Buying home improvements wisely - the common sense guide to using builders, kitchen, bathroom, loft conversion, conservatory and windows installers.

Home Improvements UK

Admit it, we all want a home we feel comfortable in, a safe haven in which we can do whatever we like. There are however a lot of different ways in which to achieve such a place. Some people are happy with hot water and a comfy sofa, others will want a top of the range Aga, an overhead shower and that chair that was on Big Brother.

And that is fine. Because making home is such a personal thing that you can’t have comments on how anybody achieves it. It’s a matter of personal taste. No wonder home improvement magazines are so popular and are still able to come up with different and new trends every month. There will always be a home waiting for it.

Because of these home improvement magazines, websites, TV-programmes and newspaper articles, people become more and more aware of the possibilities that lie ahead of them. And the pitfalls. And the cowboys.

People’s perception of things changes. Everything should be possible. Everything should be affordable. Everything should be up-to-date and spotless and hunky-dory. But life gets in the way. It is so easy to get carried away, but think again and use your common sense.

Builders - Realistic expectations

Ok, so you want the extension built before Christmas and it’s halfway down November and they haven’t started yet. And you are getting stressed, because you’ll have your friends over and you want to show them your home improvements.

What’s the rush? Why would you want it done before Christmas when you well know everybody else wants it too? You can bet on the fact that something will go wrong. The materials don’t arrive, the foreman is ill or simply has too much work on.

Relax! If you set your goals too high, you will have to realise that there is a chance that it is not going to go the way you want it to go. If you have chosen the company that is going to do the work for you and if you trust the people working for you, then you will know they do all they can to have it done as soon as possible.

Not only do you depend on the company you hired, that company also depends on their contacts to deliver the goods in good time. If something goes wrong down the line, it will have a knock-on effect on the construction and delivery of your extension (or any other home improvement for that matter).

Keep realistic expectations. Take some time off work to really talk to the builders to see how things work and how long things usually take. Before you go demanding the work is being done before Christmas (or any big date for that matter), maybe have a chat and see whether it is more convenient to have it done after. A deadline might work when you sit behind the computer and all you need to do is type faster and for a bit longer to finish what you’re doing, but when it comes to (particularly) building work, you have to deal with drying times, setting times, building materials that need to be ordered and staff that need to be around and managed. After all, you want the work to be done properly, right?

How to build a safety net

There will always be something that goes wrong. And you’re ok with that because that’s life. But sometimes things go so horribly wrong that it really is out of your hands. The company goes bust or the kitchen you had installed a few months ago is out of stock and you need a replacement handle.

In order to protect yourself as much as you can against these adversities, there are a few guidelines you should follow. And although most people want to trust the person at the door wanting to repair your property, it is best to check out their credentials. And although it will probably be cheaper to have a friend of a friend over who can do your bathroom over the weekend, who knows where he’ll be when your floor is wasted because of a leak? It’s best to go with the experts, the registered builders and craftsmen. Here’s an overview of things to do before appointing a builder.

• Source three builders and get like-for-like estimates. Ask them to set up the estimates as itemised as possible. This way you will be able to see where your money is going. Check whether they are members of a trade association (for the most common ones, have a look at our links page), even if they do wear the logos.
  
  
• Ask for references. A proper builder will be proud of their work and will see no problem in giving you references.
  
  
• An estimate is only an estimate. Get a proper contract for the work, that way you will have more security.
  
  
• Agree a payment scheme before the work starts and get this on paper as well. It will then be clear for all when payment is accepted. If possible try and avoid paying everything up front and don’t hand over cash, always work with cheques or similar. (A small deposit is normal, but not the whole amount)
  
  
• If you experience problems along the way, discuss these with your builder as soon as they arise. That way they can be solved and you will keep a healthy relationship with your builder.
  
  
• A lot of good builders now use a Warranty Scheme to ensure your work is guaranteed and insured in case something goes wrong. Please see our consumer help links for details of this.