Guide

How to check a builder before you agree a job

Short answer

No law says a builder must join a register, so check the firm yourself. Search the FMB, TrustMark and Companies House. Ask for recent jobs you can see, and proof of insurance. Get a written quote and contract. Do not pay everything up front: pay in stages as the work is done.

Updated 15 October 2026 · 3 min read · 8 sources

Check the business

First, confirm the business is real and trading. If it is a limited company, search its name on Companies House.

Check that the status is Active, and that the accounts are not overdue. Many good builders are sole traders, so they will not appear there.

Citizens Advice says you should ring the business to check it exists. Check that the name, address and phone number match on the quote, the website and the van.

Check the registers

Search each register yourself. Do not rely on a logo on a website or a van.

FMB: the Federation of Master Builders lists its members. It says members pass a vetting and inspection process before they join.
TrustMark: the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme for work in and around the home.
Guild of Master Craftsmen: a trade association. Search its members on findacraftsman.com.
Which? Trusted Traders: Which? says every trader on its site passed an assessment set by its trading standards professionals.
Companies House: check that a limited company is active, and see its directors.

Check past work and insurance

Citizens Advice says to ask for 2 or 3 recent examples of similar work. Contact those clients yourself, because written references are not always genuine.

Ask to see the builder’s insurance, and check it will not run out before the job ends. Citizens Advice names public liability, employers’ liability and contractors’ all-risk cover.

Citizens Advice says you may need to tell your buildings insurer about the work. Check your policy before the job starts.

Get it in writing

Get written quotes from at least three builders. A good quote gives a fixed total price, not a day rate, and lists the work and the materials.

A contract exists as soon as you accept a quote, even if nothing is signed. A written contract proves what you agreed. Read our guide to what a building quote should include.

By law, a trader must do the work with reasonable care and skill. This is in section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Pay in stages

Citizens Advice says do not pay everything up front. If you must pay a deposit, keep it low: no more than 25%.

Pay in stages as the work is done, so problems can be put right before the final payment. Agree the stages in the contract.

Pay by credit card where you can, and always get a receipt. Citizens Advice says a credit card payment between £100.01 and £30,000 can give you a section 75 claim if things go wrong.

How our listings help

We are a directory. We do not do the work, and nobody pays for position. For each firm we show the register checks we did, the date, and a link to the register.

We do not check the quality of work or insurance. If we did not find a firm on a register, we show nothing for that register, because a search can miss a firm.

Questions

Does a builder need a licence?

No. In England, no law says a general builder must hold a licence or join a register. Some work, such as gas and electrics, has its own rules. That is why it helps to check trade bodies and Companies House yourself.

How much deposit should a builder ask for?

As little as possible. Citizens Advice says do not agree to more than 25%, and always get a receipt. Pay the rest in stages as the work is done.

Can I cancel a building contract I signed at home?

Often, yes. Citizens Advice says you usually have 14 days to cancel a contract agreed at home. If you asked the builder to start in that time, you may pay for work already done.