If you've never engaged a builder before, the first time is intimidating. Here's how we'd recommend going about it — not because everyone else gets it wrong, but because doing it well takes some specific steps that are easy to skip.
Start with the work, not the price
Before you ask for a quote, decide what you actually want done. A scope is a written list of every part of the job. "New kitchen" is not a scope. "New kitchen including removing the partition wall, installing a steel beam, replacing the floor with engineered oak, supplying and fitting Howdens cabinetry to the attached layout, granite worktops, integrated dishwasher and fridge-freezer, repositioning the gas hob, plastering and painting, plus disposal of all old units" is a scope.
The reason this matters: builders quoting on a vague brief give you prices that aren't comparable, because they're all pricing a different job. Builders quoting on a written scope give you prices that are.
Get three quotes from three kinds of firm
A directory listing (Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Trustatrader). A small local builder you found through a personal recommendation. A designer-led firm that publishes their work on Instagram. The prices will probably be very different. Read each quote carefully — the price differences usually correspond to different scopes, different materials, different quality bars, or different timelines. Picking on price alone is the most common reason a project goes wrong.
Check the work, not the website
Anyone can build a slick website. The test is the actual work. Ask to see two or three finished projects in person. A builder who can't show you finished work in the flesh — and who won't introduce you to a recent client — is one to look at carefully.
When you do visit a finished project, look at the small things. Are the grout lines straight? Do the doors close properly? Are the skirtings the same height? These are the details that show whether a builder cares about finishing.
Ask the awkward questions
Some questions feel rude to ask. Ask them anyway. They're the ones that filter out the wrong fit.
How long have you been trading? What's your most recent project that went badly, and what did you learn from it? What insurance do you carry? What's your VAT number? Can I have the address of two completed projects so I can drive past them? What's your payment schedule, and do you ask for cash?
A builder who answers these openly is one we'd call worth working with.
Read the contract
A proper builder will give you a written contract. The JCT Minor Works contract is the industry standard for residential renovation under £500,000. It covers programme, payments, variations, snagging, and what happens if either side breaks the agreement.
If your builder offers no written contract, look elsewhere. If they offer their own contract on a single sheet of paper, read every word and ask about anything you don't understand.
On payment
Stage payments tied to milestones are normal. A deposit on signing, payments on first fix complete, second fix complete, and final payment on snag list sign-off. Some firms also include payment on materials being delivered to site.
Worth being careful about: any builder asking for more than 30% upfront. Any builder asking for cash. Any builder who structures payments in a way you don't understand.
What honest pricing looks like
Honest pricing for a London residential renovation is somewhere between £2,000 and £4,000 per square metre depending on specification, scope, and area. Bathrooms typically run £25,000–£50,000+ for a full strip and refit. Whole-house refurbishments £80,000–£250,000 and up. Anything substantially below those numbers usually corresponds to either a smaller scope, lower-spec materials, or a longer timeline.
A short version
Write a proper scope. Get three quotes. Visit finished work. Ask awkward questions. Read the contract. Don't pay cash, don't pay too much upfront, don't pick on price alone.
Most of this comes down to taking three weekends to choose carefully rather than three days to choose hopefully. Builders are not interchangeable; the right fit makes the difference between a project you remember well and one you remember badly.