Advice needed on home renovations

[Bobsyer]

I put a request on one of those Check a trade type sites for a job I need doing, splitting a large room in two, with associated electrical work to add in sockets and lights etc.

I’ve had one response so far, he came round and had a look and said he’d send me a quote. Seemed nice and knowledgeable, can start soon, price seems good to me (just shy of £2k with a 30% deposit if he supplies materials). He came after hours last night and spent a good 30 minutes talking me through various bits and pieces - for e.g. I didn’t realise it’s a supporting wall so would need planning permission, but could do it instead.

HOWEVER - I can’t find any reviews for his company online. I think he’s only recently started up with someone new (he’s easily in his late 40s - partner younger) so the company is new, but how do I go about asking for any testimonials? I don’t want to blindly accept the only response I’ve had, but equally he said he can do the work next week for a price that suits.

Am I overthinking? Should I just email back saying I like the look of quote 1 (he’s done two, if we want to source materials ourselves) can he provide any recent customers for me to get some reviews from?

I’m normally quite decisive but I’m torn between offending him so he doesn’t want the work and possibly paying a scammer!

(PS all I can find from his card online is a Facebook post from his partner from a couple of months ago and from the graphic designer they employed to create the card. He has a very common name so not sure I can find him).

Help!

You don't need planning permission to remove a load bearing wall but you DO need to go through Building Control.(As he should know.)

I'm not sure what he would mean by 'but we could do it this way' unless he means don't take out the wall otherwise it sounds a bit dodgy...
Not sure but I think I'd look at alternatives myself.

Ask people you know who have had work done recently, or if you have a local page you can ask for recommendations on.

If you're splitting a room into two and putting up a wall, why do you need any kind of permission to put a dividing stud wall up?

If you're having a supporting wall removed you need an rsj and Building Control sign off. If you're unsure don't proceed. I'd expect a decent tradesperson to only be available at such short notice due to a cancellation. Ask him for references - if he's honest he'll be upfront.

I'm not sure what he would mean by 'but we could do it this way' unless he means don't take out the wall otherwise it sounds a bit dodgy...

Bit difficult to explain, but we’d need a load bearing wotsit on the wall that currently has only one door so we have two doors. He suggested leaving the existing doorframe and putting doors into a stud wall so no need for RSJ.

Also I used planning permission he didn’t, I couldn’t remember what he said!

If you're splitting a room into two and putting up a wall, why do you need any kind of permission to put a dividing stud wall up?

We don’t for the stud wall it’s putting two doors into a small supporting wall. I’ll put a picture up coz I’m explaining it badly!

Ask people you know who have had work done recently, or if you have a local page you can ask for recommendations on

I literally don’t know anyone who’s had more than plastering done (in my area) but I could post on Facebook. Have had limited success there though tbh.

Current set up
Initial idea
His idea (would leave a small area which we’d use as a small cupboard).

@WeAreTheHeroes can I literally just go back and say the quote looks good, is there anyone I can contact for a review? I don’t know how to ask!

It looks like he's come up with a good solution to be (NB. I'm not an architect!). Also a good sign that he employed a graphic designer. Someone dodgy would just use something online to produce a card. I'm sure, even if new company, that he must have done jobs before. Not sure if he was working for someone else if he could give you their names.

You don't need to pay a deposit for materials, he'll be on 30 day end of month with the builder's merchants.

Yes and ask for photos of his previous work and do reverse image searches on them to check he's not using someone else's.

You don't need planning permission to put a new door in. Check the planning portal/building regs info online via your local council website on putting a new door in. It'll need a lintel to support the wall above the doorway. Might need building control sign off. Definitely won't need planning permission.

A builder available next week? Doesn't sound right, added to the fact that he has no online presence at forty-odd. Most people I know are booked until March.

We run a plumbing company and are booked up for months in advance so his availability would be a bit of a worry but if he's just starting out it would make sense.

If it was on checkatrade they are now offering a guaranteed scheme, might be worth checking if he's covered.
If it's on my builder, I would avoid like the plague, anyone can set up on there.
Which trusted trader was the hardest for us to get approved on, they are really thorough and audit is regularly, I'd always recommend getting tradesmen from there.

Hope you get it sorted!

A builder available next week? Doesn't sound right, added to the fact that he has no online presence at forty-odd. Most people I know are booked until March

This rang bells for me also.

@cliffdonville - it was actually My Job Quote I used - think it was the first one that came up when I googled - do you know what that one is like?

I have emailed him by the way asking for anyone for reviews. Have also asked if he’s a new company as I can’t find him online. I guess his response will tell me a lot!

@bobsyer that is one I would avoid, you will pay more going through checkatrade or which but it will be worth it in the end!

Just thought I’d update you.

I’m pretty sure he was employed until recently. He’s clearly daft as a brush when it comes to a) advertising his own business and b) setting up Facebook because he had it set to private I found him by finding the partner and going through her page. Looks like they’ve only been working together since the beginning of this month - I’m thinking they were working together at Sky as engineers and both made redundant (gleaned from her profile).

He’s sent me some people to contact so I should have some reviews by tomorrow but feeling a bit more confident that he’s not scamming he is just starting out.