How on earth do you find and choose a builder?

[MrsIT]

Help needed from anyone who has had building done or new kitchens!

We need a wall knocking down and a window changed into French doors while having a new kitchen put in.

It should be fairly straightforward as we’re a terrace row and know (from Rightmove) that everyone does this exact same layout change (small offshot kitchen into a large dining room).

The problem is we know nobody in the local area - nobody. And everything I’ve read is that you should find a builder from recommendations. I put a post on our local area Facebook group and did ask for someone who has actually done work for you but all I got was the usual ‘this person is related to me or friends with me and this is their company’ - I didn’t get a single actual work done recommendation.

I know there’s the federation of builders but even there it’s an enormous list - where do you even start?!

It’s our first house and I’m feeling a bit lost but we’ve been saving for ages to have this work done!

Have you looked on checkatrade.com

Maybe knock on someone's door who has had the work done and ask them for a recommendation. That's if you can tell from the outside, or maybe find a house that's having work done and ask them

mrsdaz I read a Guardian article about checkatrade and the others and that quite a lot of it being a bit of a swindle!

I have looked though and I guess the question is how do you whittle down a huge list of options without meeting every single one!

stardustinmyeyes that’s a good idea I hadn’t thought of - it will help that I’m a constant Rightmove stalker

We knocked on doors - about 5. Was very useful to see what had been done.

Do you have a structural engineer to draw up plans? They are usually the best ones to ask for recommendations, as they are regularly in contact with builders.

sassybynature I was hoping we wouldn’t have to pay for one to be honest! 🙈 maybe naive?

But that is true if we get one they could hopefully point us in the right direction.

Where we live everyone seems to be extending their homes. Whilst walking the dog we would take note of the builders details (they all have signs up) and then we contacted the ones we liked. We are currently waiting on our second builder quote. We contacted about 8 and only 2 responded. Hoping to get 1 more quote before we decide.
Final decision will be made on:
-quote (not necessarily the cheapest will be chosen)
-references (we've already contacted a few previous clients)
-personality and whether we think we can get on with them
-the service (ability to manage project is important)
-timescales-when they can start.

trustatrader.com has always served me well.

I joined my local community Facebook group and often ask for recommendations on it and usually get quotes from the people who have been recommended several times over (after googling the company too)very handy especially as often people message me photos of their finished work 👍

We vet just finished a single storey extension with kitchen and utility and we got recommendations from friends, neighbours who've had building work done, our local Facebook page, our free paper and our our architect and surveyor.

Then we asked them round to look at the job and the plans - we learnt as we went along what questions to ask all the builders. We asked things like whether they will do the work or contract it out to others, who will do the electrics, plumbing, gas, etc and will he be overseeing/ projects managing it all, how they want paying eg in instalments or up front, if they want a deposit, etc etc Can you get on with him/her? can you trust them? Do they know their job, have they got examples of their work to show you and references. How long they think the job will last? When can they start work. - if they say tomorrow or next week then they can't be any good because if they are good they'll have a few jobs stacked up.
We rejected people who I though I couldn't put up with having them in the house, people who talked too much. We didn't necessarily go for the lowest quote or the highest one either.

Good luck - it's hard but worth it in the end

itsnnothere thank you that is all such great advice - lots to think about.

mummyshark2018 after I read your message I spotted a house being gutted and done up on one of my runs and they did have a little sign outside! Going to contact them and also keep looking, thank you for the advice!