How to find decent builder?

[Babamamananarama]

So we need to find someone to do a kitchen/dining room renovation. Fairly extensive: knock through wall, window in a flat roof, strip out kitchen and fit new, plumbing, wiring, central heating etc. It's a period building in Cornwall.

I've got no idea how to find someone good. Everyone says 'oh good builders are booked up for a year or more/find someone by word of mouth' but I've got no idea how to find people. If you had a good builder how did you find them?

Don't go on checkatrade, don't take recommendations of people you don't know. Many big builders proudly show their achievements on Facebook so its worth checking out local to you builders on there. Many will document their works and you get a flavour of what they're capable of and the types of finish.

We’ve had some luck by which? Rated tradespeople. You have to sign up for membership to access but the first month is normally discounted.

Otherwise I ask all my friends and accost neighbours who are having work done to see what they think of their builders.

good builders are booked up and are worth waiting for.

We found word of mouth from people we know the best way. Be extremely wary of Google reviews, we had a few very bad experiences with businesses with only ever 5 star reviews.
Also I would make sure it's someone who understands period buildings. Are there houses / streets with houses similar to yours? Keep your eyes glued for builder vans parked in front of houses like yours

Thanks all, you are all kind of confirming what I've been told but I've had no joy finding anyone so far. I don't have any friends having work done, I live in a rural building that's a bit of a one off and not in a street so no others nearby having similar. I've tried stalking on FB but I find the local builders who plaster FB are the new-buildy types not the 'understand a period building types...

Someone once told me that when choosing tradespeople you can only have two out of the following three things. :fast,cheap, good.

So you will either be better waiting a year for the good reasonably priced people that are booked up or you will end up paying lots more to get it done quickly.

Anyone who can do it for a good price and is available quickly probably is a bit crap...

The other thing you could try is to find a good electrician or carpenter and then ask them for recommendations?

If it’s an old house, try asking here, or any number of other period facebook groups:

https://www.facebook.com/share/ZXk5X79EthA9a9yS/?mibextid=K35XfP