B u i l d e r s

1. What drawings will I need for my builder ?
The Building Regulations drawings will form the basic backbone of the information your builder will need. However you will need to go through the drawings with your builder and architect before works start to agree the appropriate level of detail. Many builders do not need full detail drawings in order to build standard building elements. If the design contains elements that are particularly complex or unusual, it is sensible to prepare detail drawings of these elements.

2. How do I select a builder ?
When choosing a builder, make sure that you can check the company out. A good starting point is to ask friends, neighbours or other homeowners who have recently had work done close to where you live, if there is anybody they can recommend. Once you have chosen some possible builders, contact them for a list of references and follow these up even if they came highly recommended. If you want help with this process we can help you.

3. What sort of things should I be looking out for ?
For larger or complex projects, a standard form of building contract that requires a contract administrator is definitely the recommended route to follow. We can carry out this role for you.
For many small domestic projects however, working directly with the builder is often the most cost effective route. If you follow this route, the drawings that we provide you with will help to define what it is the builder has agreed to build. Nonetheless, it is very important that before your builder starts work, you have a written agreement stating the work to be done, the price agreed and the time scale involved. We can give you additional advice about this should you proceed down this route.

4. Some important things to remember / think about:
* hours of working: how many days a week, what time they start and finish
* use of facilities & services: toilet facilities, water supply, electricity, telephone etc.
* access and storage: agree where the builders can store their materials and how they should come in and out of the building, who holds keys etc.
* regular meetings: it is good to agree to meet formally to discuss progress every week or fortnight.
* foreman: agree whether you will have a full time foreman on your project from start to finish - this is generally a good thing but might make the price more expensive.
* additions and extras: agree how any additions or changes that you might want after work has started would be agreed and priced.
* over running: agree what happens if the work takes longer than the builder has indicated up front.
* payment schedule: the best way is to agree a timetable of payments that goes with the timetable of completed works.