How long for builder to start?

[Wandaneedsnewwindows]

We’re just finalising plans with the architect to renovate our house. It’s mostly internal. Some structural work. The architect expects it to take 4 months, so it isn’t a small job, but it isn’t extension/build work either (more changing internal layout, new kitchen, bathrooms, wardrobes etc.

How long did you wait for your builder to be available to start work? She’s suggested we get quotes from 4 builders.

I’m just wondering if it’s likely we can get it done before Christmas 😊

I'm doing similar but need to go through planning which will take longer. Where I am, prosperous outskirts of university town, the good builders all have waiting lists of around 6/7 months. So if I got a quote now I'd probably be looking at a July start.

We had a small building job as part of a larger kitchen renovation (putting brand new kitchen into another room). Was a real struggle to firstly get builders out to look at the job, and secondly getting the quotes back. Getting quotes from 4 builders might take longer than you think!

Eventually we found a local independent kitchen retailer who had a builder he could call on to work alongside the kitchen renovation. This worked well for us and builder started within about a month.

You could also approach a project managing builders who will price the whole job. Might be pricey though.

We waited about 9 months I think, might even have been a year for our builder. As a pp says, good builders are booked up well in advance.

We waited about 6 months for our builder to fit kitchen.... builder is also my brother in law. Good builders are worth the wait.

Amazed that people are even managing to get quotes or commitments from builders, I've got an empty house in need of full internal renovation, contacted 6 builders so far and not even had a reply from any of them.

I agree that getting 4 quotes will be harder than you think! I found it easy to get builders to come and take a look, all of them talked the talk and seemed enthusiastic about it. I then got ghosted by almost all the builders who had come around! In the end I got two quotes, and the builder I went with was able to start about 6 weeks later.