Hiring a builder? Check these first.

For builder and extensions

• Building control sign off

  Extensions, loft conversions, structural changes and most re-roofing need building regulations approval. Make sure someone applies and you get a completion certificate.

  GOV.UK: building regulations approval
• Party wall notices

  Work on a shared wall, cutting into it for a loft, or digging foundations near a neighbour's usually needs notice to the neighbours first.

  GOV.UK: party walls
• Structural calculations

  Removing walls or fitting steels needs a structural engineer's calculations, approved by building control.

• A written contract and stage payments

  For bigger work, a written contract with stage payments tied to milestones (foundations, walls up, roof on, finished).

• A registered waste carrier

  Anyone taking your waste away must be a registered waste carrier. If your rubbish is fly tipped, you can be fined. Ask for their registration number and check it.

  Waste carrier register

For every job

• A written, itemised quote

  What's included and what isn't, materials, labour, VAT, waste removal, a start date and how long it takes. A fixed quote is better than an estimate that can change.

• Proof of insurance

  Ask to see their public liability insurance certificate and check the expiry date. For bigger building work, ask about contract works cover too.

• A real business you can find

  A full name, a real address and a phone number. If it's a limited company, check it on Companies House.

  Companies House search
• Recent work you can check

  Photos of similar jobs, reviews from real customers, or a past customer you can speak to.

• Fair payment terms

  No large deposit up front (a small deposit, or materials for made to order items, is normal). Pay in stages as work is finished, never all before it starts, and avoid cash only.

• A guarantee in writing

  What it covers, for how long, and whether it is backed by insurance if the business stops trading.

• Your right to cancel

  When you agree work in your home, you usually have 14 days to cancel. The trade should give you the cancellation details in writing.

  Citizens Advice: consumer rights
• Who sorts the paperwork

  If the work needs building regulations, planning or a certificate, agree who arranges it and what you get at the end.

• Signed up to a trusted trader code

  The government is backing a new voluntary Approved Code for home improvement traders, run by the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman with Trading Standards and rolling out through late 2026, plus a Trusted Payments option that holds your money and releases it in stages as the work is done. It isn't compulsory, so a good trade may not be on it yet, but being signed up is a good sign.

  GOV.UK: the new trader code
• Never from a knock on the door

  Be wary of anyone who calls unannounced saying your roof or drive needs work today, or pushes you to decide on the spot.

General guidance from LocalWins, not legal advice. Links go to official registers and government pages.