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Pre-Construction

Getting your team, contracts, and site ready

12 tasks in this phase

Builder vetting process infographic showing five stages from sourcing candidates through credential checks, site visits, quote comparison, and final appointment, with red flag indicators at each stage
1
How to Find a Reliable Builder for Your Loft Conversion
Where to find builders, what to ask them, and the red flags that save you from a costly project going wrong. Practical vetting guide for UK homeowners.
Free with email
Illustration in progress
2
Loft Company, Builder or Shell Only: What Each Route Leaves You to Manage
Loft company, builder or shell only? Who designs, who books inspections, who owns fire safety and Part P, and what each loft route still leaves to you.
Free
Builder quote comparison infographic showing three quotes side by side with highlighted differences in scope, exclusions, and VAT treatment
3
Getting and Comparing Builder Quotes
How to get like-for-like quotes from builders, what each line item means, where the hidden costs are, and how to choose the right builder at the right price.
Free with email
Illustration in progress
4
Checking a Loft Conversion Quote: Exclusions, VAT, Prime Cost Sums and Deposits
Check a loft conversion quote line by line: the exclusions that turn into extras, VAT, prime cost sums, deposits and the company checks to run before you pay.
Free with email
Contract and payment schedule infographic showing six milestone stages from deposit through completion, with retention held back at each stage
5
Contracts and Payment Schedules: Protecting Your Money
Why a handshake deal can cost you thousands, what a proper building contract covers, and how to structure stage payments so you never pay ahead of the work.
Free with email
Insurance coverage map for a UK extension project showing builder's insurance, homeowner's insurance, and the gaps between them
6
Builder's Insurance: What to Check Before They Start
Around 80% of homeowners doing major building work are underinsured. What your builder must carry, how to verify it's genuine, and the cover gaps that could cost you thousands.
Free with email
Infographic showing a residential property site layout with skip placement, material storage area, access route, and protected zones marked during extension construction
7
Skip Hire and Site Setup for a Loft Conversion
How to plan skips and permits for the waste, and how to set up water, power and welfare before the builder arrives.
Free with email
Decision flowchart showing recovery routes when a building supplier goes bust, branching by payment method from credit card to debit card to bank transfer
8
What to Do When a Supplier Goes Bust
Construction suppliers fail at record rates. Learn how Section 75 credit card protection recovers your money, how to spot warning signs, and what to do when a supplier goes into insolvency.
Escalation spectrum showing five levels of builder behaviour from normal friction to crisis, with recommended homeowner actions at each stage
9
Managing Your Builder: Communication and Expectations
How to communicate with your builder, keep a site diary, spot warning signs early, handle disputes, and manage the relationship your build depends on.
Free with email
Dashboard-style infographic showing a cost tracker with three columns (estimate, committed, actual) across extension build phases, with a variance alert on one category
10
Tracking Your Build Costs
Most building projects overrun their original budget. Set up a cost tracker, enforce written variation approvals, and review at every milestone to stay in control.
Free with email
Dispute escalation ladder showing six resolution steps from direct negotiation through to county court, with costs and timescales at each level
11
Dealing with Builder Disputes
What to do when the builder relationship breaks down: your legal rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the dispute escalation ladder, mediation, small claims court, and how to recover your money.
Illustration in progress
12
Loft Conversion Stages and How Long Each One Takes
Every loft conversion stage in order, how long each one takes before and on site, where building control inspects, and what you must decide at each step.
Free