Hiring a bad builder is a nightmare as they will not only cause problems during the project, but you will have additional problems once the work is finished. There are a number of tips you should consider to help you avoid these bad builders and the problems they bring.

Only Taking Cash Payments

You need to be careful of builders who state that they only take cash payments. A cash payment puts you at risk as you have no comeback if the work is not completed or done poorly. You should also consider why a builder would need to have the money in cash when they need to pay suppliers and this is easily done using accounts.

The Time Frame Of The Job

The time frame for the job is something you have to consider. You do not want a builder that takes a very long time, but you do not want one that is rushing through the project. When you get estimates from builders you need to consider the time frame they offer and if one is drastically shorter than others you need to consider why this would be.

Before you hire a builder you need to have a written agreement in place. In this agreement you need to have some protection should the building work go over the time frame they have stated. Bad builders often prolong the job to increase the fees that you need to pay.

Cash Up Front

If the builder asks for the money upfront for the job this should be a red flag. You should never have to pay for the job upfront and should hold payment until it is complete. Some builders have agreements where you pay the total amount in installments at the end of set stages. This is fine because the section of work that you are paying for has been completed.

The Estimate Is Very Low

It is recommended that you get estimates from a number of builders and compare them. If the estimate is drastically cheaper than other estimates this is a warning sign. To achieve the low estimate the builder will need to make cuts elsewhere. This could result in poor quality materials being used or certain aspects of the job being rushed through and this will bring you problems later on. Reliable builders will draft you a reasonable estimate for the project, not too expensive nor too cheap.

No Written Estimate

If a builder will not provide you with a written estimate you should not use them. If you are spending a significant amount of money you will want a breakdown of what the money is going to. Verbal estimates are not binding and could easily be changed when it comes to invoicing.

No References Or Business Information

The builder you choose should have some references that you can look into. If the builder is unable or unwilling to provide references you should consider why this is. Builders without references may not be equipped to complete your job.

The business information that the builder provides should also be considered. The builder should have a registered business address and a contact number. This contact number does not have to be a landline, but it should be one that you can easily contact them on.