you to perform this simple check. You can if you wish, purchase additional reports about the business, including its Directors, Finances and any CCJ's it may have. If you get a negative result on any of these searches it's best to avoid the builder altogether.

One common mistake is to employ a builder to complete a loft conversion for example, when in fact they have never successfully completed one in the past. It maybe their area of expertise is garage conversions.

There is only one sure way of choosing your general builder in London, and that is by word of mouth, for a job that has been completed that is similar to the works you require carrying out.

Author: Design Build Renovate Maintain Limited