The build blog
Practical guides, cost breakdowns, and expert tips for UK homeowners planning a construction project.
Can I Cancel a Builder After Signing? The 14-Day Cooling-Off Rule
Agreed a builder's quote at home? You can usually cancel within 14 days, or longer if they never told you. Accepted it by email after a site visit? Often not.
Log Burner Installation Quotes: Six Lines That Decide the Price
Log burner installation costs £2,500–£3,500 with a usable chimney, £4,600–£7,300 without. Here are the six quote lines that explain the gap. Part J explained.
Boiler Beyond Economical Repair? How to Check the Verdict
Beyond economical repair is a commercial judgement, not a safety verdict. Only a Gas Safe verdict condemns a boiler. Check yours before you spend £3,000.
A Real Builder's Quote, Annotated Line by Line (Good vs Bad)
What does a builder's quote actually look like, and where do the problems hide? Here is a realistic example quote annotated line by line, with the red flags a good check would flag.
Builder Gone Bust Mid-Job? What to Do First and What You Can Recover
If your builder has gone bust mid-job, act fast: secure the site, stop payments, document everything, and check your recovery routes including Section 75. Here is the order to do it in.
How to Compare Builder Quotes - The Complete Method
Line up scope, exclusions and payment terms before price. In the worked example the cheapest quote, £48,000, normalises to £55,150 once the gaps are added back.
DIY Quote Checking vs Getting Professional Help - A Practical Guide
You can check a builder's quote yourself with the right knowledge. Here's a practical guide to DIY quote checking - and when to get professional help instead.
How to Tell if Builder Reviews Are Real - A No-Nonsense Guide
7 signs a builder review is fake, which UK platforms actually verify reviewers, and how to check the quote itself: free AI verdict in under a minute.
Free vs Paid Quote Checking - Is It Worth Paying For?
You can check a builder's quote yourself for free. Or you can pay for help. Here's what you get for free, what costs money, and where the real value lies.
MyBuilder vs Getting Your Own Quotes - Which Gets Better Results?
Should you post your job on MyBuilder or find builders yourself? Pros, cons, and costs of each approach - plus what to do once quotes arrive.
AI Quote Checker vs Quantity Surveyor - Which Do You Actually Need?
Should you use an AI tool or hire a quantity surveyor to check your builder's quote? Honest comparison of cost, speed, accuracy, and when each makes sense.
Should I Use Checkatrade to Find a Builder? An Honest Look
Checkatrade checks ID, qualifications and CCJs, not workmanship or price. What the vetting covers, what the £1,000 guarantee excludes, what is left to you.
How to Check a Garden Room Quote: What's Included, What's Missing
Garden room quotes are notorious for exclusions. Here's the complete checklist of what should be included and the red flags to watch for.
VAT on Building Work: 0%, 5% or 20%? The Complete UK Guide
Most building work carries 20% VAT. New builds are zero-rated, homes empty for 2+ years qualify for 5%. Builders under the £90,000 threshold charge none.
What Is a Provisional Sum? Why It Matters in Your Builder's Quote
A provisional sum is an estimated allowance for work that can't be priced exactly. Here's what homeowners need to know and how to avoid cost surprises.
Builder Hasn't Started Work - When Should I Worry?
Some delay between signing and starting is normal. But if your builder has taken a deposit and gone quiet, here's when to worry and what to do about it.
Builder Says I Don't Need Planning Permission - Can I Trust That?
A lawful development certificate costs £274 and settles it in writing. When your builder is right, when a £249 prior approval applies, and who pays if not.
My Builder Won't Give a Written Quote - Is That a Red Flag?
If your builder won't put their price in writing, that's a serious red flag. Here's what a proper quote should contain and what to do next.
How Many Quotes Should I Get for an Extension? At Least 3 - Here's Why
Get at least 3 quotes for an extension, ideally 5. It's not just about price - you're checking whether each builder has understood what you actually need.
My Builder Changed the Price After Starting - What Can I Do?
If your builder has increased the price after work started, here's what's legitimate, what's not, and what the law says you can do about it.
My Builder Wants 50% Deposit - Is That Normal?
A 50% deposit is not normal. Most builders ask for 10-15% upfront. Here's what's reasonable, when to worry, and how to protect your money.
My Quote Doesn't Mention Building Regs - Should I Be Worried?
If your builder's quote doesn't mention building regulations, it might not be dodgy - but you need to ask. Here's what building regs cost and why they matter.
Should I Pay My Builder in Cash? Why It's Riskier Than You Think
Paying your builder in cash is legal - but risky. No paper trail, no receipt, no comeback. Here's why bank transfer is always the smarter choice.
Fixed Price vs Day Rate: Which Is Better When Hiring a Builder?
Should you pay your builder a fixed price or a day rate? We break down the pros, cons, and real-world scenarios - so you pick the right approach for your project.
7 Warning Signs Your Builder Is Overcharging (And What to Do About It)
Worried your builder's quote is too high? These 7 red flags give it away, with real price benchmarks and what to do if you spot them.
Builder's Quote vs Estimate - What's the Difference?
Quotes and estimates aren't the same thing. One is legally binding, the other isn't. Here's what that means for your building project - and your wallet.
Is My Builder's Quote Too Expensive? How to Tell
How to tell if a builder's quote is fair - cost per m² benchmarks by project type, regional multipliers, and the scope traps that make cheap quotes expensive.
What Should a Builder's Quote Include? The Full Checklist
Got a builder's quote but not sure if it covers everything? Here's the 15-point checklist, plus the items most builders deliberately leave out.
How to Read a Builder's Quote (Without Getting Lost)
A plain-English guide to understanding construction quotes - what each section means, red flags to watch for, and how to compare like-for-like.
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