Choosing the wrong builder is expensive, stressful and sometimes dangerous. Choosing the right one makes the whole project. Here's a practical, honest guide to picking a builder in Durham, written by a firm that has spent years being the one customers wished they'd called first.
None of this is complicated. It's mostly about checking the things people skip when they're keen to get started.
For anything involving gas, the engineer must be Gas Safe registered. For electrical work, look for NICEIC or NAPIT registration. Schemes like TrustMark and Trading Standards Approved are a good sign of a vetted, accountable firm. Ask to see registrations, and check them: the registers are public and free to search.
A proper builder carries public liability insurance, and employer's liability if they have staff. Ask the figure and ask to see the certificate. If something goes wrong on your property, this is what protects you. A builder who can't or won't show insurance is a builder to walk away from.
This is the big one. Many builders subcontract everything, which means a rotating cast of people you've never met, no single point of accountability, and finger-pointing when something goes wrong. Ask directly: are the trades your own employees, or subcontractors? A firm with every trade in-house can stand behind the whole job. (We don't subcontract, for exactly this reason.)
A fixed, written quote in plain English protects you. It should set out what's included, the payment schedule, and the timescale. Be wary of vague day-rate arrangements with no fixed price, and never pay a large deposit up front. Consumers also have a 14-day cooling-off period as standard.
A good builder will happily put you in touch with recent customers and show you real local jobs. Genuine reviews, real project photos, and a physical local address all matter. A firm with a proper base, like our Durham HQ and Sunderland centre, is easier to trust than a mobile number and a magnetic van sign.
If they're hard to reach, vague, or pushy before you've even committed, that rarely improves once they've got your deposit. The right builder turns up when they say they will, answers the phone, and explains things straight. That's not a lot to ask, and it tells you everything.
Ask for their registrations (Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, TrustMark, Trading Standards) and check them on the public registers, which are free to search. A reputable firm will happily show you.
Yes. A proper builder carries public liability insurance, and employer's liability if they have staff. Ask the figure and to see the certificate.
Subcontracting means no single point of accountability and finger-pointing when things go wrong. A firm with every trade in-house can stand behind the whole job. ATKINSONS doesn't subcontract.
Never pay a large deposit. A fixed written quote should set out a sensible payment schedule, and consumers have a 14-day cooling-off period as standard.
Ask for references from recent customers, look for real local project photos and genuine reviews, and check they have a proper physical address.
Whatever the brief, the route in is the same: ring us, we'll visit, we'll come back with a fixed price in plain English. Free site visits across Durham, Sunderland and Newcastle.
Or email enquiries@atkinsonsgroup.co.uk
No call-out charge for quotes. Fixed prices, in writing.
