5 Things Your North East Builder Should Show You Before You Sign
Choosing a builder in Newcastle Upon Tyne, or from around the North East and need to know what you should look out for?
As a trusted and transparent Building Contractor in the North East, we thought it best to share some of the common requirements you should be aware of before signing off on a project with a Builder.
Insurance and trade body membership
Ask to see current public liability and employer's liability certificates. Employer's liability is a legal requirement for almost any builder with staff, with cover of at least £5 million. Then check their memberships are real: the FMB, CHAS and NAPIT all let you search their members online. A logo on a van proves nothing until you've looked it up.
How they'll handle planning and Building Regulations
Ask who's submitting the planning application (if you need one), who's making the Building Regulations application and who's dealing with building control inspections. You want a completion certificate at the end, because without one you can hit problems when you sell. Since October 2023, under the Building Safety Act reforms, anyone carrying out building work has to be competent to do it in line with the regs, so ask how they make sure that happens.
Certificates for electrics and specialist work
All electrical work in your home has to meet Part P. Bigger jobs like new circuits, a new consumer unit or work around baths and showers are notifiable: a NAPIT or NICEIC registered electrician can self-certify them and you should get a certificate within 30 days. If not, the work has to be signed off by building control or a registered third-party certifier. Same idea for gas (Gas Safe) and replacement windows (FENSA or CERTASS). Ask which certificates you'll get before work starts, not after.
Health and safety on your site
Under the CDM Regulations 2015, on a domestic job your builder normally takes on the client's legal duties for you, and a construction phase plan has to be drawn up before work starts. A good builder will show you that plan and their risk assessments, and explain how they'll keep your family safe while you're living with the work. CHAS accreditation means their health and safety has been independently checked.
A written contract, staged payments and a warranty
Get a written contract with a clear scope, payments tied to completed stages (never pay the lot upfront) and how any changes will be priced. Then ask what happens if something goes wrong later. FMB members can offer an insurance-backed guarantee that covers structural defects for up to 10 years, even if the builder stops trading. Just don't assume it's included: ask if your job will be covered.
If a builder can't show you these we would probably recommend you walk away. If they can show or discuss these, well then you're in safe hands.
Here at MGISD Building Contractors, we're members of the FMB, CHAS and NAPIT. Ask us for the paperwork and we will happily show you.
