Things to check
To choose the right person for your job you should:
- check if they are a member of a recognised professional institution
- check if they are part of a local practice
- look at earlier projects
- ask for reference and examples of their work
- look for recommendations from friends or neighbours
Once you’ve chosen the person you should agree in writing what their responsibilities are. For example, do you want them to prepare plans or is site supervision included.
You should get more than one quote and chose the one which feels best. Choosing someone based on being cheapest could result in more expenses later in the project if they are unsuitable.
You must check what permissions you need. Will you need both Planning and Building Regulation approval and if so, will any quote include amending plans to get these approvals?
If you think your job is small enough that you do not need a professional then we suggest you get advice from someone within the construction industry that you know and trust.
At your first meeting you should talk to your chosen agent about
- their fee
- the frequency of progress updates
- how they will inform you of quality or cost changes
- what information they need from you before they start work
Once you have agreed, your agent should record this in writing and the contract should say:
- what work they will do
- the fee or how they will calculate this
- what everyone’s responsibilities are
- the type and value of professional indemnity insurance they hold
- what any dispute process is
If you are employing an accredited professional, they should make you aware of their complaints procedure and any routes of redress you have.