Choosing a Building Contractor

Choosing a Contractor

UbuntuBLD Building Construction · Reviewed 23 September 2026

Before you appoint a building contractor, confirm the business is properly registered and trading, that new homes are enrolled with the NHBRC, and that public liability cover is in place. Ask to see completed work and speak to previous clients directly, and put the scope, payment schedule and change process in writing.

What to check before you appoint a contractor

Appointing a contractor is the single most important decision on a building project. Work through the basics before you sign anything — the checks take a little time and prevent most of the problems that follow a bad appointment.

• Registration — confirm the business is properly registered and trading.
• NHBRC enrolment — required for new home builds, and it provides warranty protection. A builder’s registration can be checked with the NHBRC.
• References — ask to see completed work and speak to previous clients directly.
• Insurance — confirm public liability cover and, where relevant, workmen's compensation.
• A written contract — never proceed on a verbal agreement, however good the relationship.

Questions worth asking

How a contractor answers these tells you as much as the answers themselves.

• Who manages the site day to day, and who is my main point of contact?
• What is the payment schedule, and how is it tied to progress on site?
• How are changes to the scope priced and approved?
• What happens if the project runs late?
• Who handles defects after handover, and for how long?

Warning signs

Any one of these on its own is worth a question. More than one is a reason to walk away.

• A large deposit requested before any work starts.
• No written contract, or a contract with a vague and undefined scope.
• No verifiable business address or track record.
• Pressure to decide immediately.
• Reluctance to provide references or show completed work.

Getting the best result

A good contractor is easier to work with when the brief is clear. Put the scope in writing, agree a payment schedule tied to milestones, and keep decisions and variations documented as they happen.

Clear communication in both directions is what keeps a project on track — and it is far easier to maintain when expectations were set properly at the start.