Choosing a builder in Worcestershire: 10 questions to ask before you hire

We've been building across Worcestershire for over 35 years. In that time we've been called in to finish more than a few jobs that started with the wrong builder. Here are the ten questions we'd tell a friend to ask before they sign anything.

The ten questions

1. Who owns the business? A family-run firm has a name to protect. Ask who's actually going to run the job on site.
2. How long have you been trading? Longevity matters. Anyone can print a website.
3. Are you insured? Public liability, employers' liability and contract works, all of them.
4. What are your qualifications? CITB, CIOB, City & Guilds, SMSTS, UKATA and Guild of Bricklayers are all real, checkable credentials.
5. Do you work under CDM 2015? If they look blank, walk away.
6. Who are your sub-contractors? A vetted, long-standing team matters, one-off tradespeople scraped off a job board don't.
7. Can I see recent similar projects and speak to those clients? A yes here is worth a lot.
8. Do you provide a written programme and cost breakdown? Rough numbers on the back of a business card are a red flag.
9. What happens if there's a variation? Get the variations process in writing before you start.
10. Who's my point of contact day-to-day? You want a named person you can pick up the phone to.

What we do

Every JRC project is personally run by John or Jack, the same two people you meet on the doorstep are the ones on your site. See our reviews or request a free quote.